Greysia Polii
Who was Greysia Polii?
Indonesian badminton player who won Olympic gold in women's doubles at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, securing Indonesia's first Olympic gold in that event.
Biographical data adapted from Wikipedia’s article on Greysia Polii (CC BY-SA 4.0).
Biography
Greysia Polii, born on August 11, 1987, is an Indonesian badminton player known for her success in women's doubles. Originally from Jakarta, she began her career with Jaya Raya club and joined Indonesia's national badminton team in 2003 at age 16. She has competed in three Olympic Games (2012, 2016, and 2020) and attained a career-high world ranking of number 2 in women's doubles.
Polii's career has been characterized by successful partnerships with different players over the years. She first found success with Jo Novita, winning a Grand Prix title and earning silver medals at the 2005 and 2007 Southeast Asian Games, plus a bronze at the 2005 Asian Championships. Her next major partnership was with Nitya Krishinda Maheswari, with whom she won two Superseries titles, three Grand Prix titles, and a gold medal at the 2014 Asian Games. They also took home bronze medals at the 2015 World Championships and 2016 Asian Championships.
In 2017, Polii teamed up with younger player Apriyani Rahayu, leading to her biggest career achievements. Together, they won their first SEA Games gold medal in 2019 and claimed victory at the 2020 Indonesia Masters. Their major accomplishment came at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, where they secured Indonesia's first-ever Olympic gold medal in women's doubles badminton, defeating China's Chen Qingchen and Jia Yifan.
Apart from playing, Polii has been involved in badminton administration. She was a member of the BWF Athletes' Commission from 2013 to 2017 and again from 2021 to 2025, representing athletes to the sport's governing body. She studied at Trisakti University in Jakarta. After her Olympic success, she gained recognition beyond sports, appearing on Asia's Most Influential Indonesia list in 2021 and receiving the Gen.T Indonesia award in 2022 for her influence as both an athlete and businessperson.
Before Fame
Growing up in Jakarta during the 1990s and early 2000s, Polii got into badminton during a golden era for Indonesian doubles play. Indonesia had a strong history in badminton, especially in doubles events, regularly producing world-class players. The national badminton program was solid, with clubs like Jaya Raya being training grounds for promising young athletes.
Polii was selected for the national team in 2003 at just 16 years old, showing exceptional early promise. This was when Indonesian badminton was highly competitive internationally, and the women's doubles category faced increasing global attention and competition, particularly from Chinese and other Asian players.
Key Achievements
- Olympic gold medal in women's doubles at 2020 Tokyo Olympics with Apriyani Rahayu
- Three World Championships bronze medals (2015, 2018, 2019)
- Asian Games gold medal in women's doubles (2014)
- Career-high world ranking of number 2 in BWF women's doubles
- Multiple SEA Games medals including gold in 2019
Did You Know?
- 01.She contributed to Indonesia's team victory at the 2007 SEA Games before achieving individual doubles success in later competitions
- 02.Polii has won World Championship bronze medals with two different partners: Nitya Krishinda Maheswari in 2015 and Apriyani Rahayu in 2018 and 2019
- 03.Her partnership with Apriyani Rahayu began when Rahayu was significantly younger, representing a mentor-student dynamic that evolved into Olympic champions
- 04.She served two separate terms on the BWF Athletes' Commission, demonstrating sustained involvement in badminton governance beyond her playing career
- 05.The 2020 Indonesia Masters title with Rahayu was specifically meaningful as their first major title won on Indonesian soil
Awards & Honors
| Award | Year | Details |
|---|---|---|
| Olympic gold medal | 2020 | — |
| Gen.T (Indonesia) | 2022 | — |
| Asia's Most Influential Indonesia | 2021 | — |
| national champion | — | — |
| South East Asian Games champion | — | — |