Indonesia Wins Badminton Mixed Double Olympic Gold
Photo caption: Indonesias top mixed double pair Tontowi Ahmad/LiliyanaNatsir secure an Olympic gold medal on Wednesday (17/8).
Indonesias top badminton mixed double pair Tontowi Ahmad and Liliyana Natsir on Sunday (18/8) at Rioncentro clinched an Olympic gold medal on Sundayafter comfortably defeating Malaysia’s Goh Liu Ying and Chan Peng Soon 21-14, 21-12 in a thrilling final match lasted for 45 minutes.
This is the first gold medal of the 2016 Olympics for Indonesia and the countrys first ever Olympic badminton mixed double gold medal.
The victory also comes as the best gift for the Indonesias independence day on August 17.
In the semi final, the World Number 3 pair defeated their arch nemesis and former Olympic champions from China, Zhang Nan/Zhao Yunlei, in two games, 21-16, 21-15.
Speaking after the game, Liliyana expressed her relief after the high pressure she received during the Olympics.
“I still couldn’t believe it [the gold], this is the gold for Indonesia’s independence day,” she said.
“I want to take a break and enjoy this win first. Honestly, there has been high pressure on us during this [Olympic] event,” she added.
In the meantime, Indonesias President Joko Jokowi Widodo took to Twitter and congratulated the pair:
Finally we can hear the national anthem Indonesia Rayasung at the 2016 Rio Olympic thanks to the Gold Medal presented by Tontowi Ahmad &LiliyanaNatsir. Congratulations!, he tweeted on Monday (18/7) at around 00:22 am.
Vice President JusufKalla was also grateful for the success of Tontowi/LilianaAlhamdulillah .Congratulations and thanks to Tontowi/Liliana for the gold medal #Olympics2016. So proud of you.., the Vice President tweeted at his twitter account @Pak_JK.
Cabinet Secretary PramonoAnung also expressed his pride with the achievement made by the duo.
This is a victory achieved by our Mixed Double Pair Tantowi/Liliyana that we have to take pride in. This Gold Medal is a gift for Indonesias 71st Independence Day, Pramono said.
Meanwhile, Minister of Youth and Sports Imam Nahrawiwho, together with a number of employees of his Ministry and the press, watched the final match expressed his happiness for the victory Alhamdulillah, we finally won a gold medal at the Rio 2016 Olympics the Minister said.
For the record, this is the third Olympic Games for Liliyana. In the 2008 Beijing Olympics, she and her former partner Nova Widianto had to settle for silver in 2008 Beijing Olympics when they lost to Koreans Lee Yong Dae /Lee Hyo-jung, and in London four years ago, she and Ahmad hadto be satisfied in the fourth place.
Indonesia’s badminton’s mixed doubles had never achieved gold in previous Olympics, according to the Indonesian Badminton Federation (PBSI) chairman Gita Wirjawan.
The tradition of gold from badminton was often earned from men’s doubles, with last achieved by Markis Kido and Hendra Setiawan in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. (Humas Kemenpora/ES)(EP/YM/Naster)
