Hosts' shuttlers regain supremacy

Hosts Indonesia broke China's dominance by claiming seven medals, including men's singles and doubles gold medals at the Asian Games' badminton event, which concluded in Jakarta yesterday.

Jonatan Christie gave the host nation a singles gold medal for the first time since 2006, beating Taiwan's Chou Tienchen 21-18, 20-22, 21-15 in an exciting final in front of a sell-out crowd at the badminton arena inside the Gelora Bung Karno Stadium sports complex.

The 20-year-old's feat was followed by a gold medal in men's double as the badminton-mad country scooped two gold, two silver and four bronze medals to finish ahead of long-reigning China, who got six medals in total, including three gold medals.

Badminton is the most popular sport in Indonesia and a sport that has brought this country international sporting honour. Indonesia are the second most successful nation in badminton worldwide, only after China, with all seven of their gold medals coming from this discipline. They used to dominate the sport in the '60s before China overtook in the middle of the following decade. The last time Indonesia had topped badminton's medal's tally was in the 1978 Asiad in Bangkok.

So it was no surprise to see the electrifying atmosphere inside the 7000-seater badminton arena, with spectators and local media cramming for space to watch the action amid a sea of red and white, Indonesia's national colours. And they were all waiting for the grand moment.

That moment came as Christie delivered one of his many powerful smashes before taking off his shirt in ecstasy as the crowd burst into loud cheers.

"I am definitely happy since this is my first Asian Games and it never occurred to me that I could win because there were many qualified athletes such as Kento Momota, Chen Long... this is a blessing," Christie told reporters following his victory.

Indonesia later made it a one-two in the men's doubles when Kevin Sukamuljo and Marcus Gideon beat compatriots Muhammad Rian Ardianto and Fajar Alfian in a tense final.