Tontowi Ahmad's Message To Players Who Don't Have Motivations: It's Better To Resign
JAKARTA - Former national badminton player who won the 2016 Rio de Janeiro Olympics gold medal with Liliyana Natsir, Tontowi Ahmad reminded athletes to be professional in their careers, especially when the fighting spirit and motivation began to decline.
"If you don't have motivation, just stop. Don't because there is still a contract and then the training has no intention, but the money still wants to be taken. That's not a professional attitude," Tontowi said, quoted from ANTARA, Saturday, July 5.
He also emphasized that his decision to retire from badminton in 2020 was based on the loss of competition motivation, not due to technical problems or performance.
"I stopped because I didn't have any motivation. I know my limits. If I can't afford training and competition to the fullest, it's better for me to resign," said Owi, Tontowi Ahmad's nickname.
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Tontowi is known as one of the best mixed doubles ever owned by Indonesia. Together with Liliyana, he scored various major achievements, including two world titles (2013 and 2017), a All England hat trick (2012'2014), and was ranked first in the world.
At its peak, they won gold at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
After the 2016 Olympics, Tontowi and Liliyana were still able to maintain their high performance by winning prestigious titles such as the World Championships, the Indonesia Open, and the China Open in 2017.
However, after Liliyana retired in early 2019, Tontowi continued his career with a new partner, although he admitted his motivation began to decline.
After that, my motivation decreased for a long time. If forced, I will not be able to perform optimally. So, what for? It's better to step back," he said.
Tontowi hopes that young Indonesian athletes can learn from their experiences, especially in maintaining their enthusiasm and commitment to training.
"So athletes must be consistent, train hard every day. Don't be enthusiastic today, tomorrow loyo. If you don't have motivation, it's better to give opportunities to others who are more ready," concluded Tontowi.