Hello everyone!!

Besides doing my best as an economist, I enjoy spending time playing sports, especially badminton. It's a popular sport in my home country, Indonesia. Most school-age children are familiar with badminton, which is a common part of many lives. While badminton is traditionally played on a specific court, children can enjoy the game almost anywhere with enough space to hit the shuttlecock. Plus, there are many brands and price options for badminton rackets, so almost everyone can join in the fun.

I began enjoying badminton regularly during my undergraduate years, playing weekly. Now, it's wonderful to connect with a community of fellow badminton enthusiasts here in Australia, where we play together every week. What I truly love about badminton, especially when playing doubles, is the exciting mix of speed, teamwork, precision, and accuracy. It's one of the fastest-paced racquet sports out there, and players really have to think quickly to decide whether to attack or defend—a thrill I always look forward to!

I have several idol badminton players that I continue to follow. Some have retired or are about to, while others are very young and possess great potential. The doubles pair that first made me fall in love with the sport was Tony Gunawan and Candra Wijaya, who won gold at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. Both have now retired. I also admire Mohammad Ahsan and Hendra Setiawan, an Indonesian doubles team who secured gold at the 2008 Beijing Olympics. As of 2022, they are still active at ages 34 and 37, and they are even ranked 2nd in the world in men's doubles badminton!

I have great admiration for men's singles player Lee Chong Wei, whose on-court style is appreciated by all. Although the Malaysian badminton star has retired, his name remains well-remembered. Another player I admire is Yuta Watanabe from Japan, who, despite his youth, displays a mature playing style. He effectively competes in men's and mixed doubles simultaneously, demonstrating his adaptability with different partners, which suggests a very promising future. I also respect many other badminton players from countries with strong badminton traditions, such as China and Denmark, though I cannot mention them all individually.

I enjoy playing badminton because it helps me stay active and healthy. While I haven't achieved any major national awards in the sport, I truly love playing it with anyone who's interested. Here's a list of other sports I recognise and enjoy playing

• Badminton - really happy to play
• Volleyball – I am not a good player, but definitely love to join the game
• Futsal – I am not a good player, but will fit if you need a backup player
• Yoga - very good in the first 5 minutes, but bad in the minutes after

I also love watching movies, especially those packed with exciting special effects, action, or sci-fi themes. There's always something exhilarating about stepping into these adventurous worlds!

-----------------

Contact:

Sjafruddin Prawiranegara Tower, Floor 22
Bank Indonesia
Jl. M.H. Thamrin No.2
Jakarta Pusat, 10350
Indonesia

Email: fajar.oktiyanto@anu.edu.au
Email: fajar_o@bi.go.id
Linkedin: fajaroktiyanto

Other links:

ANU webpage
Google Scholar