Jakarta: After evaluating the performance of women’s double teams at the recent BWF World Championships in Jakarta, the Indonesian Badminton Association (PBSI) has set a higher bar for the teams.
PBSI said that based on player assessment, several shuttlers in the women’s squad needed to adopt new routines in their training program, which is aimed at boosting their power by having them play in mixed double teams and spar against male shuttlers.
Rexy Mainaky, PBSI head coach, said shuttlers Greysia Polii and Nitya Krishinda Maheswari would start new routines.
“I’ve told [mixed double team head coach] Richard Mainaky that Greysia and Nitya will also be sent to mixed doubles,” Rexy, a former national shuttler who snatched a gold medal in 1996’s Olympics in Atlanta, US, said in a statement on Monday.
Rexy went on to say that he would discuss the new routine plan with men’s double head coach Herry IP. Sparring against male shuttlers meant that Greysia and Nitya would be trained to handle deadly attacks, he added.
“I really hope the coaches support the new routines in the program by providing excellent male shuttlers. If all goes well, I think we will see the results by December,” added the former coach for the national teams of England, Malaysia and the Philippines.
At the world championships, Greysia/Nitya earned a bronze medal after losing 21-8, 21-16 to China’s Tian Qing/Zhao Yunlei.
