REPUBLIKA.CO.ID, NAYPITAW -- It was the women who provided the most excitement in the badminton finals at the Wunna Theikdi Indoor Stadium (C) on Saturday, although the men’s singles also had the audience on the edge of their seats.

The women’s singles began with Indonesia’s Bellaetrix Manuputty losing tamely 21-9 to second seed Ongbam- rungphan Busanan of Thailand. But, there seemed a sudden burst of energy in the second game from Manuputty as she held the 17-year-old Thai at 4 to take it to 11 points. After the one-minute break, Manuputty conceded a few points before her game changed, almost as if she suddenly could predict the Thai girl’s moves, and she won comfortably 21-13.

The third game saw the Thai and Indonesian chase each other point for point until they reached 16-12 with Manuputty in the lead. In an attempt to redeem herself, Busanan overestimated her smashes sending a number of them far beyond the baseline, handing the match to Manuputty 21-13.

“I was scared in the first game because Busanan had easily beaten my teammate (Aprilia Yuswandari). Going into game two, I told myself that I had trained so hard for this so it would be no use if I didn’t give it all that I have. I then realised that I had to hit to the baseline so it would be difficult for her to smash down so hard,” said Manuputty, whose face was fixed in a huge grin as she watched her other teammates compete.

Thailand’s singles coach Udom Luangphetcharapon stated that although Busanan had taken the first game easily, she was too slow to launch a defence in the second, staying too close to the net while the Indonesian continuously sent the shuttle far back. “Then she fell too far behind and couldn’t catch up. I told her to change and attack but she couldn’t manage that. She was tense and wasn’t confident in taking the shots. She kept think- ing too much about right and wrong shots. She’s young and needs more experience, but she did well today,” he said.

Busanan, who aims to make it into the world’s top 10, admitted to a lack of confidence, saying, “I made a lot of mistakes in the second and third games and she got control. I think so much before I take a shot and I worry whether it is right and I get nervous about taking the next shot.”

Indonesia had already won gold in the men’s doubles and mixed doubles earlier and with a competitor in each of the finals, were poised to make it a five-gold sweep of the sport, until men’s singles champion Tanongsak Saensomboonsuk of Thailand stepped onto the court. He and Indonesia’s Dionysius Hayom Rumbaka were neck and neck throughout both games, but the Thai’s strength and skill prevailed, winning 22-20, 21-17. “I’m just really happy that I was the one to win the only gold for my country in badminton,” he said.

Malaysia and Indonesia saved the best for last, however, as they provided the audience with a nail-biter of a women’s doubles. Surprise finalists Malaysia overcame a physically stronger Indonesia (21-17, 18-21, 21-17) to take gold. “It’s been a while since we won any major tournament and so this is a big win for us,” said Malaysia’s Vivian Hoo for whom this is a first SEA Games gold. She dedicated the medal to her partner Khe Wei Woon for her never-give-up attitude. Khe, who now adds this to the team gold won in the 2009 SEA Games in Laos, laughed, “I’m so overwhelmed I cannot even cry.”

The 85-minute match, full of long rallies and hard smashes from both sides of the court, was a fitting end to badminton at the 27th SEA Games, the likes of which Myanmar has never witnessed before.

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