Yayuk leads Yogyakarta to gold
Yayuk leads Yogyakarta to gold
JAKARTA (JP): World number 29 Yayuk Basuki inspired Yogyakarta
to the gold medal after a rain-interrupted women's tennis team
final against East Java in the 14th National Games yesterday.
Yayuk, making her return to the Games after missing the 1993
event, played almost flawless tennis. She routed Agustine Limanto
6-1, 6-2 in the first singles match and orchestrated a formidable
partnership with Maria Veronika Widyadharma in the decisive
doubles match to notch a 2-1 win over the East Javanese.
East Java won the second singles match through Romana
Tedjakusuma, who beat lowly Alfrista Fitriasari 6-0, 6-1.
Yayuk clashed with her Olympic doubles teammate Romana in the
nerve-wracking doubles decider. The East Javanese duo of Romana
and former Fed Cup player Nathalia Soetrisno forced a draining
game, but Yayuk's masterful serves and volleys helped the
Yogyakartan duo chalk up a 6-4, 6-4 win.
Yogyakarta rested Yayuk in its 0-3 loss to East Java in their
final group match on Monday.
In the men's team final, Benny Wijaya silenced his critics
with an attacking game that earned Jakarta the gold medal after
stunning West Java 2-1.
Benny, who has been under fire for his refusal to play in the
Davis Cup, warmed up for his possible final showdown against
Suwandi with a morale boosting 6-1, 4-6, 6-2 win. West Java
pulled level after Davis Cupper Andrian Raturandang tamed veteran
Dede Suhendar 6-4, 7-6 (7-5).
Jakarta sealed West Java's fate when Benny and Eddy
Kusdaryanto joined forces to shoot down Suwandi and Sulistyo
Wibowo in straight sets 6-2, 6-4.
Indonesia's Olympic women archers demonstrated why they
flopped in Atlanta recently when they failed yesterday.
Nurfitriyana
Nurfitriyana Lantang, representing Jakarta, ended the day
empty handed, while her fellow Olympian Hamdiah managed only a
bronze for East Kalimantan.
Hamdiah's sister and teammate in the Olympics, Dahliana, saved
the big names' blushes with her 60-meter triumph to earn East
Kalimantan its sole gold medal yesterday.
East Java topped the archery medal tally yesterday, winning
three of the eight golds on offer. Lampung grabbed two, while
Central Java and Jambi took one apiece.
The country's best trio of Nurfitriyana, Hamdiah and Dahliana
have never repeated their top form since winning a bronze in the
World Championships here last year. The completed their poor
showing with a second-round exit in the Atlanta Games.
Chairman of the Indonesian Archery Association, Oetojo Oesman,
blamed a lack of determination for his trio's sub-par performance
in Atlanta.
Foury Arkadiani, winner of three golds in the previous Games
three years ago, gave East Java its first gold on the archery
field when she scored 315 from 70m. Her teammate, Dwi Purwanti,
finished second with 312, ahead of Dahliana who managed only 309.
"It's great to beat an Olympian, although I'm not too
satisfied with the score I made," Foury said afterward.
Purwanti gave her team another gold after her win in the 50m
event, which again saw East Java dominate. Foury took the silver,
and the bronze went to Purnama Pandiangan, a member of silver
medal winning trio in the 1988 Olympics in Seoul.
Hendra Setijawan completed East Java's triumphant run with the
men's 70m gold medal.
Dahliana won her gold with a score of 399, beating Purwanti by
just two points. Hamdiah finished third with 335. (amd)