Tony Gunawan pledges to the U.S.

Tony Gunawan received his U.S. citizenship last Tuesday, September 6^th. He now vows to get an Olympic gold medal for his new country, as he explains in a long and very good article published in today’s edition of the L.A. Times.

By Raphael Sachetat. Photo (pledging), courtesy of Los Angeles Times (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) and Badmintonphoto

There is now one thing, and one thing only in Tony Gunawan’s mind. “Being in the Olympics again, representing my country,”  he told Kevin Baxter from the famous local newspaper the Los Angeles Times. His country is now the United States of America. Since last Tuesday, exactly, when he appeared in a court – a law court, not a badminton one, for a change – to pledge to his new country, after 10 years in California with his wife Eti, and after a successful citizenship test that he passed with not a single mistake. Just like when he is at the net.

Tony Gunawan and Howard Bach, world champions in Anaheim in 2005 to everyone’s surprise, can now go on to practice for their new lifetime target. A gold medal in the Olympics. Tony had clinched one with Candra Wijaya in 2000, but a win with Howard representing his new flag, at the age of 37 (at Games time) would definitely be another dream come true. As for his compatriot Howard Bach, it would beat the World title at home more than 6 years ago.

There will be some work ahead to achieve this goal – not always easy for Gunawan, who now has his own academy in California and a full business to run. He and Bach did reach the final of their home event – the Yonex US Open Grand Prix Gold – this summer, but bowed out in the first round of the Yonex BWF World Championships just a few weeks after that, in the same hall which will see the Olympic competition. They have dropped to world’s 17^th rank, but on a good day, both Bach and Gunawan can perform at a level which could get them on an Olympic podium.

But before that, the duo will try to achieve another important mission for the USA – keep Bach’s title in the Pan American Games, to be played next month.

Click HERE to read the whole article from the Los Angeles Times