Friday, August 20, 2004 @7:01 PM
Susilo's defeat shattered my heart and soul.
Yes, Susilo did tried very hard not to give up in the first game despite his horrible form, but gave up the cause much more willingly in the second, especially after trailling love-seven. Those who watched the match knew this fact very well. No, no one is to blame him. He is really worn out after the 2 matches before this. Saw his relieved expression after the game was over? 2 matches in consecutive days against strong opponents proved to be a great factor in his defeat. Nevertheless, he brought glory to Singapore and all at home are proud of him, including myself.
Why was his worst performance compounded by the possibility that it couldn't have happened at a more crucial moment? In a word, age. By Olympic measure, he's 25, going on ageing. When the next Olympics is held, he will be 29. While it will be wrong to rule out his chances for another stab, the task is harder. Fung Permadi, a Chinese Indonesian shuttler who opted to play for Taiwan after he was rebuffed by his country of birth, qualified for a lesser marquee final - the All-England - at 29.
His feat is exception, which is why Athens was Susilo's best Olympic chance. That is also why the defeat carries a tragic feel. His worst day at the office came at the moment when he desperately needed to be at his best. For Singapore, the defeat leads to the same question: When, after 44 years of waiting now, will the second Olympic medal come?
Zhang Xue Ling is out of table tennis. The hope of a medal is on Li Jia Wei now. Her pressure to perform will be greater than her boyfriend, Susilo. Jiayou.
Comments extracted from the newspaper
"I'm not making any excuses. I tried but didn't play well. I was frustrated. Perhaps it was the expectations - mine and everybody else's."
-Ronald Susilo, after yesterday's defeat by Boonsak Ponsana
"You know, I worked hard the first two rounds. No reason for me not to work hard today. I tried, really tried, but nothing went right. My mind was off."
-Ronald Susilo
"Ronald can be very proud of himself. He wasn't expected to go this far. He can come back with his head held high. We had only one expectation of him and that was to play his best."
-Minister Lim Swee Say, SBA president, who was in tears after Susilo's loss
"It's in the nature of sport, that you can't win all the time. His efforts have enticed a younger generation of sporting talent. It's important that we keep trying."
-Vivian Balakrishnan, Acting Minister for Community Development, Youth and Sports, who watched the match with about 80 people at the SSC Recreation Club
"He already did his best to go this far. We're still very proud of him."
-Susilo's father Antonius Boediono, who was watching the match on cable television in Jakarta
"He is capable of much better. But he will still remain my friend and my favourite badminton player."
-Alton Chew, 10, national age-group player, friend and fan of Susilo
I am proud of him. Are you?