’ HIROSHIMA. Oct 9: Indonesia won their first gold medal of the Hiroshima Aslan Games 6day when their badminton kings led by world number one Ardy Wir anata regained the prestigious men s title after a gap of 24 years, reports AFP
The Indonesians raced to a crushing 5-0 win over South Korea in a lopsided final after a stirring contest for the women's championship at the Tsuru Memorial gymnasium
South Korea denied thb Indonesians a golden dduble when their tigerish women won an emotionally^charged final 4-1 to land their First Asian Games team title.
Both teams said they were satisfied with a gold and a sil ver. Chinese and Malaysian nfen and Chinese and Japanese women, the losing semifinal ists. all won bronze medals
"We are proud to win the first gold medal of the Games for Indonesia.' said manager Luftl Hamid
Korean coach Kim Jong Soo said the Indonesian men. with Ahree players ranked among the lop five and boasting the world's top doubles combination. were too powerful for any team
In the womens' section. Indonesia. Korea and China were all equally strong and he was happy for his team to be going back with the gold
Wiranata ensured a flying start for Indonesian men with a quick 15-8, 15-10 win over South Korea s top player Park Sung-Woo who won a bronze at the Asian Championships
Woo committed too many mwi while the Indonesian played what he described as "safe badminton '
As he has done in his last two matches world number two Joko Suprianto struggled and gave up a game before overcoming Kim Hak Ky-un 11-15. 15-5. 15-8
The worlds top doubles combination of Rexy Mainaky and Ricky Subagdja then thrashed Ra Tae-Kwon and Yoo Yong-Sung 15-2. 15-8 to give Indonesia an unbeatable lead
This I is for the country." the 24 year-old Wiranata ex Cl after the victory the first Indonesia since the 1970 Aston Games
Susi Susanti gave the Indonesian women an equally fluent Start when she beat Bang Soon Hyun in a repeat of the 1992 Olympic final
The 23 year old won I I 5 11-2 in just 25 minutes She reeled off nine successive points from 2 2 in the second game bringing >mo play her
superb footwork and mobility for breathtaking retrieval and returns that left the 22-year old bang stranded.
Susanti then sat down on the sidelines to cheer on the team but that was’ the only point Indonesia were to win
Singapore Open winner Ra Kyung-Min. a 17-year-old from Seoul, pulled South Korea level by beating Kartika J uni 11-9, 11-10.
J uni. 21, an Asia Cup semi finalist, fought hard before bowing to the speedy and ag gresstve Korean in 34 minutes.
The Korean doubles combination of Chung So Young and Jan Hye-Ock beat Finarslh and Lilytampl 15-5. 15-11.
Trailing 6-10 in the second game, the Koreans won five successive points through a string of unforced errors by Finarslh to forge ahead and wrapped up the match when Finarslh hit wide to the dismay of the Indonesian camp
Elysa and Resiana Zelin
fought every inch of the way to keep Indonesian hopes alive., After splitting the first two games with Gil Young-Ah and Shim Eun-Jung, they raced to a 6-0 lead before the Koreans caught up.
Gil and Shim levelled, at 10-10. then yielded Just one more point before closing out the match and hugged each other In Joy. Lee Heung-Soon beat Yuliani-Sentosa 11-8. II-5 In the dead rubber
South Korean coach Soo shuffled his two doubles (combinations to confuse the Indonesians, and the move paid off.
The two finals were a repeat of semifinals in the men s Thomas Cup and womens' Uber Cup both of which Indonesia won to record a rare double.
Indonesian men and South Korean women beat the reign Ing Asian Games Champions China In the semifinals.