In this sports series, I would like to talk about Badminton that has been included in Olympic or other prestige International Sports. In Indonesia is called "Bulu Tangkis" In any said, this sport is the second famous sport after football, due to this sport can be taken place anywhere even those who don't have good skill, they can play Badminton. China is a country that has a lot of Badminton top players in Asia, it was seen they regularly won the International Game and it is followed by Indonesia. Indonesia has proved by mostly collecting the Thomas Cup, 13 wins are still held by Indonesia Badminton team. In order to recall the players who successfully showed great achievement in Badminton field, I would like to introduce you five Badminton Legend in Indonesia who were quite reputable in Badminton Sport. Who are they?
1.Rudy Hartono
He was the first badminton athlete who brought Indonesia to be known by the world. Rudy Hartono is a legend, not only in Indonesia but his reputable is acknowledged around the world. He even calls as the best Badminton player in all time, it was proved by dominating champion in 1968 for All England Cup and he won 7 titles for this champion, started from 1968-1974. Besides, he won six titles of Thomas Cup in raw, from the year 1970. One of his skills was at the fastest move and this was not even seen by his opponents. He owns the game perfectly, knowing when he had to smash and when he played in a long rally. Upon these skills, Rudi Hartono is recorded as the man single player who collected eight titles champions for All England. Rudy joined the National Training Center in 1965 for preparation of his national time in upcoming Thomas cup. As one of the members of the Thomas Cup squad, he won all matches, but Indonesia was beaten by Malaysia in a highly controversial final in which play was suspended due to the unruly crowd. He was the youngest Indonesia player in the tournament who beat Tan Aik Huang from Malaysia who had been the winner two years earlier. From this huge achievement, Rudy dominated the tournament like very few had before, winning eight titles in all, eight title at the All England that was a mention in the Guinness Book of Records. Hartono was active in Thomas Cup competition and played for his country at the event from 1967 to 1982. 1970, 1973. In 1976, and 1979 Thomas Cup were resounding successes for Hartono and his team, with Indonesia sweeping four straight titles.
2. Liem Swie King
Liem Swie King was one of the players who became the opponent of Rudy Hartono as well as the top rank of Badminton Player in the world, in a male single at his time. Lime was nicknamed "King" as he was invincible for 33 months in Badminton game. He is well-known for his iconic jumping smash which led him to be recognized as the most aggressive type of offensive stroke in badminton, mostly executed by pro male and he was good to intercept the shuttlecock at high altitude with a ferocious whipping strike, or sometimes a deceptive drop shot which immobilized his opponent who was expecting a slamming hit from him. By intercepting the shuttlecock at higher altitude, Liem was able to deliver a shot with a steeper angle, then people nicknamed him as "the King Smash". Liem was recorded as the second player who successfully won 3 titles All England Champion and 4 titles in Sea Game and gold medal in Asian Game Bangkok in 1978. Lime was able to play in single and double at the same time. His name was embedded in Hall of Fame in 2004. Not long after that, Liem released an inspiring book of his journey in the Badminton world, and has been inspired the production house to produce a film entitled "King." Liem started his badminton career in 1972 at the age of 15, he became a junior single champion of Central Java. Then, in the same year, Liem tested his first international tournament, the First Djakarta Badminton Open Tournament, defeating Singapore's Ng Choi Yu in the first stage, before succumbing to Thailand's Sangob Ratananusorn. Later, he won Moenadi Cup, in single and men's double categories, pairing with his childhood friend, Hariamanto Kartono. He retired from badminton in 1988, and now owns a health spa in Jakarta.
3. Christian Hadinata
Rudy Hartono and Liem Swie King were the best players in a male single, so Christian Hadinata owned the record in double. He started his first career as a single player, and he went through the All England final. However, his true achievement was begun when he played double, and he was acknowledged as the best double player in Badminton history. Liem successfully won 2 titles Asian Games, 4 titles All England and 3 titles world champion. He played for Indonesia for 15 years, he begins the badminton career in 1971 and in 15 years of his service, Hadi has collected the variety of champions who help Indonesia to capture the cup on four occasions (1973, 1976, 1979, 1984). These achievements had made his name induce into the World Badminton Hall of Fame.
4.Susi Susanti
A female badminton legend who won the women's singles gold medal at the 1992 Olympic Game in Barcelona, and successfully achieved the bronze medal at the 1996 Olympic Game in Atlanta, United States. In her time, Susi was regarded as the most dominant women's single player in the first half of the 1990s, winning four All England champion in 1990, 1991, 1993 and 1994, and the World Badminton Grand Prix finale five times consecutively from 1990 to 1994 as well as in 1996, and the IBF World Championships in 1993. In the game, Susi combined quick and graceful movement with elegant shotmaking technique and made her as successful women's badminton history of the women's game. Susi Susanti set her place as the women single player who simultaneously holds the Olympic, World Championship, and All-England titles. Susi also collected three-time champion of Japan Open, Indonesia Open five times, won numerous badminton Grand Prix series, and five titles in Badminton World Cups. Susi also becomes a great player where she successfully led Indonesia team to win over perennial champion China in 1994 and 1996 in Uber Cup badminton competition. In May 2004, Susi Susanti was also inducted into International Badminton Federation (IBF, currently BWF) Hall of Fame and awarded the Herbert Scheele Trophy in 2002. Susi is also called the Bride Gold as she married to a well-known badminton player who both of them successfully collected the gold medal in the variety of competitions. Susi and her husband established ASTEC (Alan and Susi Technology), the racket manufacturer in China. Susi Susanti decided to retire from Badminton game in 1998 which still remained two years chance in her career to continue playing and she wanted to achieve the Gold Medal in Asian Games, but after he was told about her pregnancy, he committed to hanging the racket in the same year.
5. Rexy Mainaky – Ricky Soebagja
Ricky Ahmad Subagja rates among the greatest doubles specialists in the sport's history. At his time, he was mentioned as the best doubles badminton player and achieved the most successful player in badminton world. These doubles players were known at moving, reflect and faster hitting which led them to win men's double at the biennial IBF World Championships in Birmingham, England with fellow countryman Rudy Gunawan. Rudy Gunawan became his Subagja's partner for most the 90s was another fellow countryman, who owned the equally fast and hard-hitting Rexy Manaky and they were known as the most successful doubles of the decade. Rexy Mainaky – Ricky Soebagja proved their skill by winning more than thirty international titles together, including all of badminton's major championship at least once. They successfully won Olympic Gold at Atlanta in 1996, the IBF World Championship in 1995 at Lausanne, Switzerland and the prestigious performance for England Championship in range 1995 and 1996. As the best double player in Indonesia badminton history, Ricky and Rexy had collected the prestigious title in almost of International Game, including the open championship of the five strongest nations in men's badminton. Rexy and Ricky were bronze medalists at the 1997 IBF World Championships in Glasgow, Scotland. Sadly, in 1992, these doubles were eliminated in quarterfinals at both Olympics in Barcelona and in 2000 Olympic in Sydney. In Thomas Cup, this Indonesia team won the world title in 1994, 1996, and 1998. In 10 years of Badminton career, they successfully won 30 titles in badminton and in 2009 Mainaky – Ricky Soebagja was inducted into Badminton Hall of Fame.
6. Taufik Hidayat
Another Badminton Legend in Indonesia is Taufik Hidayat, his name was quite famous in badminton world. He was trained under Iie Sumirat who brought him to win numerous titles of Badminton competition. Taufik played in single and successfully won the Summer Olympic in 2004. In the 2000's he was recognized as the best badminton player who had won six times in international badminton competition (1999, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004 and 2006). His skilled in managing the shot-making strengths backhand, forehand jump smash, drop shot, smooth footwork and deceiving net play. In 2006 World Championships, Taufik was once recorded as the fastest smash badminton player in the singles competition. He made the record in 305/h in a match when he was against Ng Wei. The backhand and forehand were combined with his tenacity at the net and scope for deceptive shots, made him known as the diverse weaponry on the court, and made other players were difficult to overcome his skill on the open circuit. However, his dream came to end when he failed to win the title of All England until he retired from Badminton.
References
Legenda Bulu Tangkis Indonesia
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