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Jakarta Post

RI, Australia share know-how, sports science

Knowledge exchange: Indonesian and Australian shuttlers pose after playing exhibition matches at the Australian Embassy in Jakarta on Thursday

Primastuti Handayani (The Jakarta Post)
Jakarta
Fri, May 27, 2016

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RI, Australia share know-how, sports science

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span class="inline inline-center">Knowledge exchange: Indonesian and Australian shuttlers pose after playing exhibition matches at the Australian Embassy in Jakarta on Thursday. The event was held to share a common passion for the sport between the two countries.(JP/Seto Wardhana)

Indonesia and Australia continue to strengthen their ties through sports diplomacy by sharing experience and know-how in badminton.

“Badminton is an obvious choice for us. Indonesians have a great passion and skill in badminton, having won 18 Olympic medals.

“It’s a great challenge and opportunity for the Australians to play with these great champions,” Australian Ambassador to Indonesia Paul Grigson said at the Australian Embassy on Thursday.

“We worked together with the weightlifting association last month by providing premium beef meat for lifters to prepare for the Olympics.

“Next, we could be working together in other sports such as shooting and archery,” he added.

A day earlier, the embassy held a sports science seminar for coaches and players from both countries. The seminar was led by Andrew Perks and Cory Innes from the Victorian Institute of Sport.

“This visit has seen both countries benefit from each other’s sporting experience,” said the Indonesian Badminton Association (PBSI) chairman Gita Wirjawan.

“We have been delighted to partner with the embassy and Badminton Australia on these events and look forward to building even stronger sporting ties between Indonesia and Australia,” he added.

PBSI head of development Rexy Mainaky warmly welcomed the cooperation as he and other coaches would be able to learn from the experts.

“Based on my experience of coaching in different countries, I’ve learned that Australia is very strong in sports science,” he said. “Why now? I think it’s a matter of opportunity.”

Players from both countries held friendly matches and Australian Gronya Somerville said “it was fun to train and play with them” at the PBSI training camp at Cipayung, East Jakarta.

Rexy also said his players would be ready for next week’s Indonesia Open in Jakarta.

“I talked to them after the Thomas Cup final and our roosters said they learned a lot from the defeat. It’s a sign that they can evaluate their performance and they all have the motivation to improve,” he said.

Denmark brought home the coveted trophy after beating Indonesia 3-2.

“For the Indonesia Open, we know where we are really strong. Definitely our men’s and mixed doubles players are expected to win the titles before the home crowd,” Rexy said.

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