SEAG local shuttlers named after World Cup
SEAG local shuttlers named after World Cup
JAKARTA (JP): The Badminton Association of Indonesia will
select the country's best shuttlers for the 19th SEA Games here
in October after the 1997 World Cup Badminton Championships in
Yogyakarta this month.
The association's executive director, Sumaryono, said
yesterday after a meeting with Games national training director
Djoko Pramono that the association would use the World Cup, from
Aug. 20 to Aug. 24, as a tryout for the biennial regional sports
event.
"After the World Cup, SEA Games shuttlers will not compete in
other Grand Prix series," he said.
Sumaryono said the association would field its best shuttlers
at the SEA Games.
"Even Susi Susanti (world ranked number 2) has prepared for
the event," he said.
But, the association still has to deal with the limited number
of players allowed to compete in the Oct. 11 to Oct. 19 Games.
The SEA Games Federation has decided that each country can
only send seven male and seven female shuttlers for seven
divisions.
The association protested the decision because in past SEA
Games, each country has always been represented by eight male and
eight female shuttlers.
Technical coordinator Christian Hadinata said that if
Indonesia was only allowed to field 14 shuttlers, it would have
problems deciding the mixed doubles teams.
"We all know that we have a good chance in the mixed doubles.
The only tough rivals we'll meet are in the Malaysian and
Thailand men's doubles," he said.
Indonesia's top doubles Candra Wijaya/Sigit Budiarto will face
a tough challenge from Malaysia's Cheah Soon Kit/Yap Kim Hock and
Pamrote Teerawiwatana/Siripon Siripul of Thailand.
But the Malaysian pair may not compete at the SEA Games as Yap
will be undergoing medical treatment until October.
"It is up to us how we use the great chance to win the gold,"
said Christian, who played men's and mixed doubles in the 1970s.
Sumaryono said the National Sports Council would negotiate
with the federation about the number of players.
"The association will send letters to the International
Badminton Federation (IBF) and the Asia Badminton Confederation
(ABC) today. We will also discuss the problem with other Games
participating countries," he said.
World Cup
The IBF has confirmed that top seeded shuttlers from China and
host Indonesia will compete at the US$200,000 World Cup Badminton
Championship.
In the men's singles, world number one and defending champion
Dong Jiong will face a tough challenge from compatriot Sun Jun,
world ranked 3, Indonesia's Hariyanto Arbi, world ranked 2, and
Joko Suprianto, world ranked 4.
All England champ Ye Zhaoying will meet host badminton queen
Susi Susanti, world ranked two and defending champion.
Ye will also face Indonesia's young hope Mia Audina, world
ranked four, who recently won the Singapore Open, and juniors
Gong Zhichao, world ranked 3, and Wang Chen, world ranked 5.
In the men's doubles, world champion Candra/Sigit will have a
great chance to collect more titles as they only have Olympic
gold medalists Ricky Subagja/Rexy Mainaky and South Korea's Lee
Dong-soo/Yoo Yong-sung to challenge them.
Defending champions and top ranks Ge Fei/Gu Jun are favorites
to win the championship despite rivalries from juniors Qin
Yiyuan/Tang Yongshu, world ranked 2, and Indonesia's Eliza/Zelin
Resiana, world ranked 3.
In the mixed doubles, Chinese pair Ge Fei/Liu Yong are likely
dominate the event. With the absence of world ranked two, Jens
Eriksen/Merlene Thomsen of Denmark, Indonesia's Tri
Kusherjanto/Minarti Timur have a greater chance of winning the
title before their public.
The IBF also announced that the championship would use the new
system of scoring. Each player will have a 90-second break at
point 8 for doubles and men's singles and at point 6 for the
women's singles.
Shuttlers can also pick one or three points to finish the
match at deuce 14. (yan)