Jakarta. The badminton pair Raymond Indra/Nikolaus Joaquin has secured the runner-up spot in the men's doubles at the 2026 Indonesia Masters.

State-owned bank BNI commended the young athletes' achievement at the badminton championship that took place at Istora Senayan on Jan. 20-26. BNI has partnered with the Indonesian Badminton Association (PBSI) to nurture young talents. The bank's corporate secretary, Okki Rushartomo, said that Raymond Indra/Nikolaus Joaquin's success at the 2026 Indonesia Masters was inseparable from the well-established athlete development ecosystem, from early childhood development, tiered competitions, to support from various parties in creating growth opportunities for young athletes.

"This achievement provides important capital for young athletes to continue improving their game quality and prepare them to compete at the world level," Okki said.

The pair made an astonishing debut at the 2026 Indonesia Masters.

Nikolaus Joaquin, better known as Joaquin, was born in Jakarta on September 14, 2005. The 20-year-old began playing badminton at the age of six. He idolizes famous athlete Fajar Alfian. Joaquin officially joined the PBSI National Training Center in 2025, having previously partnered with several players, including Muhammad Al Farizi and Verrel Yustin Mulia.

The 21-year-old Raymond Indra joined the PBSI National Training Center in 2025 and is known as a talented player with stable game control and tight defense. His youth career began with a local badminton club in elementary school before eventually breaking through to the national level and earning the opportunity to compete in various international tournaments.

Since being paired together, Raymond/Joaquin have shown significant progress. In addition to defending their 2025 BWF Indonesia Masters Super 100 title, the pair also finished runners-up at the 2025 Korea Masters and champions at the 2025 Australian Open. They are known for their solid defense, often making it difficult for opponents to develop attacking strategies.

This combination of performance has led to Raymond/Joaquin being dubbed the successors to Kevin Sanjaya/Marcus Gideon. Besides being coached by the same coach, Chafidz Yusuf, the pair is also known for their aggressive and fast playing style, the hallmark of a world-class Indonesian men's doubles pair.

Okki went on to say that BNI's partnership with PBSI over the past five years has led to the regeneration of athletes across various age groups.

"We hope this achievement can inspire other young athletes to continue developing and representing Indonesia on the international stage," Okki said.

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