RI shuttlers seen to grab all gold medals
RI shuttlers seen to grab all gold medals
JAKARTA (JP): A former top Thai badminton player predicted that the Indonesian badminton team will not face tough competition from other countries at the 18th Southeast Asian Games in Chiang Mai, Thailand.
Sompol Kukasemkij, who is now the Thai badminton assistant manager, told Antara in Chiang Mai that Indonesia would not have much difficulty in taking all badminton gold medals on offer due to the quality of its' players.
"Although some Indonesian players, like Susi Susanti and Ricky Subagja, were injured, Indonesia still has good substitute players," he said.
Recently, four Indonesian players, Susi, Ricky, Hermawan Susanto and Mia Audina, were injured. According to the officials, the three of them are ready to fight but Mia has had to be replaced with Lydia Djaelawidjaja.
"Thailand and Malaysia can only hope to take the gold medal in the men's doubles," he said.
Sompol also expressed his hope that Sakrapee Thongsari and Pramote Teerawiwat from Thailand can steal a gold medal from Indonesia.
Unfortunately, Pramote reportedly injured his ankle during training on Sunday and was still under medical treatment.
Sakrapee, Pramote's partner, said that the injury was not bad but Pramote had decided to rest in order to recover swiftly soon before the badminton games start on Dec. 13.
Indonesian chances of winning the men's doubles title, may also face opposition from favorites Cheah Soon Kit and Yap Kim Hock of Malaysia, Sompol said.
The Malaysian duo, ranked eighth in the world, won the 1995 Grand Prix in Singapore recently and have been predicted to meet Indonesian third ranked Antonius and Denny Kantono at the semifinal. Antonius and Denny were defeated by the Malaysians at the Grand Prix final in Singapore in three sets 16-17, 15-3, 15- 4.
After her arrival in Chiang Mai airport on Wednesday, Susi, one of Indonesian's best hopes in badminton, told reporters that she would try her best to win two gold medals for the country.
Swimming
Meanwhile, Thailand top swimmer Prapansai Minpraphal did not consider Indonesians Maya Masita Nasution and Catherine Surya her toughest rivals.
Prapansai said her big challenger would be Joselin Yeo from Singapore, who earned six gold medals at the 1993 SEA Games in Singapore.
"I don't care about my rivals' records," she said, "The most important thing is to be the fastest and earn gold medals."
According to Prapansai, she will meet Yeo at six finals, among them the 200 meters individual numbers, the 400 meters individual medley and 4X100 meter team events.
While Indonesia is expected to make a clean sweep in the badminton event, host Thailand is confident of dominating the boxing competition -- the country's number one sport.
Chestha Thanacharo, chairman of the Thailand Amateur Boxing Association, told reporters on Wednesday at the athletes village that he is optimistic about Thailand's chances for seven gold medals at the Games.
Thailand boxing team includes Somrot Khamsing, who gets a ticket to the upcoming Atlanta Olympic Games, and his brother Somluck Khamsing, who earned the only gold medal for Thailand at the last Asian Games in Hiroshima. (05)