Asian Games: Jonatan Christie Picks Up 23rd Gold

By Office of Assistant to Deputy Cabinet Secretary for State Documents & Translation     Date 28 Agustus 2018
Category: News
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Jonatan Christie won gold medal on men’s single badminton after defeating Chou Tien Chen from Taipei, at Istora GBK Stadium, Jakarta, Tuesday (28/8). (Photo: ANGGUN/PR)

Jonatan Christie won gold medal on men’s single badminton after defeating Chou Tien Chen from Taipei, at Istora GBK Stadium, Jakarta, Tuesday (28/8). (Photo: ANGGUN/PR)

Indonesian badminton rising star Jonatan Christie keeps Indonesia’s badminton gold medal traditional alive at the Asian Games after securing a gold medal for Indonesia on men’s singles final match held at Istora GBK, Senayan, Jakarta, Tuesday (28/8).

It is the 23rd gold medal Indonesia has won at the Asiad.

The 20-year-old Jonatan defeated China Taipei’s opponent Chou Tien Chen in a tight game with score of 21-18, 20-22 and 21-15.

Some of high-ranking officials including Coordinating Minister for Politics and Security Wiranto, Coordinating Minister for Human Development and Culture Puan Maharani, Minister of Foreign Affairs Retno Marsudi, Cabinet Secretary Pramono Anung, Minister of Villages, the Development of Underdeveloped Regions and Transmigration Eko Sandjojo, Minister of State Apparatus Empowerment and Bureaucratic Reform Syafruddin, Attorney General Prasetyo SH, and Governor of Jakarta Anies Baswedan, were spotted among the spectators at the final match.

Jonatan won the first match with a score of 21-18. In the second set, Chou rebounded and scored 20-22. The game went intense and tight until in the last and deciding set, Jonatan left Chou with a 21-15 victory.

Meanwhile, shuttler Anthony Ginting claimed the bronze medal together with Japan’s Kenta Nishimoto after losing to Chou in semifinal with a score of 21-16, 21-23, 17-21.

Jonatan is currently world 15th in men’s singles, while Chou is the world 6th.

Badminton made its debut in the Asian Games as a demonstration sport at the 1958 Asian Games in Tokyo, Japan, and became a regular competitive sport in 1962. In the 1962 Games, six events were held, with singles, doubles and team for both men and women. The mixed doubles event was added in 1966 Asian Games.

Indonesia’s last gold in the men’s singles category was in the 2006 Asian Games Doha presented by Indonesia’s badminton legend Taufik Hidayat.

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