Young shuttlers need chance to shine

Young shuttlers need chance to shine

By Primastuti Handayani

JAKARTA (JP): Indonesia, one of the world's top badminton
nations, is in danger of witnessing a repeat of the player crisis
it encountered in the 1980s when China returned to the
international scene and quickly began to dominate the sport.

The Badminton Association of Indonesia must start to send
junior shuttlers to international events to prepare them for
their senior careers.

The association must also be aware of other countries' power.
National shuttlers took three titles in the World Cup Badminton
Championships -- the women's singles, men's doubles and mixed
doubles -- and two in the World Grand Prix Finals -- the women's
singles and men's doubles -- but it must be remembered that both
events were staged in Indonesia.

China, which has groomed many good young players, Denmark,
South Korea and Malaysia are all in a position to dominate
badminton in the future if Indonesia neglects the development of
its young shuttlers.

The success in both the Thomas Cup and Uber Cup after do-or-
die matches in Hong Kong in May must be continued with a clean
sweep in the SEA Games here next October.

Old hands

So far, the association is still relying on old hands,
especially in the singles.

Joko Suprianto, 1992 Olympic gold medalist, Alan Budikusuma,
Hermawan Susanto and Ardy B Wiranata have been the country's
backbone for many years.

Haryanto Arby, who used to be the number one shuttler in the
world, still has to contend with injuries and he is not yet ready
to resume his former role in the national team.

However, several juniors - Jeffer Rosobin, Indra Wijaya, Budi
Santoso and Salim - have shown that they deserve chances to
perform on the international scene.

Jeffer, who won the Asia Cup championship in Surabaya in July,
surprisingly eliminated Poul-Erik Hoyer-Larsen in the round-robin
match of the World Cup. He made it to the final but then lost to
Chinese Dong Jiong.

Compatriot Indra Wijaya, finalist in the Malaysia Open in
August, surprised many people in the Grand Prix Finals by beating
Dong in the round-robin match.

Indonesia's Budi Santoso advanced to the finals of the
Indonesia Open but lost to senior Joko Suprianto and Salim
cruised to the Denmark Open's final but lost to Fung Permadi, a
former Indonesian shuttler who is now playing for Chinese Taipei.

"We, the juniors, need more chances to take part in
international tournaments. If the association only sends the
seniors, how can we perform as well as them," said Jeffer.

Their records show that the juniors have the potential to
become great players, like their seniors, but they still need
more experience of the pressures, both mental and physical, of
performing in major tournaments.

The juniors foreign counterparts are Chinese shuttlers
including Dong, Sun, Chen Gang, Denmark's Peter Rasmussen and
Peter Gade Christensen and Malaysia's Ong Ewe Hock.

Mia

In the women's singles, the 1996 Olympic silver medalist, Mia
Audina, rarely showed her best form this year as she failed to
reach the finals of either the Grand Prix or the World Cup
championships.

Susi Susanti, who plans to retire in two or three years time,
is still the country's best hope in international events.

"When I was in China, I saw how the local association groomed
its young players. I wanted to cry as I am the only cornerstone
of my country. I told Mia that it's time for her to replace me,"
said Susi, the 1992 Olympic gold medalist.

Susi, however, failed to retain her title; only managing to
win this year's Olympic bronze. She did become a six-time winner
of the Grand Prix Finals though.

Mia and teammates Lydia Djaelawidjaja, Meluawati and Cindana
have to work harder in the future to be able to overcome China's
juniors, including Ye Zhaoying, Wang Chen, Zhang Ning and Gong
Zhichao and South Korea's Ra Kyung-min and Kim Ji-hyun, on a
regular basis.

In the men's doubles, Indonesia's toughest rivals are Cheah
Soon Kit and Yap Kim Hock of Malaysia, who won the Olympic silver
medal.

But Indonesia has four men's doubles teams. They are Olympic
gold medalists Ricky Subagja and Rexy Mainaky, Olympic silver
medalists Antonius and Denny Kantono and juniors Tony Gunawan and
Rudi Wijaya and Sigit Budiarto and Chandra Wijaya.

Although Ricky and Rexy lost in the China Open and Hong Kong
Open in November, they still proved to the best doubles by
winning the Grand Prix Finals.

Antonius and Denny also demonstrated they can assume Rexy and
Ricky's mantle some time in the future by winning the World Cup,
beating the newly formed partnership of Rexy and Sigit in the
final.

In the women's doubles, Indonesia only has one world class
pair, Eliza and Zelin Resiana, after Lily Tampi retired on her
marriage and her partner Finarsih has yet to find a new partner.

Minarti Timur and Trikus Heryanto are still the country's
mainstay in the mixed doubles. Teammates Flandy Limpele and
Risyeu Rosalina have to improve before taking over their seniors'
role.

As Jeffer stated, the association must be willing to send
juniors to international events. It must also not expect
overnight success but must look forward to realizing their
athletes' potential in the future.

Yes it would indeed be a bold decision for Indonesia to send
junior players to international events immediately to avoid the
1980s crisis to repeat itself but it is a step that should be
taken.