Source:REUTERS/Chalinee Thirasupa
[Saba Sports News] On March 26, Indonesian badminton player Marthin (MARTHIN Daniel) announced his engagement to his girlfriend via social media, drawing strong attention from fans. Photos show Marthin and his fiancée wearing traditional Indonesian dress as they exchanged vows amid cheers and applause from family; the affectionate scenes prompted many fans to leave comments and likes.
Born in 2001, Marthin is now 24 and competes in men’s doubles. In his junior years his partner was fellow 2001-born player Karnando (Leo Rolly CARNANDO); the pair captured their first international challenge-level men’s doubles title as early as 2018. In 2019 they achieved a junior “grand slam,” winning the mixed team and men’s doubles titles at the Badminton Asia Junior Championships and the BWF World Junior Championships within the same year. With BWF events suspended in 2020, Marthin was selected for Indonesia’s 2021 Thomas Cup team on the strength of his talent and potential, and he stood on the champion’s podium with the team—already a world champion at just 20. Now, at 24, Marthin’s engagement marks a double success in both career and love.
The editor notes that since 2020 an “early marriage and childbearing” trend has emerged in Indonesian badminton: several world champions have become engaged or married between ages 24 and 27. This may be related to Indonesia’s cultural norms favoring earlier marriage, the relatively short career span of professional athletes, and the greater openness about personal relationships in the social-media era.