WSDC 2013: Indonesia at 3-1 After R4, 4 Rounds to Go

Antalya, Turkey - the host city of WSDC 2013

Team Indonesia made a flying start by taking wins in the first three debates in the 2013 World Schools Debating Championships, the best ever, but had to accept a loss to last year's finalist Wales in round 4 today. After 2 days of debate, the temporary tally is 3 victories and 1 defeat.

In the morning round, Team Indonesia edged out Bosnia & Herzegovina on a 2-1 split decision in a debate in which our debaters proposed greater US military presence in East Asia. In the impromptu afternoon match, Wales argued for the motion "THW allow prisoners choose death over life imprisonment" and all three judges went their way. With 4 mandatory rounds to go, the national squad must win at least half of them to keep their chance to break alive. They will face Romania and United Arab Emirates tomorrow.

Since the first participation in 2001, Indonesia has broken into the knockouts twice, in 2003 and 2004, both with 5 wins from 8 rounds. In 2010, Indonesia also bagged 5 wins but came short from breaking on judge votes. Only the top 16 teams can break into the knockouts.The members of this year's team are Carrisa Tehputri and Ida Ayu Pradnya Paramita from SMA 4 Denpasar, Adeline Tiffanie from SMA Kristen 1 Jakarta and Sayyid Habibullah from SMA 3 Pontianak.The coaches are Universitas Indonesia students Subarkah Syafrudin and Roderick Sibarani.