INDONESIA HOTLINE

BEIJING: Indonesia's Markis Kido and Hendra Setiawan clinched their country's first gold medal at these Olympics, winning the men's doubles badminton title against China's Cai Yun and Fu Haifeng on Saturday.

The world champions came storming back from one game down against the Chinese second seeds, pummelling them into submission for a 12-21, 21-11, 21-16 victory.

The Indonesian pair collapsed on the floor after the match, the coach jumping on top of them in celebration, as the small Indonesian contingent of supporters waved the country's flag from the stands.

Indonesia had until Saturday won three bronze medals in Beijing, but the nation also has a chance for a second gold on Sunday in the mixed doubles when their top pair take on South Korea's best.

The Chinese pair easily won the first game with a series of leaping overhead smashes that brought roars from the crowd who chanted "Must Win, Must Win".

But the Chinese pair appeared rattled in the second game as the Indonesians hit their stride to take a 10-5 early lead. The Chinese started to chip away at the deficit but the Indonesians held their nerve to close out the game.

In the decider, Indonesia's top seeds quickly took a 11-4 lead, mixing up their lightning quick shots and jumping around the court in moves that seemed to baffle the Chinese duo.

But the Chinese steadied at the break, and clawed their way back into the game, only for the Indonesians to power ahead and close out the match.

South Korea's Lee Jae Jin and Hwang Ji Man took the bronze. - AFP/ms/de