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Sports/Olympics / Other Sports

Indonesia's Bandung tourney on lookout for talent

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2006-05-19 16:54

JAKARTA, May 19 (Xinhua) -- Bandung-based badminton club SGS and electronics producer PT Samsung Electronics Indonesia will hold a four-day tournament as part of efforts to identify talented young badminton players.

SGS chairman Lutfi Hamid, who is also head of the West Java chapter of the Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI), was quoted by the Jakarta Post as saying here on thursday that the tournament had been held for the past 17 years and had produced a number of talented young players.

He said big names like doubles specialist Candra Wijaya, former world champion Hendrawan and Olympic and world champion Taufik Hidayat had all played in the event.

"The PBSI has promised to closely monitor the tournament to find new talent. It is even sending 14 second-stringers from the national training camp to the event," he said.

The May 22-26 tournament in Bandung will feature three age groups -- under 15, between 15 and 18, and over 18.

The 15 million rupiahs (about 1,650 US dollars) tournament alsowill open its doors to old hands like Rosobin, Tri Kusharyanto, Budi Santoso, Marlev Mainaky, Bambang Supriyanto and Atu Rosalina.

Samsung director Lee Kang-hyun said this was the seventh year the company had sponsored the tournament.

"It is part of the company's commitment to promote national sports, in this case badminton, and help find new talent," he said.

In recognition of its commitment to badminton development in the province, PBSI West Java will present Samsung with the Satya Bina Bakti Utama award next Friday.

The tournament will be opened Monday by the head of the West Java Military Command, Maj. Gen. Sriyanto.