Bali: A total of 256 badminton players from 26 countries will compete at the three consecutive Asian Leg of the BWF World Tour tournaments in Bali, Indonesia, including the 2021 Indonesia Masters (November 16- November 21), 2021 Indonesia Open (November 23 – November 28) and the BWF World Tour Finals (December 1 to December 5).
On Thursday, the Badminton Association of Indonesia (PBSI) kicked off this trio of tournaments with a welcoming event called Indonesia Badminton Festival (IBF), where it featured Indonesia’s traditional arts, dancing performance, and outdoor dining.
Shuttlers from around the world were enjoying and spending relaxation time at the event before the intense competition which will start next Tuesday.
World No. 1 Kento Momota was in good spirit when attending the event, and seemed to enjoy the performance of Kecak Dance – traditional Balinese dance and also enjoying the authentic Indonesian food served by PBSI in an area overlooking the ocean.
“I like this event and the facilities here are very good. Everything has been arranged impressively. I am happy to take part at the tournaments in Bali,” said Momota.
Few Denmark players such as men’s singles World No. 3 Anders Antonsen, World No. 21 Hans-Kristian Solberg Vittinghus, and World No. 9 men’s doubles pair – Kim Astrup/Anders Skaarup Rasmussen were having fun by wearing the traditional Indonesian outfit during the party.
The Chairman of PBSI, Agung Firman Sampurna was proud of Indonesia’s ability to organize such world-class activities safely in the midst of the pandemic.
“Through IBF, we are showing the world that Indonesia is ready to emerge from the pandemic by implementing prestigious sporting event of badminton,” said Sampurna.
In addition, Indonesia also brought home the Thomas Cup last month after a 19-year wait, which had motivated the confidence of Indonesia’s badminton team to remain competitive despite the constant interruption of training and tournament schedule due to COVID-19.
“Hopefully all shuttlers can play their best and at the same time enjoy the beauty and hospitality of Bali,” said Sampurna.
