Garuda Indonesia Colours Magazine May 2018 | Page 81

Explore | Interview
KEVIN
SANJAYA SUKAMULJO
KEVIN THE
UNSTOPPABLE
Interview by Rictiany Lauwoie
It’s clear the 22-year-old will give all
he has got, as he does in every game he
participates in. He is doing it not only for
glory, but also because of his genuine passion
for the game. “I love badminton, and I want
to play for as long as I can. I can’t imagine
doing anything else,” adds Kevin, a fan of
Chinese multiple Olympic and World
badminton champion Lin Dan.
While he is clearly thankful for his career
success, Kevin worries that one day
he will no longer be on top. “Lately,
I keep thinking how to not lose in every
game, especially after having won six
consecutive games, and sometimes it makes
my brain tired,” he says. “But rather than
feel this as pressure, I prefer to see
it as motivation to do better.”
Kevin and Marcus, nicknamed
‘the Minions’ by their fans because of
their agility, refuse to give in to despair if
they have an unsuccessful game. Instead,
they analyse what went wrong and
discuss ways to make sure those
mistakes don’t happen again.
The bond between the two is
unquestionable. “Marcus is a diligent
person, and he has an amazing fighting spirit.
I feel motivated when I’m with him. Above
all, he and I have the same fundamental love
of badminton, which makes us enjoy every
moment,” says Kevin.
The young player’s popularity is rising fast.
If you type his name into Google, you will
find numerous articles praising his
performance and interesting field style, as
well as gossip about his personal life. How
does he handle the growing fame? “I try my
best to stay grounded and not give too much
thought to what people say about me,” he
says. “I realise there will always be pros and
cons. I can’t expect people to always say
positive things about me. I’m just going to
keep doing what I’m doing.”
I want to play for as long as I can. I can’t imagine doing
anything else. The support from fans is essential to keep
me and my partner motivated.
However, Kevin is extremely grateful to his
fans. “The support from fans is essential to
keep me and my partner motivated. Because
of them, I always want to give more. I hope
they can support us not only when we win
the game but also when we lose,” he says.
As Kevin is continually participating
in badminton tournaments all over the
world, he is frequently in the air and prefers
to fly Garuda Indonesia. “If I have the choice,
I want to fly with Garuda Indonesia all the
time. I love the aircraft as well as the
services,” he adds with a smile.
It seems Kevin will continue to fly high, as his
journey isn’t stopping any time soon.
79