Semarang: Many people in the Indonesian badminton community are grieving, following the sudden death of a young athlete and former Indonesian national player Rian Sukmawan.
30-year-old Rian Sukmawan passed away Saturday night after he was rushed to hospital when his friends couldn’t wake him up from a nap.
Earlier Saturday afternoon, Rian Sukmawan flew to Semarang to take part in an exhibition badminton tournament together with several of his teammates. He seemed pretty normal, healthy and enjoying he exhibition match with fellow teammates and the crowds.
After the exhibition match, he told his friends he felt tired and one hour later, he was found lying unconscious and was immediately rushed to Telogorejo hospital in Semarang where he was pronounced dead.
Rian Sukmawan was a men’s doubles and mixed doubles specialist. He and Yonathan Suryatama Dasuki were ranked World No. 14 in the men’s doubles category in 2010.
In the same year, he resigned from the Indonesia national team, and has paired up with Rendra Wijaya since. Rian had gradually easing into retirement since 2014 and had become coach for the Djarum Kudus badminton club.
The funeral for Rian was scheduled to be held on Sunday afternoon in his hometown of Semarang. Rian also left behind his wife, Anna Chamellia, whom he married in 2013.
