Pencak silat originated in Indonesia, but that fact did little for the country during the 2009 Southeast Asian Games.
Of the 17 gold medals up for grabs in the martial art in Vientiane, Laos, Indonesian competitors managed just two. Vietnam won the most pencak silat golds with six, followed by Malaysia with four.
Indonesia’s slide from the pinnacle of pencak silat can be traced to the progress of the sport in other Southeast Asian countries. That development, in turn, is partly due to Indonesian coaches going abroad to encourage the martial art’s growth.
In order to make the sport better known around the world, the World Pencak Silat Federation (Persilat) asked the Indonesian federation to send its coaches around the globe beginning in the 1980s.
“The sport has been gaining more popularity in Vietnam,” former Vietnam pencak silat coach Suhartono recalled in an interview in Laos. “When I left the country in 2005, there were almost 70,000 people training in pencak silat.”
The work by Suhartono, an Indonesian, was one part of Vietnam’s gold rush during the SEA Games.
He trained Vietnamese athletes from 1995-2005. Asked to introduce pencak silat to Vietnam just before the 1995 SEA Games, his assistance made an immediate impact as he helped the country to three gold medals that year.
Under Suhartono’s guidance, Vietnam won seven golds at the 2001 Games in Malaysia. He left Vietnam to coach the Philippines in 2005 before going on to lead Thailand when it hosted the 2007 Games and Brunei Darussalam in 2009.
“I’m facing a bigger challenge in Brunei. It’s been hard to lure people to the sport there. Sport is only a leisure activity for most of them, so it’s hard to make them an athlete,” said Suhartono, who is contracted with the country until 2011.
Despite the challenges, he believes pencak silat will blossom in Brunei with the government’s full support.
Suriatno is another Indonesian coach enjoying success abroad. He took charge of the Laos team just four months prior to the 2009 Games and led it to one gold medal — its first SEA Games gold in pencak silat — two silvers and four bronzes.
It was his second spell in Laos after coaching it for eight months before the 2007 Games.
“Laos has some potential athletes, but there are obstacles I have to face in improving the athletes’ performances,” Surianto said.
One of the main problems, he continued, was the propensity of Lao people, not just athletes, to drink beer.
“Consuming alcoholic drinks will, of course, affect their performances,” he said. “But in the end, I persuaded them not to drink on training days and it worked.”
Pencak silat’s growth is evident in places other than Asia.
It has gained a foothold in Europe, thanks in part to the efforts of O’ong Maryono. The 54-year-old coach had been developing the sport in Europe since 1989, when he worked with the Sports and Recreation Development Division of the Amsterdam City Government to introduce pencak silat to the Dutch and received a warm welcome.
He later moved to Italy and Croatia before returning to Asia to train in the Philippines, Thailand and Vietnam.
“I found Europeans more interested in pencak silat for its four basic philosophies that makes the sport different from other martial arts,” he said.
“They are interested not only in the martial art, but also the spiritual aspect. The silaturrahim [meeting to strengthen the bond among members] culture in pencak silat really attracts them. That’s why in Europe, the league runs very well. Besides, the sport’s development is also financially supported.”
For his efforts, O’ong received a scholarship from the Ford Foundation to foster the pencak silat culture. He returned to Indonesia in 1993 to begin work on one of his life-long projects, which was released in the form of a book entitled “Pencak Silat Merentang Waktu” (Pencak Silat Across Time) in 1998.
(This article was published on www.thejakartaglobe.com, Dec 25, 2009)
28/09/10
ndonesian Coaches Raise Pencak Silat’s Profile
05/09/10
Indonesian Weightlifter Dewi Safitri Puts in Work as Career Takes Flight
Traveling around the world is one of the perks of being a national athlete of Dewi Safitri’s caliber. As a 17-year-old, the junior weightlifter has taken her talents to countries other Indonesian kids of her age can only dream of visiting.
“Singapore is the fourth country I’ve ever been to,” Dewi said on Friday, upon arriving from the recently concluded Youth Olympic Games held in the city-state.
“I enjoy traveling,” she added, “and to be honest, I’m always happy to see my passport being stamped in different countries. It’s really cool.”
The life of a jet-setting national athlete, whose expenses in overseas competitions are all paid for by the government , is certainly enticing for any teenager. But that’s not to say trips like these are merely about seeing the sights or shopping.
For Dewi, traveling abroad means accomplishing a task first and foremost — to compete and win. And as far as getting the job done, Dewi rarely disappoints.
Participating for the first time in an international tournament, Dewi placed seventh in the girls’ 53-kilogram category at the World Youth Weightlifting Championships in Thailand in 2008.
In December 2009, she flew to the United Arab Emirates to participate in the Asian Junior Under-17 Championships, where she emerged the winner.
In April, Dewi was fielded in the Asian Youth Weightlifting Championships in Uzbekistan, the qualifying tournament for the Youth Olympics. Again she lived up to expectations, finishing third in her favorite event and locking a spot in the Singapore Games.
Dewi’s impressive run of form continued in the Youth Olympics this month as she came away with the most important result of her career — a bronze medal at these Games that prevented a medal shutout for Indonesia.
The opportunity to see the world is something Dewi doesn’t want to waste, and she knows she can only keep that dream alive if she keeps performing well.
“I know that I have to be at the top of my game all the time so that the people supporting me will continue to trust me to send me abroad and represent the country in tournaments,” Dewi said.
Without weightlifting, Dewi would not have been able to get out of her hometown in Bekasi, much less fly out of the country.
Dewi’s father earns a living driving an ojek (motorcycle taxi), while her mother, a housewife, spends more time with Dewi and her nine siblings at home.
Dewi joined a national weightlifting training camp in Bekasi in 2003, because she wanted to help her family’s financial situation.
“By being a national athlete, I know I could do my part in fulfilling my family’s needs,” Dewi said. “But to me, it’s become more than that. As a weightlifter, I get to realize my dreams too.”
Ade Lukman, head of the athletics commission at the Indonesia Olympic Committee (KOI), said the committee was preparing Dewi and the other Indonesian Youth Olympians for bigger tournaments, with the ultimate target being the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
A stint in Brazil has Dewi excited no doubt, and she knows what needs to be done to get another stamp in her passport.
“It all boils down to hard work,” she said. “Everything else will just take care of itself.”
(This article was published on www.thejakartaglobe.com on Aug. 30, 2010. Photo: JG)
Indonesia to Host Uruguay, Ivory Coast Friendlies
By: Wimbo Satwiko
The search for quality opponents for the national football team has turned up friendly matches against Uruguay and Ivory Coast, two countries that featured in the World Cup finals in South Africa, officials have said.
The National Team Body (BTN) said on Friday that Indonesia has been scheduled to host World Cup semifinalist Uruguay on Oct. 9 and former African champion Ivory Coast on Oct. 13.
BTN previously said it was trying to arrange matches against South American giants Brazil and Argentina.
Argentina has now been ruled out after it closed its tour schedule without Indonesia on its calendar, but BTN is still hoping to confirm five-time world champ Brazil. BTN has submitted a proposal to the Brazilian Football Confederation for a Nov. 9 friendly.
BTN head Iman Arif said Ivory Coast would likely bring some of its Premier League stars when it came to Indonesia. “Didier Drogba may not join the team, but the Ivory Coast federation has confirmed it will send its best players like [Chelsea’s] Salomon Kalou and [Manchester City’s] Yaya and Kolo Toure,” Iman said.
The cost of bringing the foreign teams to the country to play the friendlies is expected to be shouldered by a consortium of private companies.
To get Brazil, BTN, through a match organizer, will have to come up with $1.5 million in fees. The price for hosting Uruguay and Ivory Coast will be much lower, but financial details were not discussed by Iman.
Indonesia has had few matches against quality opposition in recent years, which some say is why the Merah Putih has struggled in international play.
While Indonesia has settled for friendlies against two second-tier domestic clubs this month, its Southeast Asian neighbors have already confirmed tune-ups against international sides.
Singapore is coming off a two-week training in Serbia, where it faced several domestic clubs. Vietnam is slated to meet North Korea for a friendly on Sept. 24.
As expected, Indonesia easily won its two matches against the Premier Division sides, routing Persita Tang erang 4-1 on Thursday and Pro Titan 3-0 on Sunday.
Arif Suyono, Bambang Pamungkas and M Isnani each scored on Sunday, with national team coach Alfred Riedl heading into the Idul Fitri break with the belief his team “played much better than last Thursday.”
Football officials have been scrambling to secure fixtures for the national team. BTN said it was also in talks for matches against China on Nov. 21 and East Timor on Nov. 24.
The Indonesian Football Association (PSSI) said it received an invitation from Kuwait for a friendly on Oct. 17, but its secretary general Nugraha Besoes said it would likely decline the offer.
(This article was published on www.thejakartaglobe.com, Sept. 6, 2010)
Taufik Loses Out to Chen at Paris Badminton Worlds
Taufik Hidayat left another world championships without a title, and it was a familiar foe who got in his way again.
Indonesia’s top men’s singles shuttler had no answers for emerging Chinese star Chen Jin, losing 21-13, 21-15 in the final in Paris on Sunday.
Throughout the match at Pierre de Coubertin Stadium, Chen showed better movement and discipline than Taufik, and picked his moments to ram home vicious smashes.
Chen also denied Taufik many chances to win points at the net, traditionally one of the Indonesian’s strengths.
Chen also ousted Taufik from last year’s world championships in Hyderabad, India, romping past the Indonesian in two easy sets in the semifinals.
“Chen is better. Now I will go home and start preparing for the Asian Games,” Taufik said after the Paris final.
Taufik won the world championship in 2005 but is still searching for a second title. Paris was the closest he has come to ending the drought.
Despite the comprehensive loss, Taufik played down Sunday’s defeat and said that overall, he was happy with the tournament.
“I didn’t have any pressure. … If I lost I was happy, and if I won I was happy,” Taufik said.
“The world championships were not my target before coming here. I’m preparing for the Asian Games, which only happen every four years.”
For the second straight world championships, Indonesia failed to bring home a title, the first time the country has come home empty-handed at consecutive worlds since a spell of five fruitless campaigns between 1983 and 1991.
Besides Taufik, Markis Kido and Hendra Setiawan were the only Indonesians to even make it to the semifinals.
However, the men’s doubles pair lost 21-16, 21-13 to Cai Yun and Fu Haifeng of China in the semifinals on Saturday.
Additional reporting by AFP
(This article was published on www.thejakartaglobe.com on Aug. 29, 2010)
27/08/10
Boxer Chris John Itching to Get Back in the Game
By : Dominic Menor
Indonesian boxer Chris John stepped out of the interview room in a black shirt and jeans, and almost immediately attracted a small crowd of fans.
People tried to shake his hand, take a photo or catch a glimpse of the world champion.
Chris may have been out of the ring for a while, but his fans certainly haven’t lost touch.
Though most Indonesians are obsessed with football and badminton, Chris John has managed to draw interest in boxing.
Based on a report by television station RCTI, a copy of which was given to the marketing firm handling the boxer’s publicity, Chris’s matches ranked No. 1 in ratings on the day of the broadcasts.
According to statistics compiled by The Jakarta Globe, articles about Chris have received the most online hits this year among local sports stories.
As the face of Indonesian boxing, a sport that has sought to attract a larger following, Chris has definitely gained cult status.
But with limited action inside the ring, the boxer’s mass appeal could wear off.
While Chris is still trying to arrange his first fight for this year, all the big names in the featherweight division — which is currently considered the most exciting weight class in boxing — have already secured marquee bouts in the coming months.
World Boxing Association featherweight titlist Yuriorkis Gamboa of Cuba will square off with International Boxing Federation titleholder Orlando Salido of Mexico for a unification bout on Sept. 11, the same day that Mexican boxer Daniel Ponce de Leon, the WBA’s No. 1 contender for the title, is set to see action.
Puerto Rico’s Juanma Lopez, considered the next big thing in the lower weight classes, is tentatively scheduled to defend his World Boxing Organization title next month.
In January, Chris told the Globe he was eager to take on other marquee featherweights.
To underscore Chris’s odd situation, the top 10 boxers on the WBA’s featherweight list, including Indonesia’s Daud Cino Yordan, who is ranked No. 7, have fought at least once this year.
“One thing I’ve learned since I started boxing is that it takes a lot of effort to get the fights you want,” Chris said on Thursday.
Chris’s failure to land a fight, however, is due mostly to circumstances beyond his control.
His debut on US soil last year, — a turning point for any foreign-born boxer who wants to hit pay dirt — consisted of two fights with Rocky Juarez. The first bout ended in a draw, before Chris won in the second.
Some had hoped it was the beginning of Chris’s regular appearance in US boxing matches.
However, things did not turn out as hoped when Chris decided to hold his next fight in his home country. Though the American dream was within Chris’s grasp, his handlers found themselves considering a fight in Bali that was supposed to have been held in February.
But finding an opponent who was willing to fly east and take on the world champion proved a tough task, and plans for the fight fell through.
The Bali fight was rescheduled for May, but was shelved when Chris injured his arm during training. The match was reset for July but was called off again because of a rib injury Chris had sustained days before.
“Injuries are a common thing in boxing. Does that mean I’m weak? No, definitely not,” Chris said. “You can’t predict what is going to happen next. You just have to hope for the best.”
If things work out as planned, Chris will finally see action for the first time in more than a year, with a match against Argentinian boxer Fernando Saucedo set tentatively in November.
Chris’s situation is not unusual in the boxing world.
A number of fighters, including world champions, have gone more than a year without a bout for the same reasons — health issues, lack of interest from rival promoters or opponents backing off at the last minute.
With the flurry of activity in the 126-pound division, there is no reason why a boxer of Chris’s caliber wouldn’t be able to get a piece of the action.
Chris has faced big names like Juan Manuel Marquez, still the template for the smart and technically sound fighter.
“When I fought Marquez [in 2006], I thought he would be tough to beat because of his record, which was really good at the time,” Chris said.
“But after the bout, after battling him and feeling all his strength, his speed and just experiencing the kind of skill he brought inside the ring — that was when I realized I could fight with the best of them.”
There were times when Chris seemed to rely too much on his managers to set a match. There were also issues that he didn’t assert himself when it came to choosing an opponent.
However, Chris seems more decisive now.
Asked about the possibility of fighting Daud, he said: “We still want to figure out what the pros and the cons are if I face him. If the offer is good, then I have no problems with it. Let’s face it, the money issue is important.”
“But if that’s not the case, then I am sorry to say that I don’t see any reason why I should fight [Daud]. He’s just not on a world-class level,” he said.
Chris said he wouldn’t mind fighting twice or thrice a year.
“I could go for three fights a year, but I must prepare well,” he said. “It’s counterproductive to figure in three matches a year if you do not perform well.”
Though he has been sitting on the sidelines for some months now, Chris is as determined as ever to keep on boxing.
“I want to prove that I’m still capable of fighting, even though there a lot of people who doubt my ability at this stage,” he said.
There is no question that Chris needs to get back into the boxing ring again. Meanwhile, he can rest easy, knowing that his loyal supporters are still there, waiting patiently for his next match.
(This article was published on www.thejakartaglobe.com on Aug. 20, 2010. Photo: www.boxeo-boxing.com)
23/08/10
Junior Indonesian Athletes Flop on Big Stage
Indonesia’s top sports officials are sounding the alarm following the poor performance of national athletes at the inaugural Youth Olympics in Singapore.
Ade Lukman Djajadi, the national team’s chef de mission to the Games, said the disappointing results were of little surprise and blamed the country’s “weak sports program.”
“We are paying the price for neglecting our junior athletes for so long,” Ade said on Saturday.
“Though we never said we would win many medals [in Singapore], the results have been far from acceptable,” he said.
Indonesia sent a modest squad of 14 athletes to compete in seven sports in Singapore, but the country’s only realistic chances of winning medals were in badminton and weightlifting.
However, the shuttlers didn’t live up to expectations, with Evert Sukamta and Renna Suwarno failing to make it to the medal rounds. Evert was ousted in the quarterfinals of the boys’ singles, and Renna failed to make it past the opening group stage in the girls’ singles.
Indonesian athletes competing in tennis, taekwondo and swimming, who had been granted wild cards by their international federations, didn’t make it out of the preliminary rounds.
On Friday, Arnoscy Pratama Siahaan fittingly wrapped up the Indonesian team’s campaign in the pool by finishing dead last out of seven athletes in the boys’ 200-meter butterfly heats.
Weightlifter Dewi Safitri was the only Indonesian to make it onto the podium, clinching the bronze medal in the women’s 53-kilogram division.
While heads were hanging in Indonesia, its neighbors were busy celebrating.
Thailand, traditionally not known for its badminton prowess, saw its shuttlers win the gold medals in both the boys’ and girls’ singles.
Vietnam, one of Indonesia’s main rivals in weightlifting, won gold in the men’s 56-kilogram category and took silver in the women’s 55kg class.
Singapore picked up two bronze medals in taekwondo, while Malaysia took home a silver in diving.
Ade said reforming the development system was “imperative.” “This must serve as a wake-up call to improve our sports programs, which, to be honest, are weak,” he said.
“We have to start that now as our neighbors in Southeast Asia have shown great improvement in many disciplines.”
Felix C Sutanto, the national swimming coach, agreed that there was an “urgent” need to overhaul the youth athletic development program.
“If we keep delaying it, the country will be left far behind,” he said.
One of the few bright spots on the country’s Youth Olympic team was Elga Kharisma Novanda.
The 17-year-old junior cyclist, the only Asian rider who competed in women’s BMX in Singapore, reached the final round, where she finished in seventh place.
In her second event, the women’s time trial on Sunday, Elga finished 11th in a field of 31 riders.
“[Elga] has proven that she has the potential to compete with the best,” said Zuchry Husein, deputy secretary general of the Indonesian Cycling Union (ISSI).
“She will be a star as long as we help her to maintain her performance, and that means supporting her by sending her to international competitions.”
Rita Subowo, president of the Indonesian National Sports Committee (KONI), said she was concerned about the future of sports here unless immediate steps were taken. “This should serve as a warning for us, that our future could be in jeopardy if we fail to respond to the challenge.”
“Thailand and Vietnam are already reaping the fruits of all the efforts they’ve put into their junior athletic development programs. This is an encouraging result for them, and we don’t want to be left behind,” she said.
(This article was published on www.thejakartaglobe.com on Aug. 22, 2010)
22/08/10
Must Try : Best 10 Surfing Spots in Indonesia
Hawaii might be the birth place of surfing, but Indonesia is a paradise for surfers, both local and foreign. Hundreds of surfing spots lie from Sabang in Sumatra to Merauke in Papua, with Bali has the most spots of all. Here are best ten surfing spots that worth a try.
• Mentawai. The Mentawai Islands are the ultimate surf trip. Located some 130 km off the west coast of West Sumatra, the chain of islands offers some of the best surf spots to be found anywhere. With more than a dozen world class reef breaks make it one the most surf infested regions in the world. The South Indian Ocean produces the swells that have the islands pumping from March through to November at 6-12ft, makes it a super consistent area for surfing.
• Nias Island. An island off the western coast of Sumatra, Indonesia. While Nias Islands (Kepulauan Nias) is also the name of the archipelago, containing the Hinako archipelago. It is an internationally famous surfing destination. The best known surfing area is Sorake Bay, close to the town of Teluk Dalam, on the southern tip. Enclosed by the beaches of Lagundri and Sorake, the bay has both left and right-hand breaks. Some claim that the waves at the southern beach of Sorake are better than the ones in Maui.
• Cimaja. Located in Pelabuhan Ratu, Sukabumi, West Java. The point-break Cimaja hosts annual championships for junior, senior, open and women, as a part of the Indonesian Surfing Championships circuit.
• Grajagan. Known as G-Land is the most famous spot in East Java. A very long, world-class, barreling left hand reef/point break breaks along the east side of Grajagan Bay. It has long been considered one of the world's best left hand waves. It has one of the most consistently rideable waves in the world in season, with offshore winds and often plentiful swell between the months of, roughly, mid April to mid October.
• Kuta Beach. Bali's premier surfing beach, most surfed, most crowded spot, but is always fun and sometimes can get epic. Ultra fast (almost a closeout) but very safe sand bottom.
• Canggu. Located 20 minutes north of Seminyak along the coast in Bali. Canggu is a strip of black sand beach and reef breaks that is known for having something for everyone. It is more south facing than Kuta Beach and will usually be bigger. Canggu is often the spot when the swell is small, and many of Bali's surfers from Kuta will make the morning trip to Canggu. Because it faces further south, Canggu is also more affected by the trade winds and is best in the early mornings. After 9:00 a.m., Canggu is frequently sideshore and not the perfect glass of a few hours earlier.
• Padang Padang. Located in Pecatu Village, Bali. Two words: power and fear. It has the most dangerous and hollowest waves in Bali. Because of its fame, Padang Padang can be so crowded when it is working. With a large crowd it is not hard for tempers to flare up and arguments begin which are often caused by drop-ins. Best time to catch a wave at this break when conditions are right is early in the morning. A great wave and one that you will long remember.
• Desert Point. Still very isolated but for most Australian surfers named it as "Desert Point", located in South West cost of Lombok. Desert Point also known as Bangko bangko beach. A long walled and incredibly hollow left hander that on its day can break up to 300 meters, growing in size from takeoff to end. Best between 3 to 8 ft.
• Nemberala. Located in Rote Island, East Nusa Tenggara, Nemberala is a postcard perfect white sand stretch of beach with tall palm trees ringing the perimeter. The lefthand reef break provides some of the longest wave rides in Indonesia, and on a small to medium swells can be excellent for surfers of all experience levels. And the swells get larger, above the 6-foot mark. The more experienced surfers can really break out their best maneuvers.
• Amban Beach. Located 7 km north of Manokwari, West Papua. Facing the Pacific Ocean, having a wave altitude of 2 meters most of the time. Amban Beach is a wide, lonely black sandy beach with good surf, regularly frequented by surfers.
(Source : http://www.shvoong.com/travel/destination/2035689-try-best-10-surfing-spots/. Photo: ISC)
Luck, Skill Spark Indonesian Swimmer's Olympic Dream
One of the oldest yarns in sports says that it is better to be lucky than good.
For athletes such as Fibriani Ratna Marita, though, it is even better to be lucky and good.
After the 16-year-old competed in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, she has another chance to enjoy the Olympic experience. Singapore will host the inaugural Youth Olympic Games on August 14-26, giving Fibriani the chance to become the first Indonesian to participate in two Olympics within four years.
“I’m so glad knowing that I could compete in both the senior and Youth Olympics. With the experience I got in Beijing, I’m sure I can do better in Singapore. I hope I can make it to the final and bring a medal back home,” Fibriani told the Jakarta Globe.
Her first appearance came after some good fortune. The Beijing Olympic Games Organizing Committee granted Indonesia two wild cards in swimming, which the Indonesian Swimming Association (PRSI) awarded to Donny Budiarto Utomo and Fibriani.
Fibriani finished the women’s 200-meter individual medley, her favorite event, in 2:28.18, while Donny posted a 2:03.44 in the men’s 200-meter butterfly.
She had less than a month to rest following the 2009 Southeast Asian Games, where she finished fourth in the 200 IM, before returning to the national training camp in January.
In addition to preparing for the Youth Olympics and Asian Games, Fibriani also has an education to maintain. She stays on track for graduation by undergoing home schooling with Patricia Yosita Hapsari, a fellow Youth Games qualifier, at Century Athlete Hotel in Senayan. They receive one to three hours of instruction by three teachers from Tuesday through Friday.
“I know it is hard for me to study in an ordinary school like other kids do as the training schedule is tight and does not allow me to go,” said Fibriani, who is registered as a student at SMA 8 Malang, a high school in her home town in Malang, East Java.
“Since I can’t do that, I think it’s better to call the teachers at home. They will transfer my results to the school everytime I finish my examination.”
Fibriani secured her ticket to the Youth Olympics after posting a 2:23.98 in the 200 IM preliminaries at the Singapore National Age Group Championships, a qualifying event for the Games. Her time easily beat the qualifying mark of 2:26.97. Patricia and Pratama Siahaan later joined her in the Singapore contingent.
The road to success is not without potholes, even for athletes who have shown themselves to be Indonesia’s best. With sports federations across the country facing funding shortages, national athletes must support themselves financially, and Fibriani is no exception.
She has used her own money for her daily needs and training while waiting for the government and the Indonesian National Sports Committee (KONI) to come up with athletes’ salaries.
“It’s been disturbing for me. I hope they will take care of it soon,” she said.
Some measure of help may be on the way, though. The Indonesian Olympic Committee (KOI) recently announced it would provide scholarships for the country’s most promising athletes, including those who have qualified for the Youth Olympics.
“It’s one of our efforts to honor our young athletes. They will be the ones to represent us at the 2016 Olympic Games,” said Ade Lukman, head of KOI’s Cultural and Olympic Education Commission.
The scholarships, he said, will come from sponsorships and other outlets, such as the Olympic Solidarity Program from the International Olympic Committee.
“It is great to know that. I hope I can continue my study in the USA or Australia with the scholarships,” Fibriani said.
In addition to the scholarships, she can also draw on the inspiration of her idol. Swimmer Michael Phelps, who won a record eight gold medals at the 2008 Olympics, is an ambassador for the Youth Games.
“I saw him as a participant in Beijing. Now he is coming as an ambassador. That’s great,” Fibriani said.
(This article was published on www.thejakartaglobe.com on March 29, 2010. Photo: Safir Makki/JG)
Vita Shows Brilliance in Women’s, Mixed Doubles
It appears that Vita Marissa is finding success whoever her partner is and whichever division she plays.
Vita teamed up with Nadya Melati to pull off the biggest upset in the first round of the Malaysia Open Grand Prix Gold, ousting women’s doubles top seeds and local favorites Chin Eei Hui and Wong Pei Tty 25-23, 21-12 on Thursday.
However, Vita, who is part of Indonesia’s top-ranked mixed-doubles pair with Hendra Aprida Gunawan, played down her recent triumph.
“[Wong] was still injured so I know she was not 100 percent when she played out there. But that was an advantage for us,” Vita told the Jakarta Globe. “It was a pretty tough first set for us, because they kept changing their tactics and we were impatient.”
“The key is to make my badminton partner — whoever he or she is — comfortable when they play with me. I always tell them not to put too much pressure on themselves,” Vita added.
Wong has been struggling with a knee injury since the All England in March. She and Chin, ranked No.5 in the world, were forced to skip two Super Series last month — the Singapore Open and the Indonesia Open.
Meanwhile, Vita and Nadya will play for a quarterfinal berth when they take on qualifiers and fellow Indonesians Weni Anggraini and Richi Puspita Dili in the second round today.
Weni and Richi beat Malaysia’s Chow Mei Kuan and Lee Meng Yean 18-21, 21-17, 22-20.
Komala Dewi and Keshya Nurvita Hanadia also came away with an upset, beating third seeds Misaki Matsutomo and Ayaka Takahashi of Japan 13-21, 21-18, 22-20.
Indonesia failed to send a third women’s pair to the next round after Suci Rizki Andini and Della Destiara Haris lost 21-11, 21-12 to to Hong Kong’s Chan Tsz Ka and Chau Hoi Wah.
In mixed doubles, Vita and Hendra secured a final eight berth after they trounced Ow Yao Han and Lai Pei Jing of Malaysia 21-11, 21-12.
Vita and Hendra’s next match will be against compatriots Markis Kido and Lita Nurlita, who beat Gan Teik Chai and Ng Hui Lin 21-17, 21-18.
Devin Lahardi Fitriawan and Liliyana Natsir also advanced to the quarterfinals after defeating Flandy Limpele and Lotte Jonathans 21-3, 14-21, 21-13.
Indonesia’s last women’s singles shuttler bowed out after Maria Kristin Yulianti lost 13-21, 21-17, 21-18 to Salakjit Ponsana of Thailand.
(This article was was published on www.thejakartaglobe.com on July 8, 2010. Photo: Yudhi Sukma Wijaya/JG)
20/08/10
Indonesian President Makes Jakarta a Co-host For 2011 Southeast Asian Games
President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono on Friday announced that Jakarta would co-host the 2011 Southeast Asian Games.
The capital, however, will only serve as a satellite venue, as Palembang will be the main hub for the regional games.
Yudhoyono made the announcement in front of athletes under the Golden Indonesia Program (Prima) during a visit at their camp at the Indonesian Special Force Training Center, Batujajar, Bandung, West Java.
He also urged the SEA Games organizing committee (Inasoc) to “carefully select the right sports events for the Games, and choose the ones wherein the country has a medal potential after these choices are discussed with other participating countries.”
Jakarta was the sole hub of the SEA Games when the country hosted the tournament in 1979, 1987 and 1997, topping the medal standings in all three editions.
The 194 gold medals Indonesia won in the 1997 Games remain the record, but the country has failed to breach the 100-gold mark in six editions since.
Andi Malarangeng, the state minister of youth and sports, said Jakarta has enough time to prepare venues for the SEA Games.
“The city will be more than ready to hold events with its existing facilities,” he said.
Jakarta Governor Fauzi Bowo said the city government was “prepared” to host the SEA Games, although installing an efficient transportation system will pose the biggest challenge.
“Facilitating the participants with easy access to the venues, which will be spread around the city, will be the hardest,” Fauzi said.
“But I’m sure we can accomplish this if we start working with key institutions.”
Fauzi said he has also coordinated with several officials to discuss ways to prevent flooding in the city, a potential problem the city government cannot ignore because the SEA Games will be held in November, the start of the rainy season in the country.
The Jakarta governor added that he would discuss with the West Java provincial government the possibility of holding several events in the city outskirts, such as the BMX event in Cikole, Bandung; paragliding in Puncak, Bogor; and the rowing events at Jatiluhur Water Reservoir.
“It’s not a big problem to hold some sports outside Jakarta, as long as we can keep the venues accessible,” Fauzi said.
Last month, Yudhoyono announced that Palembang, the capital of South Sumatra, would be the main hub for the SEA Games. At the time, Bandung and Semarang were also in the running to cohost the tournament, along with Jakarta.
“I have decided that we should choose the province that is not only ready but has the spirit to be host,” Yudhoyono said.
“I believe that South Sumatra’s governor has the right spirit and will be a good host. That is [South Sumatra’s] advantage, and let us help and support it to carry out the SEA Games,” the president added.
The country was appointed by the SEA Games Council last year to take over as host of the 26th Games from Singapore, which pulled out after it said it would not be ready.
(This article was published on www.thejakartaglobe.com on Aug. 7, 2010)
Dewi Safitri's Youth Olympic Bronze Medal Backs Big Talk
Dewi Safitri promised she would bring home an Independence Day gift for Indonesia from the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in Singapore. And the 17-year-old weightlifter did more than just talk by snatching bronze in the girls’ 53-kilogram division on Monday, the first medal for Indonesia at the Games.
Dewi’s third-place podium effort was powered by a 71-kg snatch lift and then a 100-kg lift in the clean and jerk for a combined lift of 171kg.
Her Games performance went one kilogram better than her total at the 2009 Asian Youth Championships in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, where she placed third and punched her ticket to the Youth Olympics.
“Before I left for Singapore I promised that I would get a medal as an Independence Day gift for the country. I did it,” Dewi told the Jakarta Globe on Tuesday.
Bulgaria’s Boyanka Kostova won the gold with a total lift of 192kg, while silver went to Taiwan’s Kuo Hsing Chun with a 174-kg effort.
Despite the medal, Indonesia’s weightlifting coach, Sodikin, said his star lifter could have done better still.
“That’s not her best performance,” Sodikin said. “I think it was because she felt a bit more pressure as she was the country’s best hope for a medal.”
Sodikin said that last week Dewi lifted 182kg — 77kg in the snatch and 105kg in the clean and jerk — in training before heading off to Singapore.
“But this is still a great achievement and I hope it motivates other young athletes, especially lifters, to excel on the world stage,” he said.
Indonesia’s other star lifter, 16-year-old Zainuddin, failed to follow in Dewi’s footsteps after the pride of the boys squad finished in fifth in the 62-kg division with a total lift of 239kg.
Kim Song-chol, from North Korea, won the gold with a 257-kg total lift, followed by Colombia’s Jose Mena (247kg) and Turkey’s Emre Buyukunlu (246kg).
Zainuddin made the team when he replaced another Indonesian lifter, 15-year-old Sumaryanto, who was younger than the Games’ minimum age requirement for lifters.
(This article was published on www.thejakartaglobe.com on Aug. 17, 2010. Photo: SPH-SYOGOC Photo/George Tay)
Indonesian Badminton Player Sony Dwi Kuncoro Out of 2010 World Championships
Without even lifting his racket, Sony Dwi Kuncoro finds himself beaten again by a familiar foe.
The men’s singles shuttler has withdrawn from the 2010 World Championships because of a recurring back problem.
The 15-strong Indonesia squad flew to Paris for the Aug. 23-29 tournament on Friday night
However, according to national men’s singles coach Agus Dwi Santoso, Sony chose not join the squad to France after “feeling pain in his back area” during training at the national team headquarters in Cipayung, East Jakarta.
“The pain first occurred during a training session on Wednesday and worsened every day,” Agus said.
“He couldn’t move well, so he said it was better to just focus on having the injury treated than gamble and play in France.”
Sony has struggled with his form since the back problems emerged in March 2009. He didn’t win a title last year and was hampered by the injury during the Thomas Cup finals in May. He broke a near two-year drought when he won the Singapore Open Super Series title in June.
Prior to his back issues, Sony was being touted as Indonesia’s next great men’s singles shuttler, having won the Indonesia Open, the Japan Open and the China Masters in succession in 2008.
Without Sony, Indonesia will now rely on former Olympic and world champion Taufik Hidayat and world No. 6 Simon Santoso for victory in men’s singles at the Paris worlds.
Taufik, whose title in the world championships in 2005 was the last for an Indonesian men’s singles shuttler, is hoping to become only the third male player to win multiple singles titles at the world championships.
Two Chinese players, Yang Yang (1987 and 1989) and Lin Dan (2006, 2007, 2009), have accomplished the feat.
The 29-year-old Taufik will open his campaign against Nigerian Ola Fagbemi, and could face world No. 1 Lee Chong Wei of Malaysia in the quarterfinals.
Simon’s first-round opponent is Przemyslaw Wacha of Poland.
In men’s doubles, Markis Kido and Hendra Setiawan aim to recapture the title they lost last year. Markis and Hendra, the 2007 champions and currently ranked No. 2 in the world, withdrew from last year’s tournament because Markis fell ill.
However, Hendra said they are now ready to compete.
“There’s only one goal for us and that’s to win the championship,” Hendra said. “We’re very motivated, because we just want to make amends for missing out on last year’s tournament.”
Markis and Hendra have not been impressive this season, their only win coming in the Malaysia Open Grand Prix in July.
The reigning Olympic champions received a bye in the first round and are set to take on Poland’s Adam Cwalina and Michal Logosz in the second round.
Indonesia was shut out in last year’s worlds held in India.
(This article was published on www.thejakartaglobe.com on Aug. 20, 2010. Photo: Jurnasyanto Sukarno/JG)
World’s Oldest Cricket Club Aims to Leave Mark in Indonesia
It looks like International Cricket Council awards are good for more than just good publicity at home.
Cricket Indonesia was twice honored by the ICC for having the best youth cricket initiative, and while the Under-15 Ultra Milk Junior Development Program may eventually produce top players, it also brought a more immediate dividend.
The Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC), founded in 1878 and one of most famous clubs in the world, began a weeklong tour of Indonesia on Thursday.
In addition to coaching sessions, the MCC also hopes to leave its mark on the game’s development by playing a number of matches against local cricketers in Jakarta and Bali.
“The MCC now will add the pace to that movement. We just want to come and speed up that process,” MCC captain Keith Thomas Medlycott told the Jakarta Globe on Friday.
The MCC arrived on Wednesday after touring Japan last week and holding coaching clinics to encourage cricket at the grassroots level there. It held a clinic at the British International School on Thursday before facing a Jakarta Cricket Association side on Friday.
Medlycott said he did not have to spend too much time introducing the game on Thursday as most of the students had already tasted cricket through Cricket Indonesia’s programs.
“It was fun, and the kids enjoyed it. We — Stuart Barnes, Andrew Cloke and I — also gave a motivational speech about living the dream in front of the kids,” Medlycott said.
Friday’s limited-overs match at the Crown Ceylon Cricket Ground in Cibubur, East Jakarta, ended in a 94-run victory for the MCC, which bowled out the JCA side for 156 after scoring 250-9 in its 50 overs. Dihan Silva led the JCA with an all-around effort, scoring 45 in 42 balls and taking four wickets for 12 runs.
The MCC will also play matches on Saturday and Sunday in Cibubur before departing for Bali, where it will face a Bali XI at the Udayana University Oval in Jinbaran on Tuesday.
After taking in the first match, Medlycott said Indonesia has some quality talent.
“For the moment, I think Indonesia [cricket development], especially in Jakarta, if I see the way they train, the way they play, has been extremely positive,” he said.
Sunday is the focal point of the MCC’s visit. A clinic with children from the Junior Development Program begins at 9 a.m., and British Ambassador to Indonesia Martin Hatfull is scheduled to address the players and students at 10 a.m. A Twenty20 match will follow at approximately 10:30 a.m.
Medlycott said the most important part of cricket’s development was introducing it to the children at the grassroots level.
“[The students] should have a structured school league with perhaps 12 schools in it. If you give them a chance to play cricket at school, it would be a good start,” he said.
“It would be a great help if you could have a couple of seniors there guiding them. I think that’s one of the advantages of the MCC coming here. We have several players who were lucky enough to play for England, so we have a really big knowledge pool.”
One of the JCA players who enjoyed a rare opportunity to face the MCC was 17-year-old Rizky Tri Rubby.
“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity to play against one of the best teams in the world. Hopefully it will not be the only one,” the first captain of Indonesia’s U-15 team said.
(This article was published on www.thejakartaglobe.com on Oct. 16, 2009)
Bit By Bit, Indonesian Students Embrace Rugby
Unlike the cheering supporters, there was no smile on Anggara Raudha’s face on Wednesday.
The SMA 3 Jakarta captain saw his team struggle during a touch rugby Sevens tournament held by the Indonesian Rugby Football Union at Labschool Kebayoran in Jakarta. The tournament featured boys and girls from six schools across the capital.
SMA 3 Jakarta, the first government-run school to embrace rugby, lost 1-0 to the host and 2-0 to Darunnajah Islamic Boarding School.
However, Anggara’s frustration did not curb his enthusiasm.
“This is the very first tournament for us since we started to practice the game in August last year. I’m so excited,” the 17-year-old said.
Darujannah won the boys’ division of the tournament after three games, while Labschool took the girls’ title.
Anggara was one of 40 students at SMA 3 to join its rugby team after the game was introduced into the school’s curriculum.
As someone who enjoys the prospect of contact, Anggara saw rugby as a natural fit for him.
“I love rugby for its contact. I used to see the game on television played by foreigners, and now I play it for real,” he said.
Boys were not the only ones enjoying themselves out on the pitch on Wednesday.
Girls like Jasmine Oetoro got in on the fun, too. Jasmine, a Labschool student, joined her school’s rugby team in March 2008 after it was introduced as an extracurricular program.
It offered her an escape from the grind of class and homework, though not everyone in her family approved of the idea.
“Mom wanted me to take a traditional dancing class, to be a traditional dancer just like her,” the third-year student said after Labschool’s 4-1 victory against SMA 3. “I wanted to learn something new, and that was rugby.”
At first she was wary of injury because of rugby’s physical contact. But coach Iswahyudi, who introduced the game at her school, convinced her to continue playing.
“So far, my only injury has been to my left ring finger,” she said with a smile.
“I hope the game can continue to develop in the future,” she added. “I hope it can exceed the popularity of [Jakarta football team] Persija one day, and that rugby team supporters will be able to ride a convoy of buses through the streets, singing their team’s anthem.”
Iswahyudi, 25, introduced rugby to students at Labschool and SMA 3 last year, and he said that the game received a warm welcome.
“More kids have registered to join the sport since we introduced the game,” he said. “I think rugby’s prospects are good for years to come.”
The sport received a worldwide boost when rugby Sevens joined golf on the shortlist for addition to the 2016 Summer Olympics. A final decision on their inclusion is expected on Oct. 2 at the International Olympic Committee Session in Copenhagen, Denmark.
“Well, the 2016 Olympics is still a long way to go, but of course we want to be there,” IRFU rugby development officer Sam Refshauge said. “We’ll need a long-term development program to achieve that.”
(This article was published on www.thejakartaglobe.com on August 19, 2009. Photo: Afriadi Hikmal/JG)
Cricket Starting to Make Noise in Indonesia
"I don’t expect cricket will be as famous as badminton, but hopefully it will spread’
Rizky, 16-year-old cricketer.
Going by the Chinese Zodiac, 2009 is the Year of the Ox.
If Sachin Gopalan and his associates get their way, it may also be the Year of Cricket.
Cricket Indonesia, in cooperation with Ultramilk, plans to have 100,000 Indonesian children playing the sport through an under-15 development program it is launching. Gopalan, the Cricket Indonesia advisory board chairman, said about 7,000 children in 16 provinces play cricket, and the association’s efforts are beginning to pay off.
Indonesia’s U-15 team, with captain Rizky Tri Rubby leading the way, took fourth place at a tournament in Malaysia in 2007. “They even beat the Australia team,” Gopalan added.
Indonesia’s success has not gone unnoticed. Gopalan said the International Cricket Council, or ICC, has proposed that the country host the Asia-Pacific regional tournament in July, which the chairman called “a big jump for us.”
To prepare, the association will hold national tryouts in 16 provinces to select the best 15 players from a field of 20,000 children. The selection process will run from March to June, and they players chosen will stay with the program for the U-17 tournament in 2011 and the U-19 tournament in 2013.
Gopalan said that in the long run, Indonesian cricket would benefit from the new system.
“As a result of the program, the already system will be in place to hold competitions all over the country,” he said. “A kid who can play cricket in Kalimantan can come and try for national team selection as we have schools in Kalimantan.”
An added benefit of spreading the sport in 16 provinces is it allows Cricket Indonesia to become a member of the Indonesian National Olympic Committee, or KONI. One of the committee’s membership criteria is creating competitions in at least half of the country’s 33 provinces.
Membership, Gopalan said, has its advantages.
“We can participate in the National Games, and we can get funding from them,” he said. “Hopefully, we can participate in Asian Games in Guangzhou in 2010.”
To help introduce youngsters to cricket, the association recruited volunteers — mostly expatriates who played cricket in their native countries and are now working in Indonesia — to help coach and train both children and national sports teachers throughout several provinces.
Cricket Indonesia has also hired 16 coaches.
“They go to schools, talk to the sports teachers and introduce them to a game that’s played throughout the world, but not in Indonesia, named cricket,” Gopalan said. “Kids love it.”
Cricket, he continued, suits Indonesians just as well as athletes in India and other South Asian countries.
“Nutrition intake is not good enough in this country for kids to play tough sports such as football very well,” he said. “And Indonesians are not tall enough to play basketball, so they’re not internationally competitive.
“In cricket, you don’t need a high level of energy. You only need skill, and Indonesians are very good at it. They have high hand-eye coordination. That’s why they can play badminton very well.”
Just like other sports federations, though, Cricket Indonesia also has its problems — chief among them being field space.
Gopalan said Indonesia has 16 grounds, six of which are in Karawang, Karawaci and Cibubur.
“We need to have one more field inside Jakarta, hopefully in Senayan,” he said. “We have the training facility in Senayan, the batting center, but it’s not enough. We must have a field.”
Part of the reason for emphasizing cricket for children, Gopalan said, was to promote the longevity of the sport.
“You can play cricket from 9 years old to age 45,” he said. “In other sports, you can’t.”
“And children under 15 years old can pick up good skills. You can see most of the international players all over the world today learned between the ages of 15 and 20.”
Rizky, known to his friends as Eki, is among those players around which Cricket Indonesia will build its future.
The 16-year-old said Indonesian cricket will grow with time, and he wants to be there to sustain the sport.
“We’re talking about tactics and teamwork in cricket,” he said. “It will give more advantages in life experience. I don’t expect cricket will be as famous as badminton and [football], but hopefully it will spread. I’m sure Indonesia will be competitive enough in international competitions in the next six to seven years.”
Rizky added he hopes to be able to join the national team to aide in the development of the game.
Until then, he serves as an unofficial agent of the game, asking friends at school and in the neighborhood to join him.
“Give it a go,” is what Rizky keeps telling his friends.
Having accompanied his parents to Australia when he was younger, Rizky learned the game down under and even joined a cricket club before moving back to Jakarta.
Another future national team hopeful is Mark Johnson. Born in Indonesia 16 years ago to English parents, Johnson said he wants to play on behalf of the country which has been his home for years.
“It has always been my ambition to represent a national team,” he said.
Though it is only a hobby for him, Mark — a teammate of Rizky’s with the Jakarta Globe Tigers cricket club — said he finds cricket appealing.
“It’s a good teamwork sport,” he said. “And I never expected before that Indonesian children can play the game very well. I used to think they’d play worse than I thought. But it’s a surprise to see them perform.”
“I think Indonesians are as good of batsmen as the English are bowlers,” Mark added.
(This article was published on www.thejakartaglobe.com on January 4, 2009. Photo: Cricket Indonesia)
Chasing Surfing Waves and Dreams
Twenty-seven-year-old director David Arnold brings out two awards out of their black boxes and sets them down on his work desk in his home in Kemang, South Jakarta. They are crystal clear, save for a black-and-white sticker pasted on each one saying “Who’s Your Dede”.
He won the awards for the documentary film “Mengejar Ombak” (Chasing Waves), which he directed alongside Tyrone Lebon. The movie recounts the early life of Dede Suryana — one of only two Indonesian surfers to have ever competed in world championship events and winner of two gold medals at the 2008 Asian Beach Games — and follows his journey from one competition to another across five continents.
The film won in the categories of Emerging Director and Original Music Score at X-Dance, an action sports film festival in Utah in January this year.
“Dede put the stickers on himself,” Arnold says, smiling. “During the Q&A session in Utah, some people in the audience asked me questions, but I called Dede down to answer them. And I swear, throughout the festival, there wasn’t a standing ovation as loud as the one Dede got. The crowd loved him. The girls went crazy for him.”
Early on in the film, Dede sits in his small rented room in Bali and talks about his hopes of one day buying his own house.
Born 23 years ago in the small fishing village of Cimaja, West Java Province, Dede had an early interest and a natural talent in surfing, as his parents and older brothers say in the film. From the age of 6, Dede’s passion and talent for surfing was obvious to those around him. With humble beginnings, he would paddle banana tree trunks in the river and go swimming at Cimaja’s beach. His brothers later taught him how to surf.
“When I saw Dede at the beach, he had just turned 6 years old. After a while, he got good and later he got sponsored by Spyderbilt,” Otoy, one of Dede’s brothers, says in the film.
Edin, another brother of Dede, recalls how he took Dede to Bali twice a year to compete. “My parents were angry at me, but I just wanted to give Dede the support he needed to become the best,” says Edin, who also surfs.
A broad range of other interviewees, such as Dede’s guardian in Bali, Surf Time magazine publisher Harry Radcliffe, and Indonesian surfing legend Rizal Tanjung, recollect their early encounters with the wonder-child after he moved to Bali to chase his dreams.
Arnold, who has lived in Indonesia on and off, would go on surfing trips to Cimaja as a teenager. It was there that he first saw Dede, then a sun-kissed, well-built 14-year-old surfer. Back then, the two would simply exchange nods.
“Dede is one of the most talented surfers, one of the most talented sportsmen, and his story crosses so many themes,” Arnold says. “He comes from a humble background. His family is great. He is a charismatic character and his face is very photogenic. So I thought, let’s make a film about the guy.”
That was 2004. In 2005, the film crew recorded the first interviews, and the shooting process continued throughout 2007. The post-production stage went on, and off, through 2008.
The most interesting thing about the documentary is that it isn’t just another story about a sportsman’s struggle to make it to the top. Instead, it zooms into Dede as he tries to maintain his Muslim identity in a Westernized Bali, where surfers are notorious for being party animals and “chick magnets,” as one of his friends claims in the film.
At the beginning of the film, Dede’s mother, Iin Yuhinu, recalls how before her son was taken to Bali she warned his sponsor not to give the “bad stuff” to her son. “Just give him Sprite or Coca-Cola,” she says.
Her words were solemnly obeyed, confirmed by close friend and fellow surfer Dedi Gun, who says unlike himself, Dede is a serious person who rarely parties. The serious side of Dede is beautifully captured in footage depicting him standing poised, staring thoughtfully into the rolling waves.
For those who wish to see the 2008 Indonesian Surfer of the Year in action, the film shows Dede riding and flying over the breaks, and smoothly gliding out of barrels every now and then.
The 47-minute, organically developed film hints at an anticlimactic ending, when Dede’s attempt to qualify for the world championship looks unpromising.
However, the final scene offers a sense of optimism and closure to Dede’s endeavor, evoking the message that he is also a winner off the breaks.
Arnold believes that with his indubitable talent and young age, Dede will find himself in the spotlight for a long time.
“His is a story that’s going to develop,” he said. “The film is just a portrait in Dede’s ongoing journey.”
(This article was published on www.thejakartaglobe.com on March 19, 2009. Photo : Zimbio)
Indonesian Badminton Star Taufik Hidayat Is Busier Than Ever
Just because Taufik Hidayat resigned from the Indonesian national team training camp and turned professional last year does not mean that his life is any less hectic.
In fact, busy is just how the former world and Olympic champion wants to be.
Competition alone does not drive Taufik anymore. His plans to build the Taufik Hidayat Arena, a 6,600 square meter sports complex in Kelapa Dua, Ciracas, East Jakarta, are set to begin after three years of preparation.
The 28-year-old wants to realize his long-time dream of managing his own training camp for talented youngsters. However, he said the arena’s proposed location, a five-minute drive from the Indonesian Badminton Association (PBSI) training camp in Cipayung, was only a coincidence.
“I don’t mean to be the PBSI’s competitor. Actually, I want to help the PBSI to boost the players’ regeneration by creating more talented players through my project,” the 2004 Athens Olympics gold medalist and 2005 world champion told the Jakarta Globe on Monday in an interview at his home in South Jakarta.
“As we all know, Indonesian badminton is going through a rough season. I grew up with badminton and live from it. I think it is time for me to dedicate myself to a better Indonesia.”
Designed by M. Ridwan Kamil of Urbane Indonesia, an architecture consulting company in Bandung, West Java, Taufik Hidayat Arena is scheduled to be an asymmetric building with eight badminton courts and two futsal courts. Construction is scheduled to begin in March or April.
The arena’s unusual look was intended to relect his personality, Taufik said.
"I love being different, and the building’s design is different from other badminton stadiums," he said.
When complete, the arena will also include 10 rooms which could be used to house as many as 20 shuttlers.
In order to realize his dream, Taufik and his supporters will need plenty of financial backing. While he refused to reveal the exact cost, he did offer a hint.
“If the land costs Rp 1 million per square meter, I need more than Rp 6 billion for the land alone,” Taufik said. “The money will come from my family, sponsors, donors and investors, as well as my pocket. It’s a big cost.”
Working with his long-time coach, Mulyo Handoyo, Taufik said he hopes to manage a team that is tasked with finding up-and-coming shuttlers in local and national competitions, in addition to those already in his badminton school.
"We will cooperate with sponsors, such as Milo, where I am trusted as its ambassador, to support them. We can offer them scholarships," he said.
Taufik is not about to forget his on-court commitments in the midst of giving back to the sport. In addition to the arena, his other two big projects are to win the All England and Indonesia Open Super Series titles.
Victory in the 2010 All England would end Indonesia’s title drought in that tournament since 2003, when Sigit Budiarto and Candra Wijaya on the men’s doubles championship. The country’s last men’s singles crown came when Heryanto Arbi won successive titles in 1993 and 1994, beating Joko Suprianto and Ardy Wiranata.
Taufik lost in the All England final in 1999 and 2000.
He also said he wants to beat Ardy’s record of seven Indonesia Open championships. Taufik won his home Super Series in 1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2006.
While he left the national team in search of more flexibility with his schedule, Taufik said he would be play for Indonesia again — with one condition.
"I won't take a sudden call. They [the PBSI] have to tell me soon whenever they need me, so I can arrange my schedule and prepare myself better," he said. "I also have to discuss it with my family and ask for their permission to join the national team again.”
Demands on his time will be even greater later this year, though this burden may be his happiest of all. Taufik and his wife, Ami Dianti Gumelar, are expecting their first child in June.
(This article was published on www.thejakartaglobe.com on January 30, 2010. Photo: Afriadi Hikmal/JG)
18/08/10
Taufik Quits Camp, Says Time to Go Own Way
Taufik Hidayat isn’t done with badminton — he’s just done doing it Indonesia’s way.
After 12 years in the Indonesian Badminton Association, or PSBI, national training camp, the 27-year-old officially announced his withdrawal on Friday. Though he left the camp, he still plans to pursue a professional career.
“I’ll still play as an Indonesian player, though not under the national team banner anymore,” Taufik said at a press conference. “I will never play for another country.”
He said that he’d been thinking about quitting the national camp since 2004 and shrugged off the rumor that it was because the PBSI didn’t pick his longtime coach, Mulyo Handoyo, as one of the camp’s coaches this year.
“What happened to coach Mulyo is not the main reason why I left the national training camp,” the Athens Olympic gold medalist said. “I’ve been thinking this over and over again since I got the Olympic gold medal, until I came to the conclusion to leave.”
Now free from the camp, Taufik plans to continue his relationship with Mulyo.
“It’s true that I can’t replace him [Mulyo]. He really understands me. He knows what I want and what I like. He’s like my father and my best friend, besides my coach,” he said. “But that’s not the main reason behind this.”
The men’s singles shuttler also said he would still be at the ready if his country needed him.
In addition to Mulyo, Taufik will also have a management team at the ready to address his needs, including trying to maintain his sponsorship deal with apparel company Yonex.
“I’ve been working with Yonex for the last 12 years, since I joined the national training camp for the first time,” he said. “Hopefully, Yonex still wants to be my sponsor. But I’m also trying to get other sponsors.”
Taufik’s first opportunity to enjoy his newfound freedom comes March 3-8 at the All England Super Series in Birmingham.
“This year’s All England will be different, I can’t deny it,” he said. “I’ll be more motivated to win the title because this is the very first time I’ll compete in a tournament without the national team flag on my shoulder.”
(This article was published on www.thejakartaglobe.com on January 30, 2010. Photo: Tabloid Bola)
Youngsters Add Life To West Java Surf Scene
Wearing only his black Quiksilver trunks, Dede Fauzi Rahmatullah eased into the water at Cikembang Beach on Saturday morning.
Toting a green and yellow surfboard seemingly too heavy for his 8-year-old body to carry and taller than his one-meter frame, he paddled away from the beach in search of his own waves.
Soon, a one-foot wave to his liking rolled in. As the wave started pushing his board, Dede slowly rose from a prone position to standing, keeping his balance the whole time. He rode the wave to cheers from fellow Surf Culture Club Indonesia members until he wiped out from hitting the beach.
Among the 15 SCCI members was Rian Hidayatullah, Dede’s brother. The group made the 15-kilometer trip to Cikembang after finding few good waves that morning at their usual spot, Sunset Beach at Pelabuhan Ratu, West Java.
Dede and Rian are among 52 children between ages 8 and 17 receiving surfing lessons at SCCI. Surfing is definitely in the brothers’ blood as their father is Mumuh Syamsul Bahri, the SCCI founder and local surfing legend.
Dede, who started hitting the waves at age 6, said he is no longer afraid of the waves at Pelabuhan Ratu, a spot known for its dangerous waves.
“I used to feel afraid when entering the sea. I was afraid the waves would take me away, but slowly I got to like it,” he said.
Even at his tender age, Dede said he has lost count of how many times he has almost drowned.
That has not kept him from the sea, though, as he practices before and after school every day and has won several local tournaments.
Big brother Rian, 14, is considered the next big thing in the Indonesian surfing scene. He finished fourth at the 2008 Quiksilver King of the Groms and was runner-up at the 2008 Volcom’s Helifish Surf Series, both held at Cimaja Beach.
His next competition will be qualifying for the Billabong West Java Pro from May 20 to 23, also at Cimaja.
“I want to be the king of all surfers. My favorite surfer is Garut, he is a goofy-footer and prefers small waves just like me,” said Rian, who started surfing at age 9.
Garut is the nickname of Balinese surfer I Made Widiarta, who recently turned professional after winning two gold medals at the Asian Beach Games and the junior pro division of the 2008 Indonesia Surfing Championship tour.
Like Dede, Rian has had his share of hair-raising experiences in the water.
“I love surfing so much,” Rian said.
“Many times I’ve been swept away by the waves, but I’m back in the water the day after.
“The most terrifying thing happened as I was paddling one day, when a big fish suddenly came out of water. We looked at each other’s eyes before it finally jumped across me and swam away. It was as big as my board. I was so shocked, I just stayed on the beach the whole day.”
The surfing talent is not limited to their family. Andre Julian, 14, is also shining in local competition.
Andre, who started surfing as an 8-year-old, has collected three national junior championship titles, winning the 2006 Ripcurl GromSearch and Quiksilver King of the Groms and Volcom’s Helifish Surf Series in 2008. He said his role models include 2007 world champion Mick Fanning and nine-time world tour winner Kelly Slater.
Andre’s performances earned him several sponsorship offers, and he signed his first-ever contract with Quiksilver, a surfing apparel company, in January.
“They gave me two boards and supply me with clothing every three months, but not money. I’m so happy,” he said.
One link between the three young surfers is their coach, Mumuh. Six SCCI members, including 18-year-old Ende Supriatna Monot, have signed sponsorship contracts.
“They have the talent to become the country’s world class pro surfers,” Mumuh said. “But lots of those kids come from poor families and drop out of school. I hope the government will pay more attention to these talented kids’ education, maybe by giving them scholarships.”
In addition to furthering their development on the waves, Mumuh also provides an academic boost by calling in a teacher to help the kids learn English.
“It will be useful for them. The most important thing is they have to learn new skills,” he said.
Until then, the youngsters join their club mates on the water, hoping to find the waves that will take them to fame and fortune one day. Photo: Surf Culture Club Indonesia member Dede Fauzi Rahmatullah, 8, riding waves at Cikembang Beach, Pelabuhan Ratu.
(This article was published on www.thejakartaglobe.com on April 14, 2009. Photo: Dedy Maryanto/JG)