Jonatan `Jojo` Christie Raih Juara Tunggal Putra jadi Sorotan Dunia
Christie Wins host Indonesia`s Signature Gold at Asian Games
Editor : Ismail Gani
Translator : Novita Cahyadi
SETIAP tuan rumah pekan olahraga internasional menetapkan cabang olahraga tertentu sebagai prestise negara penyelenggara, dan Indonesia berhasil mewujudkan targetnya menjadi juara bulu tangkis tunggal putra di Asian Games 2018.
Jonatan Christie merebut juara tunggal putra setelah menang dengan skor 21-18, 20-22, 21-15 atas pebulutangkis Taiwan, Chou Tien-chen untuk meraih nomor bergengsi tersebut.
Jonatan berusia 21 tahun, akrab disapa Jojo, meraih perhatian nasional dengan kebiasaan merayakan kemenangan dengan membuka baju lalu telanjang dada sebagai selebrasi.
Sama seperti Tan Joe Hok pada 1962 ketika Indonesia menjadi tuan rumah penyelenggara Asian Games.
Jonatan Christie melepas kemejanya lagi untuk merayakan medali emas, dan memutar-mutar jari telunjuk sebagai juara baru. Dia memberi hormat ketika bendera merah putih dikibarkan yang diiringi lagu kebangsaan Indonesia Raya.
"Kemenangan ini bersejarah bagi bulu tangkis Indonesia," katanya.
Bulu tangkis adalah olahraga nasional di Indonesia, meskipun belum memenangkan gelar tunggal putra di Asian Games sejak Taufik Hidayat memenangkan medali emas kembali pada tahun 2002 dan 2006. Lin Dan dari China memenangkan dua juara Asian Games sebeumnya.
Indonesia merebut juara ganda putra yang menampilkan dua pasangan ganda putra setelah peringkat teratas Tai Tzu-ying dari Taiwan mengalahkan peraih medali perak Olimpiade dan dunia India dan jutawan Pusarla Venkata Sindhu 21-13, 21-16 di 36 menit pada final tunggal putri.
China memimpin klasemen sementara perolehan medali dengan 97 emas dan 206 secara keseluruhan setelah 320 pertandingan seperti dikutip Associated Press yang dilansir MailOnline.
EVERY HOST host has a signature event that defines the success of the games, at least in the context of sports.
Jonatan Christie won that event for the 2018 Asian Games hosts with a 21-18, 20-22, 21-15 win over Taiwan's Chou Tien-chen to secure the badminton men's singles gold medal for Indonesia.
The 21-year-old Christie, nicknamed Jojo, grabbed the national attention with his shirt-shedding celebration following his semifinal win, and intensified it with his pressure-packed victory in the final.
Just like Tan Joe Hok did in 1962 when Indonesia last hosted the games.
Christie peeled off his shirt again to celebrate the gold, and twirled his pointer finger around for emphasis. He saluted when the Indonesian flag was raised above the podium.
"This win is historic for Indonesian badminton," he said.
Badminton is the national sport in Indonesia, although it hasn't won the men's singles title at the Asian Games since Taufik Hidayat won back-to-back golds in 2002 and '06. Lin Dan of China won both in between.
The hosts picked up another badminton gold in men's doubles - it was an all-Indonesian final - after top-ranked Tai Tzu-ying of Taiwan beat India's Olympic and world championship silver medalist and millionaire Pusarla Venkata Sindhu 21-13, 21-16 in 36 minutes for the women's singles final.
China leads the medal standings with 97 gold and 206 overall after 320 events, and reclaimed top spot in the track and field table from Bahrain with two days to go. China has nine gold and 20 medals overall at track, one more gold and four medals overall more than Bahrain.
