1. Early Life and Personal Background
Christian Hadinata was born Tjhie Beng Go'at in Purwokerto, Central Java, Indonesia, on December 11, 1949. He is affectionately known by many as Ko Ko Chris, with "Ko Ko" being a Hokkien term for big brother. He is married to Yoke Anwar, and they have two children.
2. Playing Career
Christian Hadinata's playing career was extensive, marked by remarkable success primarily in doubles. Though he initially showed promise as a singles player, reaching the final of the prestigious All England Open Badminton Championships in 1973, his greatest achievements came in men's and mixed doubles. He played for the Indonesian national team for 15 years, starting in 1971. Over his career, he partnered with various notable players including Atik Jauhari, Retno Koestijah, Ade Chandra, Imelda Wiguna, Regina Masli, Lius Pongoh, Icuk Sugiarto, Ivana Lie, Bobby Ertanto, Liem Swie King, and Hadibowo Susanto.
2.1. Career Summary
Hadinata's journey in international badminton began in 1971 at the Asian Championships in Indonesia, where he quickly made his mark by winning the mixed doubles title with Retno Koestijah. He achieved significant success, winning two gold medals at the 1980 IBF World Championships held in Jakarta: one in men's doubles with Ade Chandra and another in mixed doubles with Imelda Wiguna. His consistent performance and versatility across different doubles categories made him a formidable opponent throughout the 1970s and 1980s.
2.2. International Tournament Achievements
Christian Hadinata accumulated an impressive collection of medals across various major international tournaments.
2.2.1. Olympic Games (Demonstration)
Hadinata competed in the badminton demonstration events at the 1972 Summer Olympics in Munich, West Germany.
Men's doubles
| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | Munich, West Germany | Indonesia Ade Chandra | Malaysia Punch Gunalan Malaysia Ng Boon Bee | 15-4, 2-15, 15-11 |  Gold |
Mixed doubles
| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | Munich, West Germany | Indonesia Utami Dewi | Denmark Svend Pri Denmark Ulla Strand | 12-15, 10-15 |  Bronze |
2.2.2. World Championships
Hadinata medaled multiple times at the BWF World Championships.
Men's doubles
| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Malmö Isstadion, Malmö, Sweden | Indonesia Ade Chandra | Indonesia Tjun Tjun Indonesia Johan Wahjudi | 6-15, 4-15 |  Silver |
| 1980 | Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Indonesia | Indonesia Ade Chandra | Indonesia Rudy Heryanto Indonesia Hariamanto Kartono | 5-15, 15-5, 15-7 |  Gold |
| 1983 | Brøndbyhallen, Copenhagen, Denmark | Indonesia Bobby Ertanto | Denmark Steen Fladberg Denmark Jesper Helledie | 16-18, 11-15 |  Bronze |
Mixed doubles
| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1980 | Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Indonesia | Indonesia Imelda Wiguna | England Mike Tredgett England Nora Perry | 15-12, 15-4 | Gold |
2.2.3. World Cup
He also achieved notable success at the Badminton World Cup.
Men's doubles
| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | Tokyo, Japan | Indonesia Ade Chandra | Japan Yoshitaka Iino Japan Masao Tsuchida | 15-8, 15-3 | Gold |
| 1980 | Kyoto, Japan | Indonesia Ade Chandra | Denmark Flemming Delfs Denmark Steen Skovgaard | 15-6, 15-3 | Gold |
| 1983 | Stadium Negara, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | Indonesia Bobby Ertanto | South Korea Kim Moon-soo South Korea Park Joo-bong | 6-15, 11-15 | Silver |
| 1984 | Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Indonesia | Indonesia Hadibowo Susanto | Indonesia Hariamanto Kartono Indonesia Liem Swie King | 13-15, 10-15 | Bronze |
Mixed doubles
| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1983 | Stadium Negara, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | Indonesia Ivana Lie | Denmark Martin Dew England Gillian Gilks | 8-15, 15-9, 8-15 | Silver |
| 1984 | Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Indonesia | Indonesia Ivana Lie | Sweden Thomas Kihlström England Nora Perry | 18-15, 13-15, 8-15 | Silver |
| 1985 | Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Indonesia | Indonesia Ivana Lie | Denmark Steen Fladberg England Nora Perry | 15-11, 18-17 | Gold |
2.2.4. Asian Games
Hadinata was a prominent figure at the Asian Games, securing multiple medals.
Men's doubles
| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | Amjadieh Sport Complex, Tehran, Iran | Indonesia Ade Chandra | Indonesia Tjun Tjun Indonesia Johan Wahjudi | 9-15, 7-15 | Silver |
| 1978 | Bangkok, Thailand | Indonesia Ade Chandra | China Lin Shiquan China Tang Xianhu | 15-8, 15-10 | Gold |
| 1982 | Indraprastha Indoor Stadium, | Indonesia Icuk Sugiarto | China Lin Jiangli China Luan Jin | 15-6, 15-8 | Gold |
Mixed doubles
| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | Amjadieh Sport Complex, Tehran, Iran | Indonesia Regina Masli | Indonesia Tjun Tjun Indonesia Sri Wiyanti | 15-10, 15-8 | Gold |
| 1978 | Bangkok, Thailand | Indonesia Imelda Wiguna | China Tang Xianhu China Zhang Ailing | 15-12, 7-15, 5-15 | Bronze |
| 1982 | Indraprastha Indoor Stadium, | Indonesia Ivana Lie | Indonesia Icuk Sugiarto Indonesia Ruth Damayanti | 3-15, 15-8, 15-10 | Gold |
2.2.5. Asian Championships
Hadinata won medals at the Badminton Asia Championships.
Men's doubles
| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | Jakarta, Indonesia | Indonesia Ade Chandra | India Dipu Ghosh India Raman Ghosh | 15-3, 15-6 | Bronze |
Mixed doubles
| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | Jakarta, Indonesia | Indonesia Retno Koestijah | Indonesia Indra Gunawan Indonesia Intan Nurtjahja | 18-13, 15-5 | Gold |
2.2.6. SEA Games
He also achieved multiple gold medals at the Southeast Asian Games.
Men's doubles
| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Indonesia | Indonesia Ade Chandra | Thailand Bandid Jaiyen Thailand Preecha Sopajaree | 9-15, 5-15 | Silver |
| 1983 | Singapore Badminton Hall, Singapore | Indonesia Bobby Ertanto | Indonesia Hadibowo Indonesia Liem Swie King | 8-15, 15-9, 15-5 | Gold |
| 1985 | Chulalongkorn University Indoor Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand | Indonesia Chafidz Yusuf | Malaysia Jalani Sidek Malaysia Razif Sidek | 10-15, 4-15 | Bronze |
Mixed doubles
| Year | Venue | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1977 | Selangor Badminton Association Hall, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia | Indonesia Regina Masli | Gold | ||
| 1979 | Istora Senayan, Jakarta, Indonesia | Indonesia Imelda Wiguna | Indonesia Hariamanto Kartono Indonesia Tjan So Gwan | 18-16, 15-2 | Gold |
| 1983 | Singapore Badminton Hall, Singapore | Indonesia Ivanna Lie | Indonesia Bobby Ertanto Indonesia Ruth Damayanti | 15-2,15-2 | Gold |
| 1985 | Chulalongkorn University Indoor Stadium, Bangkok, Thailand | Indonesia Imelda Wiguna | Indonesia Chafidz Yusuf Indonesia Rosiana Tendean | 15-9,15-5 | Gold |
2.2.7. International Open Tournaments
Hadinata won 16 titles and was a runner-up 17 times in various international open tournaments. The International Badminton Federation (IBF) sanctioned the World Badminton Grand Prix from 1983 to 2006, and some of Hadinata's victories were part of this series.
Men's singles
| Year | Tournament | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1973 | All England Open | Indonesia Rudy Hartono | 4-15, 2-15 | Runner-up |
Men's doubles
| Year | Tournament | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1971 | Singapore Open | Indonesia Ade Chandra | Japan Ippei Kojima Japan Junji Honma | 15-10, 15-8 | Winner |
| 1972 | All England Open | Indonesia Ade Chandra | England Ray Stevens England Mike Tredgett | 15-5, 15-12 | Winner |
| 1973 | All England Open | Indonesia Ade Chandra | Indonesia Tjun Tjun Indonesia Johan Wahjudi | 15-1, 15-7 | Winner |
| 1973 | German Open | Indonesia Ade Chandra | Indonesia Tjun Tjun Indonesia Johan Wahjudi | 4-15, 9-15 | Runner-up |
| 1973 | Singapore Open | Indonesia Indra Gunawan | Indonesia Tjun Tjun Indonesia Johan Wahjudi | 11-15, 11-15 | Runner-up |
| 1973 | Denmark Open | Indonesia Ade Chandra | Indonesia Tjun Tjun Indonesia Johan Wahjudi | Runner-up | |
| 1974 | All England Open | Indonesia Ade Chandra | Indonesia Tjun Tjun Indonesia Johan Wahjudi | 8-15, 6-15 | Runner-up |
| 1974 | Denmark Open | Indonesia Iie Sumirat | Indonesia Tjun Tjun Indonesia Johan Wahjudi | Runner-up | |
| 1975 | All England Open | Indonesia Ade Chandra | Indonesia Tjun Tjun Indonesia Johan Wahjudi | 11-15, 5-15 | Runner-up |
| 1975 | Denmark Open | Indonesia Ade Chandra | Indonesia Tjun Tjun Indonesia Johan Wahjudi | 6-15, 1-15 | Runner-up |
| 1977 | All England Open | Indonesia Ade Chandra | Indonesia Tjun Tjun Indonesia Johan Wahjudi | 7-15, 15-18 | Runner-up |
| 1978 | All England Open | Indonesia Ade Chandra | Indonesia Tjun Tjun Indonesia Johan Wahjudi | 12-15, 8-15 | Runner-up |
| 1978 | Denmark Open | Indonesia Ade Chandra | Denmark Steen Skovgaard Denmark Flemming Delfs | 6-15, 11-15 | Runner-up |
| 1979 | Canadian Open | Indonesia Ade Chandra | Denmark Morten Frost Denmark Flemming Delfs | 15-5, 15-1 | Winner |
| 1980 | Swedish Open | Indonesia Ade Chandra | Sweden Thomas Kihlström Sweden Bengt Fröman | 15-5, 12-15, 15-9 | Winner |
| 1981 | Japan Open | Indonesia Lius Pongoh | Denmark Flemming Delfs India Prakash Padukone | 15-4, 15-5 | Winner |
| 1982 | Denmark Open | Indonesia Lius Pongoh | South Korea Park Joo-bong South Korea Lee Eun-ku | 6-15, 11-15 | Runner-up |
| 1982 | Swedish Open | Indonesia Lius Pongoh | Sweden Thomas Kihlström Sweden Stefan Karlsson | 15-11, 15-8 | Winner |
| 1983 | Malaysia Open | Indonesia Bobby Ertanto | South Korea Park Joo-bong South Korea Sung Han-kuk | 15-10, 15-5 | Winner |
| 1983 | Indonesia Open | Indonesia Bobby Ertanto | Indonesia Rudy Heryanto Indonesia Hariamanto Kartono | 9-15, 14-18 | Runner-up |
| 1984 | Thailand Open | Indonesia Hadibowo | Malaysia Ong Beng Teong Malaysia Razif Sidek | 15-13, 15-11 | Winner |
| 1984 | Indonesia Open | Indonesia Hadibowo | Indonesia Rudy Heryanto Indonesia Hariamanto Kartono | 10-15, 18-13, 15-7 | Winner |
| 1985 | Japan Open | Indonesia Hadibowo | South Korea Park Joo-bong South Korea Lee Eun-ku | 9-15, 15-11, 16-18 | Runner-up |
| 1988 | US Open | Indonesia Lius Pongoh | Indonesia Liem Swie King India Prakash Padukone | 7-15, 15-11, 15-13 | Winner |
Mixed doubles
| Year | Tournament | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1979 | All England Open | Indonesia Imelda Wiguna | England Mike Tredgett England Nora Perry | 15-1, 18-17 | Winner |
| 1979 | Canadian Open | Indonesia Imelda Wiguna | Indonesia Ade Chandra Indonesia Verawaty Wiharjo | 15-6, 15-1 | Winner |
| 1980 | All England Open | Indonesia Imelda Wiguna | England Mike Tredgett England Nora Perry | 13-18, 10-15 | Runner-up |
| 1981 | All England Open | Indonesia Imelda Wiguna | England Mike Tredgett England Nora Perry | 15-10, 14-18, 10-15 | Runner-up |
| 1981 | Denmark Open | Indonesia Imelda Wiguna | England Mike Tredgett England Nora Perry | 2-15, 2-15 | Runner-up |
| 1983 | Indonesia Open | Indonesia Ivana Lie | England Martin Dew England Gillian Gilks | 18-17, 15-9 | Winner |
| 1984 | Indonesia Open | Indonesia Ivana Lie | England Martin Dew England Gillian Gilks | 15-12, 15-7 | Winner |
| 1988 | US Open | Indonesia Ivana Lie | China Lee Xiong China Yang Xinfang | 9-15, 15-0, 15-14 | Winner |
2.2.8. Invitational Tournaments
Hadinata also performed well in various invitational tournaments.
Men's doubles
| Year | Tournament | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1972 | World Invitational Championships | Indonesia Ade Chandra | Indonesia Johan Wahjudi | 10-15, 10-15 | Silver |
| 1974 (Jakarta) | World Invitational Championships | Indonesia Ade Chandra | Indonesia Johan Wahjudi | 13-15, 15-9, 15-18 | Silver |
| 1975 | World Invitational Championships | Indonesia Ade Chandra | Indonesia Johan Wahjudi | 12-15, 11-15 | Silver |
| 1976 | Asian Invitational Championships | Indonesia Ade Chandra | China Luan Jin | 15-8, 15-10 | Gold |
| 1977 | Asian Invitational Championships | Indonesia Ade Chandra | Indonesia Johan Wahjudi | 17-14, 2-15, 5-15 | Silver |
Mixed doubles
| Year | Tournament | Partner | Opponent | Score | Result |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1974 | World Invitational Championships | Indonesia Regina Masli | Indonesia Tjun Tjun Indonesia Sri Wiyanti | 15-7, 15-3 | Gold |
| 1975 | World Invitational Championships | Indonesia Regina Masli | Denmark Elo Hansen Malaysia Sylvia Ng | Gold |
2.3. Thomas Cup Record
Christian Hadinata's record in the Thomas Cup (Men's International Team Championship) is particularly outstanding. He represented Indonesia in six consecutive campaigns, from 1973 to 1986. Throughout these campaigns, and despite playing with a variety of doubles partners (including Ade Chandra, Hadibowo Susanto, and Liem Swie King), he remarkably dropped only one match. His consistent strong performance was instrumental in helping Indonesia secure the Thomas Cup on four occasions: in 1973, 1976, 1979, and 1984. He also earned silver medals as part of the team in the 1982 and 1986 editions.
3. Post-Playing Career
After retiring as a professional player, Christian Hadinata continued his involvement in badminton, taking on significant roles as a coach and administrator.
3.1. Coaching and Administrative Roles
Christian Hadinata began his coaching career in 1985 while still actively playing. His expertise and experience were invaluable, leading him to serve as a coach for the Indonesian national badminton team. He later took on administrative duties within the Indonesian Badminton Association (PBSI). One of his most notable administrative positions was as the Director of National Training for PBSI, where he oversaw the development of future generations of Indonesian badminton players. He was a player for the Pelatnas (national training camp) from 1971-1986.
4. Awards and Honors
Christian Hadinata has received significant recognition for his illustrious career and contributions to badminton.
4.1. Badminton Hall of Fame Induction
In 2001, Christian Hadinata was inducted into the Badminton Hall of Fame, which acknowledges the sport's greatest players and contributors. This induction cemented his status as one of the legends of badminton globally.
4.2. Other Awards
In addition to his Hall of Fame induction, Hadinata received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Indonesian Sport Awards 2018, celebrating his enduring impact and dedication to Indonesian sports.
5. Legacy and Impact
Christian Hadinata's legacy in badminton is profound, particularly in Indonesia, where he remains a revered figure. His prowess in doubles, characterized by his strategic play and ability to adapt with various partners, set a high standard for future generations. His consistent medal wins in major tournaments and his crucial role in multiple Thomas Cup victories significantly contributed to Indonesia's dominance in international badminton during his era. Beyond his playing career, his transition to coaching and administrative roles further solidified his impact, enabling him to nurture new talent and contribute to the sport's organizational development within Indonesia. His dedication and achievements continue to inspire badminton players and enthusiasts worldwide.