Competing On Eid Day, Bagas/Fikri: That's The 'price' That Athletes Must Pay

JAKARTA - Indonesian men's doubles Bagas Maulana/Muhammad Shohibul Fikri will not be able to celebrate Eid al-Fitr with their families in the country. They must compete in the 2024 Asian Badminton Championship (BAC) in China.

"It feels sad not being able to meet the family, with friends, big family, but this is our professional (sikap) as an athlete, the path we have chosen, so we must be ready to accept all the risks," Fikri said, quoted from the short PP PBSI video, which was shared on Wednesday, April 10, as reported by Antara.

Previously, when met at the PBSI Cipayung National Training Center, Bagas/Fikri said the risk was appropriate for an athlete to pay if he wanted to continue to defend Red and White and make achievements.

Said Koh Chandra (Wijaya, a former Indonesian men's doubles player), it is a price that we have to pay (as a professional athlete),' said Fikri, when met before leaving for Ningbo, China.

"We have also said goodbye to the family, have asked for support, and the family has given their blessing. Hopefully, it will not be in vain (our efforts), and hopefully there will be (a good) result," he added.

Regarding the 2024 BAC, the All England Open 2022 champion said he was optimistic about facing this championship to the fullest, in order to win another place to qualify for the upcoming Paris 2024 Olympics.

"We are still chasing Olympic points, there is still a chance to enter the Olympics, he hopes for it. We want to play step by step, from start to finish," said Fikri.

"We're just optimistic, really. Anyway, we just play nothing to lose, don't think about it if we can enter, it means sustenance, but if it hasn't come in, we have to be enthusiastic again. That's all," Bagas added.

Meanwhile, the world number nine men's doubles pair will meet Thailand's Supak Jomkoh/Kittinupong Kedren in the first round of the 2024 BAC.

We have also faced 'Lawan' often. We will return to watch the video recording of the opponent's match. What is certain is that the opponent has big power, so the pattern of our game should not be attacked continuously. We have to be smart in playing variations with small balls," said Fikri.

A total of 14 Indonesian representatives are ready to start their journey at the 2024 Badminton Asia (BAC) Championship which will start at 08.00 WIB.