Susie and Alan to have farewell match
JAKARTA (JP): The 1992 Olympic gold medalists Susie Susanti and Alan Budikusuma will play on Sunday a farewell match at the Senayan Tennis Indoor Stadium.
Susie said on Tuesday that she decided to say goodbye to badminton, which has brought her fame and welfare, due to her the responsibilities of her new baby which was born in April.
"Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI) chairman Subagyo Hadisiswoyo called me in July asking me about my commitment to remain as a shuttler or retire. I have considered that I must retire due to my physical condition and my age," Susie said.
"However, I won't totally turn my back on badminton. I'll still help PBSI by becoming a consultant or share my experiences with my younger sisters at the Indonesia Badminton Center in Cipayung, East Jakarta," said Susie, who turned down a PBSI offer to coach at the center saying she would focus her attention on her six-month-old daughter.
At the farewell party, staged by PBSI and private station RCTI, Susie will partner husband Alan in a mixed double match against the 1992 Olympic bronze medalist Hermawan Susanto and former Uber Cup member Sarwendah Kusumawardhani.
"It will be very different when badminton lovers see me now. I'm not as fast as I was last year. All of us just want to give our best as a farewell party to badminton. We won't think of winning or losing, but we'll give the audience satisfaction to watch us on court."
Susie is currently coaching five students once a week at a private hall near her residence in Kelapa Gading, East Jakarta, while Alan is involved in a family food distribution business.
"I'm just continuing Susie's parents business here, and I'm going to start my own business in the meantime," said Alan.
PBSI official in charge of athletes development Mangombar Ferdinand Siregar said that the government should be ashamed of the badminton community's lone efforts to express its appreciation of the badminton champions.
"The appreciation must be given by the government. Both of them are our hero and heroine, and it's a part of our history. PBSI must make the farewell a tradition," he said.
The farewell match will be preceded by a men's singles match between Taufik Hidayat and Hariyanto Arbi, followed by a men's doubles match between Ricky Soebagdja and Flandy Limpele against Candra Wijaya and Tony Gunawan.
During the farewell match, Susie and Alan will auction their rackets. Proceeds from the auction will be distributed to refugees in the country.
Singer Ruth Sahanaya and comedians Dono and Indro are also scheduled to entertain the audience. The match will be aired on Sunday Nov. 7 by RCTI.
The Rp 5,000 (US 733 cents) tickets are available during office hours from the Senayan badminton hall on Jl. Asia Afrika, Central Jakarta. (yan)