Top shuttlers miss Asian C'ships

Top shuttlers miss Asian C'ships

JAKARTA (JP): The world's top players are passing over the
Asian Badminton Championships this year, making room for a number
of participants from countries where badminton is alien.

The US$30,000 championships will be held in Gelora Pancasila
stadium in Surabaya from Apr. 17 to Apr. 21.

Secretary-general of the Badminton Association of Indonesia
RAJ Gosal announced yesterday that Syria, Iran, Kazakhstan,
Maldives, Nepal, Myanmar and Vietnam are among the new kids on
the block.

Is this proof that the ugly duckling of the racket family
begins to sport showier feathers? Could be. Or perhaps the
enticements have something to do with it.

The association's Director for Foreign Affairs Rudy Hartono
Kurniawan said that the sponsor, Japanese timepiece giant Seiko,
is providing free board and lodging for six persons from each
participating country.

"This is our strategy, particularly to attract newly
developing countries which may need financial help to come here
and play," the eight-time All England champion said.

Richard Ivory of the International Management Group which is
organizing the tournament added that Seiko will also pay for
participants' airfares.

As for the Big Four -- China, Indonesia, South Korea and
Malaysia -- it seems they unanimously decided not to field their
first-class shuttlers. Which means that the tournament will miss
the world's top shuttlers.

"Of course, they are all being prepared for the Thomas and
Uber Cup championships (May 16 to May 22 in Hong Kong)," said the
association's executive director, Sumaryono.

"We have just fielded them in All England. Fielding them again
in this tournament would be too much for them and may affect
their timed peak performances in Hong Kong. Besides, we want to
avoid the risk of injury," Sumaryono added.

Thus, Malaysia will be led by Peng Cheng, China by Cheng Kang,
South Korea by Ah Jae Chang. Indonesia will try a synergy of its
near-expiry date players such as Hermawan Susanto (men's singles)
and Yuni Kartika (women's singles) and young talents plus two
trial partnerships.

The untested duos group Lili Tampi and Trikus Haryanto in the
mixed doubles (usual pair: Trikus and Minarshi) and Finarsih and
Minarti Timur in the women's doubles (usual pair: Finarsih and
Lili).

Will the new duets work? "If not, we will put them back in
order. But if they do, why shouldn't they go on?" Sumaryono said.
(arf)