Indonesian women’s singles badminton player Gregoria Mariska Tunjung returns a shot from Chinese opponent Han Yue in the finals of the BWF World Junior Championships 2017 at Yogyakarta’s Amongrogo Sports Hall on Sunday (22/10). Gregoria emerged as the women’s singlesWorld Junior champion after beating Han Yue, 21-13, 13-21, 24-22.
YOGYAKARTA, KOMPAS – The success of women’s singles player Gregoria Mariska Tanjung and mixed doubles pair Rinov Rivaldy/Phita Haningtyas Mentari in winning the Junior World Championship title for Indonesia marks the beginning of the hard work needed to make better, higher achievements at the senior level. Playing in the last match of the BWF Junior World Championship 2017 on Sunday (22/10), Georgia beat Chinese player and Asia Junior 207 champion Han Yue, 2-3, 3-2, 24-22.
Meanwhile, Rinov/Phita emerged as champions after winning an all-Indonesian final against Rehan Naufal Kusharjanto/Siti Fadia Silva Ramadhanti, 21-23, 2-5, 21-18. “The Junior World Championship results are not the final goal. In fact, this is the start of the hard work to improve. Athlete development must be better in the future. We must also aim for faster regeneration of athletes,” said Indonesia team manager Susy Susanti.
Susy added that the Junior World Championship result also gives an idea of the competition in badminton in the next few years. Countries that had outstanding badminton players in the past, like China, Japan and South Korea, are no longer dominant.
In contrast, Indonesia has the potential to develop, particularly in the three categories that were played in the final: the women’s singles, the women’s doubles and the mixed doubles.
The final match of the singles category, which was held at the Among Rogo Sports Hall in Yogyakarta, was the peak of the hard work of the 23 under-9 Indonesian athletes, who competed against 488 players from 64 countries for the Junior World Championship title.
Regarding the junior players’ achievements in Yogyakarta, Susy said she was satisfied. “From the beginning, we set a target of at least one gold medal. Our hope was eventually fulfilled. What made me happy was that the athletes were able to motivate themselves to perform better after losing in the mixed doubles category,” said Susy, who is also head of development and achievement at the badminton federation (PBSI).
Proud
Pride, happiness and gratitude were felt by Gregoria, women’s singles coach Jeffer Rosobin, Susy, and around 2,000 Indonesian supporters who came to watch the match at the venue. The “Red-and-White” supporters continuously cheered on Gregoria, particularly when she and her opponent were fighting for points in the third game.
Gregoria had the chance to win when she was leading 21-20, but Han Yue leveled the score to 21-21. Gregoria then regained her lead at 22-21, but Han Yue refused to be beaten and made 22-22. At 23-22, a shot from China’s best women’s singles player landed outside the court, marking Gregoria’s victory.
This was the second meeting between Gregoria and Han Yue. In both meetings, Gregoria has emerged the victor. The last time they played each other was in the mixed doubles category at last week’s world championship semifinals.
By winning the final in Yogyakarta, Gregoria made history by becoming the first Indonesian player in 25 years to win the women’s single Junior World Championship title. The last time this happened was when Kristin Yunita became women’s singles world champion in 1992.
Indonesia has also won world championship titles in the men’s doubles (1992) and mixed doubles (2011 and 2012).
Gregoria said she was really happy to be world champion. “I have been waiting for this moment since I first played in a championship in 2014. Even though I am happy, I cannot be too quick to be satisfied. This is the first step in my badminton career,” she said.
Playing as China’s last hope in the finals was a burden for Han Yeu. “I tried my best, but it turned out my opponent was much better,” she said.
In the mixed doubles category, Rinov/Phita became world champions after playing against fellow Indonesians Rehan/Fadia. After a tight 58-minute match, Rinov/Phita, who were paired only two weeks before the competition, managed to win 21-23, 21-15, 21-18. After the match, Fadia received medical treatment for breathing difficulties.
Apart from getting a gold medal in the women’s singles and a gold and silver medal in the mixed doubles, the Red-and-White team also took home a silver medal in the women’s doubles through Jauza Fadhila Sugiarto/Ribka Sugiarto. The pair were defeated by South Korean women’s doubles pair Ha Na Baek/Yu Rim Lee, 8-21, 2-11, 21-3.
Indonesia also grabbed a bronze medal in the men’s doubles category through Rinov Rivaldy/Yeremia Erich Yoche Yacob, who played in the semifinals. In this category, Japanese pair Mahiro Kaneko/Yunosuke Kubota emerged champions. In the final, Kaneko/Kubota beat Chinese men’s doubles Di Zijian/Wang Chang, 21-14, 15-21, 21-13.
Meanwhile, in the men’s singles category, Kunlavut Vitidsarn of Thailand won the gold. In the final, Kunlavut managed to get the better of Malaysian player Jun Hao Leong, 17-21, 21-15, 21-19. The match between Kunlavut, who is first in the world junior rankings, and Hao Leong, the junior Asian champion, was an intense match that lasted 65 minutes. In the first game, Kunlavut fell behind, but came back in the next two games and took the championship.
