The 2025 Twin Cities World Senior Sports Games badminton venue witnessed an exciting moment today (22nd) during the men's 50s doubles event, where the Indonesian "World Champion duo" Hariyanto Arbi and Tri Kusharjanto made their debut, drawing significant attention.

However, in their first match, they unexpectedly lost to Taichung's Yang Chih-Yu and Liu Ying-Hero. After the match, Yang and Liu joyfully remarked, "We never managed to beat them during our playing days, and we didn’t expect to defeat the champions in this senior event!" Despite the upset, both pairs have advanced to the men's 50+ semifinals, with more matches scheduled for tomorrow (23rd).

Both Arbi and Kusharjanto are renowned former Indonesian stars, with 53-year-old Arbi having been regarded as one of the top singles players of the 1990s. He won the men’s singles gold medal at the 1995 Lausanne World Championships and also claimed doubles gold at the 1994 Hiroshima Asian Games and was ranked world number one in men's singles in 1995. The 51-year-old Kusharjanto won a silver medal in mixed doubles at the 2000 Sydney Olympics and reached the top rank in mixed doubles in 1996. After retiring, they continued to compete together, achieving championships at the World Senior Badminton Championships in 2013, 2015, and 2023.

In today's match, the Indonesian duo lost the first set 18-21; however, they bounced back in the second set, winning 21-19 after implementing more drop shots and deceptive plays. In the third set, Yang Chih-Yu's consistent powerful attacks kept the Indonesian champions on the defensive, and they ultimately fell 15-21. Despite having an old injury, Arbi stated post-match, "It’s just a minor old injury, and it didn’t affect my performance." He praised Yang and Liu, saying, "They played very well and secured their victory. Congratulations to them!" Arbi also appreciated the organization of the event, stating, "The atmosphere of the competition was great; the organizers did a fantastic job, and the planning was comprehensive, making players feel very comfortable while competing."

The local team, Yang Chih-Yu and Liu Ying-Hero, previously competed at a high level but have stepped away from badminton post-university. They are currently teachers at elementary and high schools, and after deciding to participate last year, they began training three days a week in preparation for the Senior Games. After their victory, they expressed surprise, with Yang noting, "We never thought we would win!" He also mentioned that upon learning they would face the world champions first, they told themselves to stay calm, noting that the champions seemed slower, which allowed them to focus on drop shots. They were thrilled to achieve this win.