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View all search resultsFiances Dionysius Hayom Rumbaka and Bellaetrix Manuputty set the Indonesian shuttler standard and their countrymen followed suit to dominate the finals with six representatives in all five games
iances Dionysius Hayom Rumbaka and Bellaetrix Manuputty set the Indonesian shuttler standard and their countrymen followed suit to dominate the finals with six representatives in all five games.
Hayom and Belllaetrix are both determined to win their respective categories for Indonesia, in the men's and women's singles, in the final matches on Saturday.
Both secured their final tickets against the odds, being paired against the tournament's top seeds.
Bellaetrix was first to advance when she labored to overcome Nitchaon Jindapon of Thailand 21-17, 20-22, 22-20 at Wunna Theikdi Indoor Stadium.
The win proved to provide extra motivation to Hayom, edged out Nguyen Tien Minh of Vietnam, also in three games 13-21, 21-12, 22-20.
'I was fired up further knowing that Bella managed to reach the final. Now that we are both in the finals, we hope to both win gold for Indonesia,' Hayom said. Bellaetrix, whom he has been dating for three years, nodded in consent. But they will both have to clear more equally tough hurdles in the final when they face second seeds from Thailand.
Hayom will take on Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk while Bellaetrix is up against Busanan Ongbumrungpan. 'Busanan is more aggressive that Nitchaon. She has a larger variety of shots. Her ball placing is tricky. I have to anticipate that,' Bellaetrix said.
'All players want to win. We are motivated by the fact that our family are watching us on TV. We can't afford to disappoint them,' Hayom said.
The Indonesian Badminton Association would be content for the singles players to win silver as predicted before the tournament began. However, they said they wanted to go further and bring home gold.
'Bellaetrix was too ambitious to bring the second game to an end. That's a fatal mistake as she lost it. I hope she doesn't repeat the mistake in the final. But she is improving with each game,' team manager Ricky Soebagdja said in a release.
'Hayom has the chance to win his match. I talked to Hayom regarding whether he believed in his own winning power and he said yes. I wanted him to show off his skills,' he said.
Indonesia also has representatives in the other four events with the men's doubles final being all-Indonesia affair between Angga Pratama/Rian Agung Saputro and Ricky Karanda Suwardi/Berry Angriawan.
In the semifnals, Angga/Rian defeated Lim Khim Wah/Ow Yao Han of Malaysia 21-16,
21-15 while Ricky/Berry brushed aside Goh V Shem/Teo Kok Siang, also from Malaysia, 21-17, 21-18.
Both pairs expressed their relief that the gold in the men's doubles was safe in Indonesia's hands.
'We are happy gold for Indonesia is now a given. As a new pair, we have nothing to lose so we will play our best,' Berry said.
As the top seeds in the competition, Angga and Rian are favorites to win the match. 'We prepared well for the SEA Games. Beginning to play in the semifinals, we may lack time adapting to the court. We have overcome this by practicing on the court intensively,' Angga said.
He said that despite facing teammates they would fight all out in the match.
In the mixed doubles, it will be another Indonesia-Thailand rivalry with Muhammad Rijal/Debby Susanto challenged by Maneepong Jongjit/Sapsiree Taerattanachai.
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