Silver Medal Highlights Breakthrough Run for Indonesia’s Mixed Doubles Pair

The Indonesian duo finished runners-up after falling to China’s top-seeded pair, Jiang Zhen Bang and Wei Yaxin, in the gold-medal match at Ichinomiya City Municipal Gymnasium in Ichinomiya, Aichi, Japan, on Tuesday, September 29, 2026. Amri and Nita were defeated in straight games, 19-21, 8-21, in a match that lasted 43 minutes.

Despite the loss, the Indonesian pair showed resilience in the opening game and pushed their opponents closely throughout the early stages. The two sides traded points before and after the interval, with Amri and Nita even taking the lead late in the contest. However, Jiang and Wei responded strongly at crucial moments, overturning the deficit and securing the first game 21-19.

The momentum shifted decisively in the second game. The Chinese pair opened an early advantage and led 7-2 before maintaining control through the interval. Amri and Nita struggled to recover as their opponents continued to dictate the pace and eventually closed out the match 21-8.

Reflecting on the defeat, Amri said the final provided important lessons, particularly in handling pressure against elite opponents. “They were incredibly confident from the start of the second game. Their speed was exceptional, and whatever shots or movements they made seemed to produce points. We came under pressure and could not find a way out of it,” Amri said after the match, as quoted by Antara.

He also lamented his and Nita’s inability to capitalize on their advantage late in the first game. “We were ahead near the end of the first game, and that was an opportunity for us. Unfortunately, we could not take advantage of the key points. They kept applying pressure, and we were unable to respond,” Amri explained.

The silver medal marked a valuable achievement for the Indonesian pair and contributed another podium finish for Indonesia’s badminton team at the Games. Indonesia remained in contention for further badminton success later in the day through men’s doubles pair Leo Rolly Carnando and Daniel Marthin, who were scheduled to face China’s Liang Weikeng and Wang Chang in the final.

Earlier in the tournament, Indonesia had already secured a gold medal in the men’s team event after defeating China, making badminton one of the country's key contributors at the Aichi-Nagoya Games. ***