INDONESIAN CHAMPIONSHIPS: RIMARCDI WINS CROWN OVER A TIRED ARBI

** This NEW SHUTTLENWS REPORT is presented by badminton world champions YANG YANG (1987 and 1989) and ZHAO JIAN HUA (1991) and by YANG YANG BADMINTON PRODUCTS **

November 2, 1997 (NEW SHUTTLENWS) - At the Indonesian national badminton championships in Bandung, the lightly regarded George Rimarcdi made his mark on the Indonesian badminton scene when he upended Heryanto Arbi, the 1995 badminton men's singles world champion and the top seed at the tournament, in the men's singles final today.

The 24-year-old Rimarcdi, who is considered a high potential player but who has not been successful on the international circuit, felled the Indonesian number one in three games 8-15, 18-15 and 15-2.

Arbi started out in typical fashion, outplaying and overpowering Rimarcdi in the first game. However, in the second game, Arbi faded in what is becoming a regular happening with the former world champion in big matches. Rimarcdi pulled away to big leads at 5-1 and 9-2 before Arbi recovered enough energy to get back into his normal playing tactics.

Arbi caught up to Rimarcdi and grabbed the lead at 11-10. Again however, his stamina began to betray him and Rimarcdi regained the advantage. Arbi fought back and the two played to deuce at 13-all.

In the five-point tiebreaker, Rimarcdi outplayed the exhausted former world champion 5-2 (18-15 in the game) and tied up the championship match at 1 game apiece.

The five-minute respite before the third game did not help Arbi any. Rimarcdi raced to a 13-0 lead with excellent play, specially at the net. Arbi managed to tally two markers to avoid the embarassing goose egg, but the decider belonged to Rimarcdi from the outset.

The other better-known Indonesian men's singles players had lost in the earlier rounds. Alan Budi Kusuma was defeated by Arbi in the quarterfinals. Indra Wijaya lost to Hendrawan. Ardy Wiranata was upset by the 19-year old Yudi Suprayogi, and Hermawan Susanto was eliminated by Rimarcdi.

1993 world champion Joko Suprianto did not play in the national tourney. He had been sent together with Budi Santoso and Marleve Mainaky to represent Indonesia at the Hong Kong Open tournament that was also held this week.

In the women's singles final, Mia Audina defeated Ellen Angelina 11-3 and 12-9 and became one of the 1997 Indonesian national champions. Indonesian number one Susi Susanti did not play in the tournament due to an lower limb injury that she suffered during the SouthEast Asian Games team competition. Two other top women's singles players, number three Meiluawati and number four Cindana Hartono, were away representing Indonesia at the Hong Kong Open.

World men's doubles champions Sigit Budiarto and Chandra Wijaya defeated the Olympic champions Rexy Mainaky and Ricky Subagja 15-12 and 15-12 in the men's doubles final to cement their standing as Indonesia's best in the event in 1997.

Eliza Nathanael and Resiana Zelin took the women's doubles title, defeating Indarti Isolina and Denyana Lomban in the championship match in 2 thrilling games, both of which were decided in tiebreakers, 17-14 and 18-13.

In the mixed doubles event, Trikus Heryanto teamed up with Resiana Zelin when his regular partner, Minarti Timur, fell ill prior to the start of the tournament. The makeshift pairing turned back all comers to take the 1997 Indonesian mixed doubles title. In the final, Heryanto and Zelin defeated Bambang Suprianto and Etty Tantri 18-15 and 15-8.

(jfontanilla/migrossman)