Endeavoring to Stay Up to Competition Standard
The Mola TV PBSI Home Tournament is like an oasis amid the world badminton competition vacuum as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
Indonesian men\'s singles badminton player Anthony Sinisuka Ginting competes in the Mola TV PBSI Home Tournament at the Pelatnas Cipayung national training center in Jakarta on July 8 (8/7/2020). The tournament was a "luxury" for national badminton athletes amid various restrictions due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Mola TV PBSI Home Tournament is like an oasis amid the world badminton competition vacuum as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic. The tournament preserves the condition and motivation of national athletes under difficult circumstances.
Training with complete facilities and even taking part in a tournament in the Covid-19 pandemic period are advantageous to the badminton players of Indonesia’s national training center (Pelatnas). Their performance in the internal tournament over the last month is a benchmark for achieving the standard required in global competition at the elite level.
Since badminton tournaments were halted after the All England, held from 11-15 March, Anthony Sinisuka Ginting and peers have been obligated to remain at the training center, the Cipayung badminton pelatnas, East Jakarta. They have sacrificed their time with families and friends for the sake of maintaining their health and safety.
While shuttlers in other countries faced training constraints because of the closure of training facilities, the Cipayung Pelatnas athletes did not. They continue to train, albeit at low to medium rates of intensity, to avoid disease and keep up body their immunity.
At the initiative of athletes and trainers, the Central Board of the All-Indonesia Badminton Association (PBSI) organized a Pelatnas-internal tournament called the Mola TV PBSI Home Tournament.
Since 24 June, athletes of all events have again been feeling the atmosphere of competition, every week from Wednesday to Friday. At the initiative of athletes and trainers, the Central Board of the All-Indonesia Badminton Association (PBSI) organized a Pelatnas-internal tournament called the Mola TV PBSI Home Tournament.
Spirit booster
This is a way to nurture the competitive spirit of athletes, even their opponents are “only” their daily training partners. Junior players want to demonstrate their potential to beat their seniors, while the seniors retain the spirit against being embarrassed by their younger peers.
With such determination, Gregoria Mariska Tunjung emerged as the women’s single champion by defeating Putri Kusuma Wardani in the final. The victory was seized after Gregoria had been beaten by the 18-year-old junior player in the group elimination round.
“I didn’t want to lose,” said Gregoria, emphasizing the key to her winning score of 21-17, 21-10 in Friday’s (24/7/2020) final.
Gregoria Mariska Tunjung, Indonesia\'s top women\'s singles shuttler, competes in the Mola TV PBSI Home Tournament. She won the women\'s singles category after defeating Putri Kusuma Wardani.
The win in the 34-minute battle was easier to attain than when they had met the previous day. In the group elimination, Gregoria had lost to Putri with a score of 23-25, 22-20, 11-21 in a match lasting 1 hour and 20 minutes.
From her matches against Putri and other players, Gregoria secured a benchmark to appear in official tournaments. According to official plans, international badminton tournaments will start again in August.
However, only the committee of team championships of Thomas & Uber Cup in Aarhus, Denmark, from 3-11 October, has issued a prospectus containing tournament details.
In the three-day Mola TV PBSI tournament, Gregoria felt her physical condition did not yet met the standard to face world elite players. “I was physically exhausted after playing twice a day. In fact, playing twice a day here is equal to playing once against a top athlete,” the women’s single player ranked 21st in the world evaluated her performance.
Pursuant to the rules of the World Badminton Federation (BWF), junior tournaments are only for players under 19 years of age.
Putri, the women’s single player ranked fifth in the junior world ranking, also got an idea of encountering senior athletes. The player born on 20 July 2002 will leave junior-level tournaments in 2021. Pursuant to the rules of the World Badminton Federation (BWF), junior tournaments are only for players under 19 years of age.
World top players
Indonesia’s men’s double players have also got an impression of how to deal with top athletes. They were fortunate to have the opportunity of facing seniors of the elite level, since Indonesia has the two best men’s world doubles: Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo/Marcus Fernaldi Gideon and Hendra Setiawan/Mohammad Ahsan.
Given the chance of pairing senior players, the men’s double trainers of Leo Rolly Carnando and peers also learned to grasp the way Hendra and partners countered pressure in their matches.
Indonesian men\'s doubles pair Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo and Marcus Fernaldi Gideon celebrate their 22-20, 21-16 victory over Malaysia’s Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik at the Asian Badminton Team Competition in Manila on Feb. 16 (16/2/2020).
However, the women’s doubles head coach, Eng Hian, concluded that her trainees did not yet meet the physical standard to reappear at top world contests. Compared with the other events, the women’s doubles event is the one that demands physical endurance most, as matches tend to last long.
Based on an analysis of the shortcomings of each athlete, Eng Hian has drawn up a training program for players before official tournaments are resumed.
Nontechnical factor
Apart from physical fitness, athletes’ psychological fitness is also a factor to consider. This is even the most important factor with the absence of tournaments over the last four months. Without matches, athletes may feel like they are living aimlessly.
Every athlete can actually set targets amid the tournament vacuum, such as maintaining their physical condition or overcoming individual weaknesses. But not all of them can do it alone, without being encouraged by others or prompted by certain situations.
At least two international tournaments per month will motivate them to keep improving.
Moreover, the pandemic gives rise to uncertainty over the resumption of tournaments despite the BWF’s plan to start again in August. Athletes’ profession has made them accustomed to the routines of training sessions, tournaments and leading their daily life. At least two international tournaments per month will motivate them to keep improving.
The uncertainty caused by the pandemic eliminates the guides that make the life of athletes proceed in a systematic manner.
Mental health
Former swimmer with 23 Olympic gold medals Michael Phelps even admitted that the Covid-19 pandemic had turned into the most terrifying experience of his life. He once experienced a mental health problem.
Uncertain situations sparked Phelps’ anxiety, so he fights to surmount it by keeping active from the time of waking up, among other measures by going to the gym.
“There are days that I don\'t want to be there, but I force myself to do it. I know it\'s for my mental health as much as my physical health. If I miss a day, it\'s a disaster. Then I get into a negative pattern of thinking in my own head,” said the ex-US swimmer nicknamed “The Flying Fish”.
The Covid-19 pandemic has also delayed the largest multi-sport stage, the Tokyo Olympics 2020, which is a target of the Cipayung Pelatnas squad. Moreover, badminton is still the only branch relied upon to garner gold medals in the four-yearly forum.
The one-year postponement from the originally scheduled dates of 24 July-9 August 2020 to 23 July-8 August 2021 cannot be accepted by all athletes, especially those with age limits or with a long history of injury that limits their active period.
Burying dream
Chinese shuttler Lin Dan, for instance, has buried his dream of joining the Olympics because of his age and injury history. Reaching the age of 37 on 14 October 2020, Lin Dan has retired as an athlete, aware of his inability to compete with the younger generation and ascend the Olympic podium.
Indonesian men\'s doubles pair Kevin Sanjaya Sukamuljo and Marcus Fernaldi Gideon celebrate their 22-20, 21-16 victory over Malaysia’s Aaron Chia and Soh Wooi Yik at the Asian Badminton Team Competition in Manila on Feb. 16 (16/2/2020).
Eng Hian also anticipates the psychological factor of women’s double athletes, including Greysia Polii, the most senior one. Although the commitment of the 32-year-old to appear in Tokyo 2020 is in no doubt, the mood and motivation of athletes amid the pandemic becomes a crucial factor that should be monitored.
The condition filled with uncertainty can bring about complaints of anxiety, which can disrupt the training regime, and that process of preparation is one of the determinants of athletes’ success.
Former world number one female tennis player Martina Hingis experienced that spending a period of time off-court is more difficult than facing tight competition in tournaments. The Swiss tennis player twice returned to the competition arena after withdrawing in 2003 and 2008, due to injury and doping, respectively.
“Playing on Center Court of Wimbledon is an easy task. The period of preparation to get there is the difficult part. Many attempts and hard work are needed,” said Hingis, who finally retired as an athlete in 2017.
