Leani Dominates Yoyogi Stadium

KOMPAS/HENDRA A SETYAWAN

Indonesian women\'s singles player Leani Ratri Oktavia won silver after losing to Chinese player Hefang Cheng in the badminton final for the SL 4 category at the 2018 Asian Para Games at Istora Gelora Bung Karno, Jakarta, Friday (12/10).

JAKARTA, KOMPAS — Japan’s Yoyogi National Stadium has become a silent witness to the dominance of Indonesian women\'s badminton player, Leani Ratri Oktila, 30, at the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. Leani, swept all three matches she played on Thursday (2/9/2021).

The SL4 (standing/lower limb impairment/severe) athlete started her claim to dominance in the preliminary Group A match of the SL3-SU5 women\'s doubles at 7 a.m. Alongside doubles partner Khalimatus Sadiyah, Leani defeated Thailand\'s women\'s doubles pair Saensupa Nipada-Srivanakul Chanida, 21-9, 21-13.

After a brief break, Leani picked up her racket once again for an SL4 women\'s singles Group A match at 10:20 a.m. She again won easily, this time over her doubles partner Khalimatus, 21-14, 21-10.

Also read:

> The Best of the Paralympics

> Inspiring the Younger Generation

Leani\'s task ended after winning her third match of the day, playing alongside Hary Susanto in the deciding Group A mixed doubles SL3-SU5 match at 6 p.m. Again, she and her partner won without much sweat over Germany’s Jan Niklas Pott-Katrin Seibert, 21-7, 21-17.

Leani-Hary advanced to the mixed doubles semifinals as the group leader. The world champion pair has competed twice, defeating Japan’s Daisuke Fujihara-Akiko Sugino earlier on Wednesday night.

This means that Leani has played four matches at Yoyogi stadium over the course of 24 hours. She showed complete dominance in winning all four games. Her performance did not seem to decline, despite only having short breaks between games.

Leani said the key was thorough preparation. She was always ready for the training program at the national training center (Pelatnas) in Solo, Central Java.

“I normally play several times a day because I have been prepared at the Pelatnas. We also run frequent simulations. The key is to focus (on the matches) one by one,” she said when contacted from Jakarta.

KOMPAS/RADITYA HELABUMI

Indonesian badminton mixed doubles, Hary Susanto/Leani Ratri Oktila, celebrate the success of winning the 2018 Asian Para Games mixed doubles gold at Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Saturday (13/10/2018). In the final, Hary/Oktila beat Siripong Teamarrom/Nipada Saensupa (Thailand).

Her superiority in three categories shows not only her physical prowess, but also her mental readiness. Leani looked relaxed in Tokyo, despite her seeded status and the burden of her medal targets.

"She is becoming more mature, more careful. Now, she can manage the game better and not be in a hurry. There are no more smashes that extend to half a meter like in the 2018 Asian Para Games," said Indonesian badminton coach Sapta Kunta Purnama.

Many tears

Maturity doesn\'t come overnight. It requires tears and sweat. One of Leani\'s biggest triggers was her defeat to China’s Cheng He Fang in the women\'s singles final at the 2018

Asian Para Games. She was very disappointed, even though she had won two gold medals in the women\'s doubles and the mixed doubles.

Leani had an ambition to win the women\'s singles gold, which she intended to dedicate to her mother on her birthday. The bitter story motivated her to perform her best in all categories in Tokyo. She immediately avenged her defeat to Cheng in the 2019 Basel World Championship final.

Also read:

> Sapto Yogo: ‘This Medal is for My Mother’

> Ni Nengah Widiasih Reaps the Fruits of Patience

This dual motivation complemented her technical skills, which is above average among other Paralympic badminton athletes. She began her Paralympics career in 2011, after a traffic accident. Before then, she was a regional athlete who competed in National Sports Week, an experience that has helped mature her play.

“I want to make Indonesia proud again. But I want to do it without any burden," she said.

Meanwhile Suryo Nugroho, men\'s singles SU5 (standing/upper limb impairment) badminton player, fulfilled his hope of qualifying for the semifinals after defeating Poland’s Bartlomiej Mroz, 21-13, 21-10, yesterday.

This article was translated by Hyginus Hardoyo.