Jakarta keeps lead in medal tally on penultimate day of Games

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Jakarta’s shuttlers won two gold medals on Wednesday, keeping the capital city in the first place in the medal tally on the penultimate day of the National Games (PON) 2012 in Riau.

As of 10 p.m., Jakarta’s teams had racked up 102 gold, 101 silver and 109 bronze medals followed by West Java (98-77-99) and East Java (85-81-84).

In the badminton hall on Wednesday, Jakarta’s two gold medals came at the expense of West Java.

The capital’s Bellatrix defeated Aprilia Yuswandari 21-15, 21-19 in women’s singles, while Nintya Cishinda and Pia Zebadia Bernadet upset Devi Tika Permata Sari and Komala Dewi 21-23, 21-16, 12-14 in women’s doubles.

Jakarta, however, missed the gold in the men’s doubles, as Agripina Prima Rahmanto Pamungkas and Marcus Fernaldi Gideon lost to London Olympians Tontowi Ahmad and Mohammad Ahsan of Central Java 21-17, 18-21, 9-21.

Rian Agung Saputro and Tri Kusuma Wardhana of East Java and Muhammad Ulinuha and Ricky Karanda Suwardi of West Java will take home the bronze.

In men’s singles, Central Java’s Shesar Hiren Rhustavito, 18, defeated 23-year-old Dionysius Hayom Rumbaka 21-14, 18-21, 21-18, while in the mixed doubles, Ricky Karanda Suwardi-Richie Puspita Dili of West Java won over Tontowi Ahmad-Debby Susanto of Central Java 18-21, 21-13, 21-16.

With the gold in the men’s team already at hands, Central Java was the overall winner in badminton with three gold medals, ahead of Jakarta (2) and West Java (2).

Although Wednesday was a disappointing ending for Jakarta’s shuttlers, who brought home four gold medals at the last PON four years ago, things could have been worse if Nintya and Pia had failed to bounce back from their opening game defeat in the women’s doubles final.

Pia looked in rush and conceded points due to unforced errors in the match, either smashing or failing to pass the shuttlecock over the net. Pia later said she that she had been nervous.

“I lost control of my emotions after the referee ordered a service repeated. My headband fell while playing and he ordered a repeat service. This has never happened before in history,” Pia, the sister of Beijing Olympic gold medalist Markis Kido, said after the medal ceremony.

“That’s what made me play hurriedly. But I learned to be more patient and I tried to be more stable in the second set.”

They regrouped to take the remaining two games.

“I’m really happy. This is my first time to win gold in a doubles game after three times at the PON” said the 23-year-old.

The bronze medal in the women’s doubles went to East Java’s Jenna Gozali and Shendy Puspa Irawati and Della Destiara-Dian Fitriani of Jakarta.

The women’s singles was equally tough, with Aprilia piling pressure on Bellatrix to take a 15-11 lead before slipping with rash of unforced errors.

Aprilia’s last punishable mistake was launching a smash, only for the shuttlecock to fall on her own court, allowing Bellatrix to end the game.

In other sports, East Java won gold in squash in the men’s group event, while West Java took silver and Jakarta the bronze. In the women’s group squash, West Java overcame Jakarta to claim gold.

In archery, East Java has assured its position as the overall winner with five gold medals, but failed on Wednesday to grab another to meet its target of six.

In the men’s group national event in archery, host province Riau emerged to claim its first gold, while East Java and Lampung were in second and third place respectively.

In the women’s group national event, West Java beat East Java to win gold, followed by Central Java in third place. A goal in the extra time gave East Kalimantan a 1-0 win over North Sumatra in the soccer final match.