OLYMPICS: BADMINTON - DAY 8 EVENING RESULTS SUSI AND RASHID TAKE BRONZE MEDALS July 31, 1996 (D.Shuttlenws) - Susi Susanti, the Olympic gold medalist in 1992 but a semifinal loser here at the 1996 Atlanta Olympic Games, redeemed some of her former status by defeating Kim Ji Hyun of Korea in a playoff match for the bronze medal. Susanti totally outplayed Kim, allowing the Korean to score only 5 points in the entire match. Susanti won quicky and easily 11-4 and 11-1 to claim the bronze medal. The men's singles bronze medal playoff between world champion Heryanto Arbi of Indonesia and Rashid Sidek of Malaysia was more tightly contested with both participants putting out their best efforts to bag third place honors for themselves and their country. Arbi started out well and took the first game from Sidek at 15-5. In the second game, the Malaysian ace began to counter Arbi's attacking play, using his quickness and ability to cover the court. The two battled for every point with Sidek emerging as the second game victor at 15-11. In the third game, Arbi faded early and his usually powerful smashing game seemed to have less sting, allowing Sidek to control the play. Sidek won the third game 15-6 and captured the bronze medal for Malaysia. Sidek's bronze was Malaysia's second medal of the 1996 Olympics. The first, a silver medal in badminton men's doubles, came earlier in the day when Cheah Soon Kit and Yap Kim Hock played a losing final match against Ricky Subagja and Rexy Mainaky of Indonesia. The two medals are the most Malaysia has ever won in a single Olympic Games. Arbi's loss completed a surprising shutout for the Indonesian men in the singles event. Indonesia dominates the world rankings in men's singles with at least 5 Indonesians in the top ten and came to Atlanta with great expectations of repeating their medal haul at the 1992 Olympic Games where they bagged gold, silver and bronze medals in the event. The mixed doubles third place playoff between two Chinese pairs was also tightly contested with Liu Jianjun and Sun Man finally prevailing over the tiring Chen Xingdong and Peng Xingyong 15-4 in the third. Liu and Sun had lost the first game 13-15 and then had won a cliffhanger of a second game 17-15. The gold medal matches for the men's and women's singles and the mixed doubles will be held tomorrow. Poul-Erik Hoyer Larsen of Denmark will face Dong Jiong of China for the men's singles gold medal. In women's singles, it will be Bang Soo Hyun of Korea versus Mia Audina of Indonesia. The mixed doubles will feature the nearly legendary Korean doubles player, Park Joo Bong, and his partner, Ra Kyung Min against compatriots Kim Dong Moon and Gil Young Ah. The men's and women's doubles gold medal matches were contested earlier today with Indonesians Ricky Subagja and Rexy Mainaky taking the men's doubles honors and Ge Fei and Gu Jun of China capturing the women's doubles laurels. Women's Singles - Bronze Medal Playoff (July 31, 1996) SUSANTI, Susi (2) - Indonesia beat KIM Ji Hyun (5) - Korea 11-4, 11-1 Men's Singles - Bronze Medal Playoff (July 31, 1996) SIDEK, Rashid (5) - Malaysia beat ARBI, Heryanto (3) - Indonesia 5-15, 15-11, 15-6 Mixed Doubles - Bronze Medal Playoff (July 31, 1996) LIU Jianjun/SUN Man (3) - China beat CHEN Xingdong/ PENG Xingyong (3) - China 13-15, 17-15, 15-4 COPYRIGHT 1996 by d.shuttlenws@genie.com. PERMISSION GIVEN to redistribute.