Spirit of competition

The way our athletes fought for and won the Thomas Cup and Uber Cup in Hong Kong at the weekend should dispel any doubt or apprehension caused by the recent suggestion of some local experts that Indonesians, either by nature or cultural inclination, are not competitive. Susi Susanti, Joko Suprianto and their colleagues showed by winning the two coveted international badminton trophies that Indonesians can, if we want to and really put our mind to it, be just as competitive as the next nation.

There were times during the final games when some of our players lost their nerve and dropped valuable points. However, they came back with a vengeance to win and retain the trophies they won two years ago in Jakarta.

The victory has also put to rest the equally contentious accusation that Indonesians can only win with the advantage of a home crowd. This time we won convincingly away from home, against China and Denmark, two formidable and worthy adversaries that made the finals truly exciting to watch. These victories have proven that Indonesia can be competitive, be it at home or abroad.

Most athletes and sports officials attributed the win to Semangat Juang (Fighting Spirit). Although perhaps an overused phrase in politics, this term, which means a strong determination to defend the honor and glory of the nation, is often underrated in sports. Susi, Joko and their fellow athletes have restored the nation's pride in sports following the embarrassing defeat against the host nation at the Southeast Asian Games in Chiang Mai, Thailand, last year. And, what is more, they have shown us what it takes for Indonesia to succeed in any international competition, something which could be applied not only in sports, but also in politics and economics.

Although fighting spirit and determination were undoubtedly crucial elements behind the badminton victories, there were other equally important factors that may have escaped attention. One of them is the long preparation, including the rigorous training put in by our team. And we don't mean just the preparations for this particular Thomas Cup and Uber Cup competition. We are referring to efforts dating back many years, including the talent scouting process, that have helped the nation continue to excel in this particular sport generation after generation.

Another important factor is the team spirit shown by the men's and women's badminton squads. The nature of the championships compelled the squads to work as teams. One or two exceptionally good players are not enough. Susi and Joko by themselves could not have won the trophies. The others had to play a part as well. And finally there were the tactics and strategy employed, shown in the line-up combinations of the Indonesian Thomas Cup and Uber Cup teams in each round in Hong Kong on the way to the final.

So, as we welcome our Thomas Cup heroes and Uber Cup heroines, and shower them with well deserved praises and prizes, let us note the lessons they have taught us about fighting spirit, determination, thorough preparation, team spirit, strategic and tactical thinking, and sportsmanship, or the spirit of competition. These are the elements that made these victories possible.

While our badminton squads now have their sights set on the Atlanta Olympics, the rest of the nation has other equally herculean tasks on the agenda that require many of the qualities we mentioned above. The rapid globalization process is compelling us to be more competitive as a nation. In other sports, we have the Southeast Asian Games which Jakarta will host in 1997. In the economic field, we have the free trade agenda to implement within Southeast Asia, then throughout the Asia-Pacific region, and eventually the rest of the world. If we can duplicate the qualities which won us the two badminton trophies, there will be no reason for any of us to worry about lacking a competitive spirit or the ability to compete.