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Bayu's victory expected to spark gold rush by RI
Indonesia is hoping judo star Kresna Bayu's stunning victory will motivate the contingent's pencak silat fighters to go for gold at the inaugural Asian Martial Arts Games underway in Thailand
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ndonesia is hoping judo star Kresna Bayu's stunning victory will motivate the contingent's pencak silat fighters to go for gold at the inaugural Asian Martial Arts Games underway in Thailand.
The 34-year-old Bayu arrived home to a hero's welcome Wednesday, after delivering Indonesia's first gold on Monday in the men's under-100-kg event.
Indonesia is taking part in five of nine martial arts events, with the homegrown sport of pencak silat looking to be a rich vein of gold.
After four fighters advanced to the finals on Tuesday, another two followed on Wednesday, with Ni Nyoman Suparniti in the women's D class and Pujo Janoko in the men's C class overcoming their opponents in the semifinals.
The other four Indonesian finalists include Pengky Simbar, Puspa Endah, Lutfan Budi Santoso and Komang Wahyu Purbasari.
Pengky will next meet an opponent from Vietnam in the women's A class; Puspa Endah will also meet a Vietnamese fighter in the men's E class; Lutfan Budi Santoso will face a Filipino in the men's B class, while Komang Wahyu Purbasari will fight a Singaporean in his men's E class match.
"We're hoping these pencak silat fighters will be able to give their best and contribute more medals to the country," Rita Subowo, chairwoman of National Sports Council (KONI), said Wednesday during the reception party for Bayu at the council's headquarters.
The gold medalist beat India's Anil Kumar in a six-minute duel. The judo team contributed another medal with Yuliati snatching silver in the women's under-52-kg class.
Bayu, who injured his shoulder and arm ligaments during the fight, looked proud of his achievement.
"This is my first gold after competing for the country for 20 years at an Asian-level multi-event showcase," he said.
"I told myself this was my best chance to win gold, because it doesn't look likely for me to join next year. So this is it," he said, adding he had to slap himself to psych himself up for the final.
Pencak silat team manager Ahmad Tafsil Rimsal said Suparniti and Lutfan should have better prospects than their teammates of winning their matches.
"Suparniti in the women's D class and Lutfan in the men's B class have pretty good chances to win more gold in Friday's finals," he told The Jakarta Post.
"With the other four it's 50:50."
Suparniti won gold at the 2007 Southeast Asian Games in Bangkok and the 2008 Asian Beach Games in Bali, while Lutfan won the 2007 world championship.
Indonesia has fielded a 35-strong martial arts contingent, competing in judo, karate, pencak silat, taekwondo and wushu. The event runs until Aug. 9.
Indonesia has three bronze and a silver from taekwondo and one bronze from wushu in the bag. Nugroho Basuki contributed a bronze in the men's welterweight, while Rizal Samsir won silver in the men's heavyweight.
The two other bronze medalists are Catur Yuni Riyaningsih in the women's welterweight and Eka Sahara in the women's heavyweight.
Indonesia has a total of seven medals - one gold, three silver and three bronze - to stay in ninth place.
South Korea leads the medal tally with nine gold, four silver and two bronze. Kazakhstan is second with five gold, four silver and three bronze, followed by Japan with five gold, a silver and two bronze.
