Hoping for Consistency

Indonesia’s achievement in Asian Games badminton this year has shown that its young athletes are maturing and can perform under pressure. Their consistency in maintaining a high performance is now put to the test.

KOMPAS/RONY ARIYANTO NUGROHO

Indonesia shuttler Jonatan “Jojo” Christie celebrates his gold-medal victory in the 2018 Asian Games men’s singles badminton final on Tuesday (28/8/2018) at the Gelora Bung Karno main stadium in Senayan, Jakarta. Jojo defeated Chinese Taipei shuttler Chou Tienchen 21-18, 20-22 (21-15).

JAKARTA, KOMPAS – The two gold medals, two silvers and four bronzes the Indonesian badminton team won in the 2018 Asian Games fosters a newfound sense of optimism about the country’s future in the sport. The extraordinary support from local fans at the Gelora Bung Karno (GBK) Stadium, complementing the athletes’ unyielding spirit, reaffirms this optimism.

The men’s doubles pair of Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo and Marcus Fernaldi Gideon won gold by beating fellow Indonesians Fajar Alfian and Muhammad Rian Ardianto 13-21, 21-18, 24-22 on Tuesday (28/8/2018). Fajar, 23, and Rian, 22, the country’s number 2 men’s doubles pair in badminton, fought viciously and could cope with Kevin and Marcus’ swift playing style with few errors.

The biggest source of optimism, however, is Jonatan Christie, who clinched gold in men’s singles after beating world number 4 Chou Tien-chen from Chinese Taipei 21-18, 20-22, 21-15. The 20-year-old Jojo, as Jonatan is affectionately called, ended a 12-year gold drought in men’s singles badminton. The last gold Indonesia won in the event was for Taufik Hidayat’s victory at the 2006 Asian Games in Doha.

Together with the bronze won by Anthony Sinisuka Ginting, 21, hopes of a badminton revival in men’s singles are high. In their quest for the winners’ podium, the Indonesian shuttlers defeated many of the world’s top players.

Apart from beating Chou in the final, Jojo also defeated world number 1 shuttler Shi Yuqi from China and world number 8 Kenta Nishimoto from Japan. Meanwhile, Anthony crushed world champion and world No. 2 Kento Momota from Japan, as well as 2016 Olympic gold medalist and world No. 5 Chen Long from China.

Indonesian badminton team manager Susy Susanti said local shuttlers had shown their fighting spirit at the Asian Games. “Indonesia’s achievement at the Asian Games has surpassed our target. Athletes have shown extraordinary fighting spirit and made achievements,” she said.

Susy said local shuttlers were now required to maintain their consistency in upcoming championships in the hope of winning medals at the 2020 Olympics. “The Olympics is the peak of athletes’ struggle,” she said.

Long-term consistency in maintaining high-level achievements is necessary to ensure future achievements in sports. Thus far, only Kevin, 23, and Marcus, 27, have shown such consistency. Since becoming the world’s top pair in men’s doubles on March 16, 2017, they have only been replaced in that position for brief periods of time.

It is hoped that the achievements of Jojo, Anthony and the Fajar-Rian duo will boost their self-confidence. Together with other shuttlers in the national training camp (Pelatnas), they will need to prepare for future tournaments, namely the Japan Open (Sept. 11-16) and the China Open (Sept. 18-23).

Men’s doubles coach Herry Iman Pierngadi said he was satisfied with the athletes’ achievements. Herry, who watched the All-Indonesian men’s doubles final from the gallery, said the development of new talent in men’s doubles was coming along well. Indonesian men’s doubles pairs have advanced to Asian Games finals ever since 2006 and won gold in the 2010, 2014 and 2018 Games.

Herry said those achievements were inseparable from proper athletes’ development at badminton clubs across the country. “Together with assistant coach Aryono Miranat at the Pelatnas, I just help the athletes continue their development and achieve success,” he said.

Indonesia’s female shuttlers have also performed well, as shown by the Greysia Polii-Apriyani Rahayu duo winning bronze in women’s doubles. Gregoria Mariska Tunjung, 19, may be eliminated in women’s singles but was undefeated in the women’s team event. She overpowered two players of higher ranking, namely South Korea’s Sung Ji-hyun and world number 2 Akane Yamaguchi from Japan.

Indonesian shuttlers’ success has helped the country remain at rank 4 in the overall medal standings on the 10^th day of the Games, with 24 golds, 19 silvers and 29 bronzes. On Tuesday, Indonesia also won one silver and one bronze in both archery and beach volleyball, as well as one silver in sepak takraw.

Keeping it up

Vice President Jusuf Kalla said the 2018 Asian Games should generate the necessary momentum to improve the development of athletes. The current training and funding management will be maintained and be used for athletes’ development ahead of the 2019 Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Manila and the 2020 Olympics in Tokyo.

“The training will surely continue. Next year, we will have the SEA Games in Manila and then there’s the 2020 Olympics afterwards,” Kalla said at his office in Jakarta.

Kalla said that, after the dissolution of the Satlak Prima gold program task force, the responsibility of athlete development rested with the national sports associations. “Apparently, this change from centralized training to decentralized and de-bureaucratized training has boosted everyone’s spirit,” Kalla said.

Consequently, he said, the government was convinced that Indonesia could remain in the top five in the medal tally at this year’s Asian Games.

(DNA/IYA/NTA)