RI strong team for Asia Cup

RI strong team for Asia Cup

JAKARTA (JP): The Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI)
will field its strongest players in the US$100,000 JVC Asia Cup
men's team championships at the Phan Ding Phung Indoor Stadium in
Ho Chi Minh City next month.

PBSI secretary-general, Leo Chandra Wiranata, told The Jakarta
Post on Wednesday that world number three Taufik Hidayat, world
number five Hendrawan and world number two doubles Tony Gunawan
and Candra Wijaya would compete in the biennial event from Nov.
10 to Nov. 14.

"We aim to retain the title we earned two years ago in the
Senayan tennis indoor," he said.

In 1997, with the absence of China, Indonesia's young
shuttlers of Indra Wijaya, Candra, Sigit Budiarto, Jeffer
Rosobin, Budi Santoso and Tony took the trophy in the first
championships.

"The championships are the best chance to observe our
shuttlers' performances against Asian countries as we have
programmed them for next year's Thomas Cup in Kuala Lumpur," Leo
said.

PBSI training director, Christian Hadinata, told the Post that
Indonesia would face tough challenges from China, South Korea and
Malaysia.

"We have predicted that they are able to win the
championships."

However, Christian questioned the rule stipulating a team can
only be represented by four players.

"We'll ask about it because I think a team needs a substitute
as a precaution if something happens to one of the four players,"
he said.

The Asian Badminton Confederation secretary-general, Datuk
Punch Gunalan, said in a fax available to the Post: "With a total
prize of $50,000 for the winning team and a new form allowing a
team to send two or three shuttlers, all shuttlers will be
enabled to play in the championships," he said.

"The JVC Asian Badminton Championships in Malaysia last month
served as an indication of the Asian countries' strength. We can
see that China, South Korea and Malaysia will compete tightly in
the Asia Cup this year." (yan)