Special Year-end Edition ....

Overall, the year 2004 saw woeful sports performances, with the greatest shock our failure to retain the Thomas Cup, the world's most prestigious men's badminton championship. Even so, some highlights were in store with maverick shuttler Taufik Hidayat's salvaging the nation's pride, taking an Olympic gold against all odds.

Meanwhile, the National Games (PON) wrapped up in Palembang, South Sumatra, to rising concerns over the tournament's effectivity in providing an ideal field for future sports development.

As we close the year, there may yet be some light at the end of this long, dark tunnel.

Injury-plagued Angelique Widjaja fell with a dismal run -- reflected in her ranking, which took a free fall -- but hope for a comeback is now alive after a successful surgery. Soccer fans are also buzzing, as the national team has been performing impressively in the Tiger Cup.