Indonesian Cultures: Rudy Hartono : a former Indonesian badminton star

Friday, July 4, 2014

Rudy Hartono : a former Indonesian badminton star

Rudy Hartono

Rudy Hartono Kurniawan, born August 18, 1949) is a former Indonesian badminton star who won the men's singles title at the World Championship in 1980, and the prestigious All-England Championship trophy eight times, seven times consecutively (1968â€"1974), in the 1960s and 1970s. He is one of the most famous players in the history of the sport and is considered to be one of the greatest badminton players of all time. His sister is also a former world-level badminton player, Utami Dewi Kinard.

During his prime years Hartono won men's singles in most of the international tournaments that he entered. He also played on six consecutive Indonesian Thomas Cup teams between 1967 and 1982, the 1st of these when he was only seventeen, helping Indonesia to win four consecutive world team championships (1970, 1973, 1976, 1979) in what was then a triennial event. His game was characterized by great power, accuracy, agility, mobility, aggressiveness, and coolness under pressure. In 1997 he was among the 1st group of players inducted into the World Badminton Hall of Fame.

Hartono competed in badminton at the 1972 Summer Olympics, where badminton was one of two demonstration sports. It was the 1st time that the sport was part of the Olympic program, and it would become an official Olympic sport 20 years later at the 1992 Summer Olympics.
He won the men's singles event, after beating Jamie Paulson of Canada in the 1st round, Sture Johnsson of Sweden in the semifinals, and Svend Pri of Denmark in the final 15â€"6, 15â€"1.