JAKARTA – Remember seven years ago today, January 29, 2019, Indonesia’s famous badminton player Liliyana Natsir bid farewell to the world of professional badminton to President Joko Widodo (Jokowi). The woman known as Butet pledged to remain committed to spreading the championship spirit to the younger generation.
Previously, Butet’s name was famous while playing doubles with Tontowi Ahmad (Owi). The combination of Owi/Butet was later considered to be the best mixed doubles team in Indonesia. They were able to win a gold medal at the Rio Olympics.
The sport branch of badminton is often in the limelight at every Olympic Games. Additionally, during the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics. The Indonesian Badminton Federation (PBSI) has set its sights high: a gold medal. PBSI believes Indonesia’s tradition of winning gold medals in badminton must continue.
Then things didn’t go well for the Indonesian Badminton Association’s confidence. None of the badminton players sent in the men’s singles, women’s singles and men’s doubles were able to reach the quarter-finals. All public opinion was that Indonesia would win the gold medal in absentia.
It’s worth noting that Asa later emerged from the Owi/Butet mixed tag team. They met compatriots, Praven Jordan/Debby Susanto in the quarter-finals. This meeting allowed Owi/Butet to easily win two sets directly, 21-16 and 21-11.
Nyali Owi/Butet were not afraid when they reached the semi-finals and met the Chinese combination Zhang Nan/Zhao Yunlei. They defeated the mixed doubles with scores of 16-21 and 15-21. As a result, Owi/Butet entered the finals.
This success gives all Indonesians hope that they can take home the gold medal from the Rio Olympics. Owi/Butet will play against Malaysia’s Chan Peng Soon/Goh Liu Ying in the mixed doubles on August 17, 2016.
The championship spirit was also tried to be displayed by the two men. Most importantly, Owi/Butet became the Rio Olympic champions with scores of 21-14 and 21-12. Owi-Butet then brought Indonesia its first gold medal in the mixed doubles event.
“Now that Indonesia has won the gold medal, its impact is great and provides the public with different doping related to sports. We hope that in the future, the guidance of sports will receive better attention from the government,” Yuni Kartika, director of public relations and social media at PBSI, was quoted as saying on the CNN Indonesia website on August 22, 2016.
Owi/Butet has left a beautiful footprint in the world of badminton. Both men continue to search for new victories. However, Butet has recently felt satisfied with his various achievements in the world of badminton. He believes that more than 40 championships, including Olympic gold medal media, are enough.
Finally, the 33-year-old Butet decided to retire from the world of badminton and held a farewell party at Senayan Istora on January 27, 2019. Butet then retired directly to President Joko Widodo at the Merdeka Palace a few days later, on January 29, 2019.
The farewell process made Jokowi sad. Jokowi feels Indonesia has lost its best talent in badminton. Jokowi also told Owi, who will be appointed as the National Civil Service (ASN), to always help inspire Indonesia’s younger generation.
Owi was asked to spread the knowledge he had. This situation is for the Indonesian badminton world to continue to exist and achieve. Owi agreed.
“The point is that Indonesia feels very sorry for the retirement of Liliyana Natsir (Butet), anyway, not only our country, not only Indonesia, but the world will also lose a figure like Butet. But still, I leave it to inspire it.
“He will move to all the clubs in the region, in training in the region, to the clubs. Everyone is motivated by what they have to do, what they have to do, to achieve what Liliyana and Butet have achieved. That’s it,” Jokowi said, as quoted by the menpan.go.id page on January 29, 2019.
Tag: liliyana natsir badminton olympics joko widodo today’s memory
