The last of Indonesia's Olympians leave for U.S.
The last of Indonesia's Olympians leave for U.S.
JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia embarked on its grueling passage to
Olympic glory at Atlanta yesterday with a team heavily relying on
its badminton players.
The 23 members of the team who departed yesterday, including
20 badminton players, will have only a few days to tune up when
they join their teammates who arrived in Atlanta last week.
But badminton ladies' singles defending champion Susi Susanti
showed no apprehension even though she has a tougher job in front
of her than at Barcelona four years ago.
"I'm fully ready for my last Olympics although a string of
tough hurdles lie in my way to the pinnacle," she said yesterday
during a send-off ceremony led by National Sports Council
chairman Wismoyo Arismunandar.
"I know I have a chance to earn a gold medal but God will
decide. Winning gold medals is what all athletes are dreaming
about at the Olympics," Susi said.
Indonesia's badminton living legend, Rudy Hartono, predicted
that ladies' singles, men's singles and men's doubles could be
relied upon in the gold medal race which starts on July 24.
Susi is making her last Olympic appearance before marrying
Alan Budikusuma next February. She and Alan won Indonesia's two
gold medals in Barcelona.
Susi said her old foes Ye Zhaoying of China and Bang Soo-hyun
of South Korea were her most dangerous contenders. Another
challenger, world number four Lim Xiaoqing of Sweden, will miss
the Summer Games because of injury.
Susi's teammate, Mia Audina, refused to boast about her
chances. "I do not dream of winning my first Olympic medal in
Atlanta." she said. The 17-year-old will wear a knee support
during her matches even though she has been declared fit.
The inconsistent world men's singles champion Hariyanto Arby
said he will brush aside people's doubts about his chances in
Atlanta.
"I feel better as an underdog. The time has come to prove that
an unrated player can win a gold medal," he said. He has long
been overshadowed by his compatriot and world number one Joko
Suprianto.
Hariyanto helped Indonesia clinch the Thomas Cup in Hong Kong
last May when he downed Thomas Stuer-Lauridsen of Denmark in the
tournament's deciding match.
Tennis squad
Indonesian tennis queen Yayuk Basuki and her doubles partner
Romana Tedjakusuma also departed yesterday.
Yayuk, after a 2-3 Fed Cup loss to Switzerland on Sunday, said
that her chances, either in singles or doubles, looked dim.
She automatically qualified for the women's singles because of
her number 28 world ranking, and because of her partnership with
Romana; they won the Asian Championships last year, earning a
wild card entry to Atlanta.
Coach Suharyadi, who is also Yayuk's husband, said that Yayuk
needs only to maintain her physical fitness and confidence for
the Olympics.
"She has nothing to worry about. She is well prepared," said
Suharyadi who has shaved his head. He said that Yayuk is expected
to reach the quarterfinals at Atlanta.
Men's judoist Krisna Bayu, the last name to be included in
Indonesia's 40-strong team, set a realistic target of improving
his Asian ranking in Atlanta. The 86-kilogram judoist was granted
a wild card to the Olympics.
"This is not the SEA Games where I could clinch a pair of gold
medals. Winning any medals at Atlanta looks almost impossible,"
the 22-year-old said. (yan)