Thai female shuttlers, led by evergreen Ratchanok Intanon, clinched the SEA Games women’s badminton team gold medal for the seventh consecutive time following their 3-1 victory over Indonesia in a gripping final on Wednesday.
The title decider started with the first singles rubber pitting World No. 6 Pornpawee Chochuwong against Putri Kusuma Wardani, who sits one spot below her in the world rankings.
Despite the backing of the partisan crowd at the gymnasium in Thammasat University’s Rangsit Campus, the 27-year-old Pornpawee made a shaky start, struggling to find her rhythm before losing the first game 21-8.
Shaking off the early setback, the Thai shuttler, one of the most experienced members of the Thai roster, turned things around in the second game, winning 21-13 to stay in contention.
In the decisive third game, it appeared Pornpawee would put the hosts ahead in the tie as she held the lead for a large stretch. However, once Wardani tied it at 15-15, the Indonesian went on to secure the win and hand Indonesia a 1-0 lead overall.
Next up was the first doubles rubber, which saw the makeshift Thai pair of Benyapa Aimsaard and Supissara Paewsampran up against Rachel Allessya Rose and Febi Setianingrum. Despite teaming up for the first time at the Games, the duo held their own remarkably well and managed to edge out a tense first game 21-18.
The second game remained as tight as the opening one early on. But after establishing a crucial 11-8 lead at the interval, the Indonesian pair never looked back, cruising to a 21-11 win to take the rubber into a deciding third game.
It remained a nerve-jangling affair right until the closing stages of the final game, but the momentum appeared to shift decisively when the Indonesian duo, who had trailed from the opening point, clawed their way back to level at 17-17. The Thais, though, held their nerves at the crucial moment, closing it out 21-18 to level the tie at 1-1.
The home fans’ nerves were considerably soothed at the beginning of the second singles rubber as the former three-time junior world champion Ratchanok made a blistering start against Gregoria Mariska Tunjung before effortlessly clinching the first game 21-7.
The Thai shuttler, now in her 30s, was made to work a bit harder in the next game but eventually came out on top 21-15, giving the home side a 2-1 lead.
On paper, the Thai side looked to be at a disadvantage in the second doubles rubber as they had to field another makeshift pair in Ornnicha Jongsathapornparn and Jhenicha Sudjaipraparat. But the duo tore up the form book by upsetting Fabriana Dwipuji Kusuma and Meilysa Puspitasari to help the hosts secure their seventh successive title and tenth overall, sparking wild celebrations on the home team’s bench.
