To mark the achievements of its athletes during 2016 in tournaments both inside and outside the country, Indonesia’s largest private badminton club PB Djarum has decided, through its Sport Dedication Djarum Foundation, to award them cash bonuses worth Rp 600 million (US$45,000).

Foundation program director Yoppy Rosimin said the awards were its way of showing appreciation for the young talent who had demonstrated their solidity in upholding the country’s dignity in the front of the international sporting community.

“We, this country, owe them that much. Therefore these awards are aimed at boosting their confidence and morale so they can aim higher and work harder for future achievements,” Yoppy told a press conference held in Jakarta on Wednesday.

As for those still seeking achievements, the bonuses should be treated as a gentle reminder to boost their motivation to do better and train harder in future tournaments.

PB Djarum athletes won a series of tournaments last year, among them was the 2016 Blibli.com National tournament, in which it snatched the group category title. The club also grabbed four singles titles in junior tournaments. The four titles were won by Ghaida Nurul Ghaniyu and Ramadhani Muhammad Zulkifli in the women’s singles and men’s singles, respectively. While the women’s doubles title went to pair Ribka Sugiarto and Febriani Dwipuji Kusuma and the men’s doubles title was won by Bagas Maulana and Calvin Kristanto.

Ghaida and Ramadhani were each given Rp 15 million and the doubles pairs were awarded Rp 20 million each.

The club also awarded another Rp 450 million and 18 units of 43-inch LED televisions to the mixed-doubles champions, comprising eight couples. Another Rp 25 million also went to the women’s doubles pair Ribka and Febriani as they were crowned young athletes of the year.

Commenting on this, Ribka said she was grateful for the prize and said that she would save the cash for future needs.

When asked when the young pair would be considered ready to follow in the footsteps of their seniors in the field, Ribka’s coach Rudi Gunawan said that if everything went on schedule and the players were disciplined and trained hard then it would take no longer than two years before they followed their seniors’ tracks.

“I hope they’ll be ready in two years’ time,” he said.

Indonesian Badminton Association (PBSI) secretary-general Achmad Budiharto, who attended the event, praised the prize-giving, saying that what the club did should become an example for other athlete-grooming initiatives.

“The government should pay attention to such solid initiatives displayed by a private company in supporting one of the country’s sporting gold mines,” he said.

PB Djarum has run the club since 1969 during which time it has spotted talent like Indonesia’s living legend Rudi Hartono, Christian Hadinata, Lius Pongoh and the mixed-double pairs Liliyana Natsir and Tontowi Ahmad.

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