RI shuttlers set to make clean sweep at SEAG

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia will strive hard to make a clean sweep of the seven gold medals up for grabs in the badminton tournament at next year's 19th SEA Games.

At the last two Games, in Singapore in 1993 and Chiang Mai, Thailand, last year, the Indonesian shuttlers swept up six of the seven golds at stake, only missing out on the men's doubles title, which, on those two occasions, went to Malaysia.

"We lost in both men's doubles finals to Malaysia. But next year, there is no way Malaysia can steal one gold from us," national coach Indra Gunawan said yesterday.

In Chiang Mai, Indonesia's formidable men's doubles tandem of Rexy Mainaky and Ricky Subagya went down to Malaysia's Cheang Soon Kit and Yap Kim Hock. In Singapore, once again it was Soon Kit partnering with Soo Beng Kiang who prevented Indonesia from sweeping all seven titles by beating Ricky and Rexy in a nerve- tingling final.

However, Indra expressed concern about the fading performances of the country's top men's singles players.

"We cannot continue to bank on such old warriors as Joko Supriyanto, Ardy Wiranata, Heryanto Arbi or Alan Budikusuma all the time because their performances have begun to decline due to age.

"But we have a set of younger players capable of taking over the baton from their seniors. So, in all probability, our SEA Games squad will be a mixture of experience and youth," he said

Indra said the Badminton Association of Indonesia always stressed the important need of regeneration process of players.

"So, if some national players are already past their prime, their juniors are ready to take over the mantle."

Indonesia is grooming 16 men's and eight women's shuttlers for the next SEA Games, which will be held in Jakarta.

Indra said some of the players would be fielded in two international invitationals, the Grand Prix Finals in Denpasar, Bali, and the World Cup in Jakarta. Both are to be held next month. (bas)