Ricky and Rexy salvage RI's badminton pride

Ricky and Rexy salvage RI's badminton pride

BANGKOK (JP): Olympic badminton men's doubles champions Ricky
Ahmad Subagja and Rexy Ronald Mainaky retained their Asian Games
crown on Thursday to restore Indonesia's pride after two other
gold medals up for grabs slipped through the badminton team's
fingers earlier in the day.

The Indonesian world number one pairing outclassed home
favorites Pramote Teerawiwatana and Siripong Siripool who went
down 5-15, 10-15 in less than one hour, despite the full support
of the crowd packing the 5,000-seat Thammasat badminton gym.

For Indonesia, the victory came as a consolation after both
Hendrawan in the men's singles and Deyana Lomban and Elysa
Nathanael in the women's doubles failed to survive close three-
set matches against Chinese opposition.

Hendrawan led Indonesia to a 4-0 victory over China in the
men's team event last week for its first gold medal.

Hendrawan, a point shy of winning the first set, fell to
Olympic silver medalist Dong Jiong 14-17, 15-10, 15-8. It was
Hendrawan's second loss to the same opponent in as many
encounters.

Deyana and Elysa looked set to hand China's world champions
and Olympic gold medalists Ge Fei and Gu Jun their first defeat
in two years when they took the opening set. But experience gave
the Chinese the upper hand and they fought back to post a 12-15,
15-9, 15-11 win.

Unheralded Kaneko Yonekura sealed her Cinderella run with yet
another upset 1-11, 11-5, 11-6 win over China's world number two
Gong Zichou in the women's singles final. Her victory gave Japan
its first Asiad badminton gold since Hiroe Yuki won the event in
1970.

World number 47 Yonekura toppled pre-tournament favorite and
world number one Ye Zhaoying of China en route to the final.

Ricky and Rexy faced a scare when at 10-4 up in the second set
they lost their concentration following a bad call from a
linesman. They made a number of unforced errors to allow the
Thais to close in to 12-10. But after taking a brief break to
regroup, the Indonesians showed no mercy and unleashed a flurry
of smash winners to settle the issue.

"I was out of control after the dubious call over the Thais'
smash. It would have been wrong if we did not take a break then,
and it paid off," Rexy said.

Rexy said he and his long-time partner were now eying their
second Olympic gold medal at the Sydney games in 2000 before
finally retiring.

"It's nice to win international sporting events like the Asiad
and the Olympics, especially when you are about to retire," said
Rexy, a father of two. "I dedicate the gold to my two children."

Hendrawan took a 14-10 lead in the first set, but Dong, who
beat him in the Grand Prix Finals in Jakarta last year, used his
speed and power to gradually wrest control of the game from the
Indonesian. Hendrawan saved one set point, but it was not enough
to stop the advance of the Chinese player.

"I'm not in a good shape, I've had fever for two days, but
that's not an excuse for my loss. Dong played much better with
his smashes," said Hendrawan. His face showed the traces of
tears.

Hendrawan said doctors had suggested that he undergo a medical
check-up as soon as he arrives back in Jakarta. He has canceled
plans to compete in the Copenhagen Master late this month.

"I'll prepare myself for the Final Grand Prix in Brunei
Darussalam in January," he said.

Despite the defeats, Indonesian badminton players have good
reason to smile because the Badminton Association of Indonesia
(PBSI) has provided them with generous cash bonuses. PBSI deputy
chairman Agus Wirahadikusumah said that a gold medal was worth Rp
60 million ($6,700), a silver Rp 30 million and a bronze Rp 20
million. (yan)