Hope from Young Athletes

HUMAS PP PBSI

Indonesia’s mixed doubles pair, Leo Rolly Carnando (left) and Indah Cahya Sari Jamil, poses with their silver medals on Sunday (13/10/2019) at the Junior Badminton World Championships 2019 in Kazan, Russia. China’s second-seeded pair, Feng Yan Zhe and Lin Fang Ling, won the championship by besting Leo-Indah 21-17, 21-17, in the final.

Amid uncertain political and security conditions, our junior athletes made us proud in Kazan, Russia.On Sunday (13/10/2019) night Western Indonesian Time, Indonesian shuttlers Leo Rolly Carnando-Daniel Marthin snatched the gold in the boys’ doubles at the 2019 BWF World Junior Championships in Kazan, after defeating Chinese pair Di Zi Jian-Wang Chang in the finals, 21-19, 21-18.

The gold complemented the recent victory in the Suhandinata Cup mixed team championships. On 5 October 2019, the “Red and White” junior team brought home the Suhandinata Cup, a junior world mixed team championship that was named after Indonesian shuttler Suharso Suhandinata.

HUMAS PP PBSI

Indonesian mixed doubles pair, Indah Cahya Sari Jamil (left) and Leo Rolly Carnando, celebrates on Friday (11/10/2019) after defeating Chinese pair Jiang Zhen Bang-Li Yi Jing 23-21, 12-21, 21-19, in 70 minutes at the Badminton Junior World Championships in Kazan, Russia. The Indonesian pair advanced to the final, where they met China’s second-seeded Feng Yan Zhe-Lin Fang Ling on Sunday (13/10/2019).

In the finals at the Kazan Gymnastic Center on Saturday evening, Indonesia defeated Chinese defending champions 3-1. The achievement was Indonesia’s first title in the under-19 championships.

Achievements by our junior athletes is not only in badminton. In soccer, the Indonesian national U-22 team won the 2019 AFF U-22 Cup after defeating Thailand 2-1 in the final match in Cambodia.

The ASEAN Football Federation (AFF) title was our third title in history across various age groups. Previously, the “Young Garuda” team won the AFF Cup in the U-19 Group in 2013 and in U-16 in 2018. In late September, the national U-16 team made it to the finals of the AFC Asian Cup.

HUMAS PP PBSI

Indonesian mixed doubles pair, Leo Rolly Carnando (left) and Indah Cahya Sari Jamil, hit a return during their semifinal match against China’s Jiang Zhen Bang-Li Yi Jing on Friday (11/10/2019) at the Badminton Junior World Championships in Kazan, Russia. The pair advanced to the final on Sunday (13/10/2019) against China’s second-seeded pair, Feng Yan Zhe and Lin Fang Ling.

In athletics, Lalu M Zohri shows much promise. In 2018, Zohri shook the athletics world through his victory in the 100-meter run at the IAAF World U20 Championships. He went on to be part of Indonesia’s Asian Games silver-winning team in the men’s 4x100-meter relay (Zohri, M Fadlin, Eko Rimbawan and Bayu Kertanegara). In the 2019 Malaysia Open Grand Prix on 30-31 March, Zohri won gold along with Emilia Nova and Sapwaturrahman.

These achievements by our young athletes bring us new hope that we will achieve glory at the international level. We realize that champions, be it individuals or teams, do not come out of nowhere. They are the result of continuous training supported by sport science in common practice in various countries.

KOMPAS/RONY ARIYANTO NUGROHO

Indonesia’s U-16 national players lunge during training on 30 Sept. 2019 at Pakansari Stadium in Bogor, West Java, ahead of the U-16 2020 Asian Cup Qualifiers.

Training includes routine competitions and sportsmanship. Herein lies the government’s duty, in line with Article 13 of Law No. 3/2005 on the National Sports System, to “organize, guide, develop, execute and supervise national sports”. Allegations of match-fixing in many matches in our premier soccer league are concrete proof that so many aspects determine our success in sports.

We need certainty and ideals in our sports development system so that our junior athletes, already high achievers on a global scale, will not lose their potential once they become adult athletes.

KOMPAS/RONY ARIYANTO NUGROHO

Reserve players of Indonesia’s U-16 national team salute the Red-and-White flag while singing the national anthem on 20 Sept. 2019, at the opening of its match against Brunei Darussalam in the U-16 2020 Asian Cup Qualifiers at Gelora Bung Karno Stadium in Jakarta.