RI wobbles on way to double team gold
By Budiman Moerdijat
JAKARTA (JP): The end result was what had been predicted. But the route to Indonesia winning both badminton team golds was anything but the plain sailing most people had thought it would be.
The women cruised to a 5-0 thrashing of Thailand but the men stuttered and stumbled before eventually overcoming a spirited Malaysian side 4-1 in a much tighter clash than the scoreline suggests.
In the first match the Indonesian men had a lucky escape. Men's singles player Hariyanto Arbi was 6-13 down in the rubber game against Malaysian Ong Ewe Hock when the latter slipped and appeared to pull a muscle.
Hari won the next nine points without much difficulty to take the game 15-13 and the match at the Badminton Hall next to the Mulia Hotel on Jl. Asia Afrika, South Jakarta.
"I was lucky to win the game," he told The Jakarta Post after the game, adding that he had been defeated by Ewe Hock in their last meeting, in Yogyakarta earlier this year.
"But I was sure I would defeat him when I made it to the 13-13 tie in the last game."
The Indonesian men's single coach Indra Gunawan said that Hariyanto's victory over Ewe Hock was unexpected.
"I was worried when he was left trailing by seven points in the third game," he said, adding that Hariyanto usually loses matches when he is on the brink of defeat.
"He should be careful in the individual event," Indra said.
The one point lead over Malaysia was shortlived after the Malaysian doubles Tan Kim Her and Rosman Razak defeated world doubles champions Sigit Budiarto and Chandra Wijaya in a rubber game match.
After winning the first game 15-9, Sigit and Chandra were hammered 6-15 in the second. The third game was a titanic struggle before the Indonesians eventually succumbed 14-17.
The Malaysians showed their determination despite the pressure from the hall packed with thousands of vociferously hostile spectators.
"It was not my night," Sigit said simply afterward.
He added that he had lost his "touch" during the game against Kim Her and Rosman Razak.
The Malaysians' joy did not last long. In next three games, Indonesia demonstrated its real power by going all-out and destroying the Malaysians with a clinical combination of power and finesse.
Second singles Indra Wijaya defeated Yong Hock Kin in 15-7, 15-8 and the 1996 Atlanta Olympics doubles gold medalists Ricky A. Subagja and Rexy Mainaky crushed Chew Choon Eng and Lee Chee Leong 15-6, 15-9.
In the final match of the men's team event yesterday, the third singles Joko Supriyanto was also victorious. He destroyed Jason Wong in straight sets 15-3, 15-9.
Women
In the women's team event, Indonesia walked away with the gold.
The first singles Susi Susanti won over Pornsawan Plungwech 11-4, 11-4, and the second doubles Deyana Lomban and Isolina defeated Saralee and Ticha 15-7, 15-5.
The 1996 Atlanta Olympics silver medalists Mia Audina had an equally easy victory, 11-5, 11-6 win over Thitikan Duangsiri and the first doubles Eliza and Zelin R. conquered Somharuthai and Pornsawan 15-5, 15-8.
The rout was completed when third singles Meiluawaty completed the demolition with the fifth successive strait straight games win, 11-4, 11-5 over Natsaran Boonvoramatee.