President Jokowi Hopes PON XXI to Produce Nation's Best Athletes and World Record Breakers

President Joko 'Jokowi' Widodo opened the National Sports Week (PON) XXI Aceh - North Sumatra 2024 at Harapan Bangsa Stadium, Banda Aceh, Aceh, Monday (9/9) evening.

I entrust you, hold fast to sportsmanship and fair play

According to him, this PON is an event to produce more of the nation's best athletes, world record breakers, and potential gold medal winners at ASEAN Games, SEA Games, and even Olympics. Certainly, this PON is also an event to further strengthen unity and strengthen the bonds of brotherhood as a nation.

"I entrust you, hold fast to sportsmanship and fair play. Let us all celebrate this PON with a spirit of togetherness, sportsmanship, and joy to carve out achievements that make the country proud," he expressed, Tuesday (9/10 ).

So Proud! PPSU Member Yuda from Petogogan to Compete in PON XXI

Youth and Sports Minister, Dito Ariotedjo expressed that different from previous PON, for the first time the PON XXI was held in two provinces, namely Aceh and North Sumatra.

"Despite this is a challenge in itself, collaboration and coordination between ministerial institutions and Aceh Governor and North Sumatra Governor compactly took place and went well," he explained.

He explained this year's National Sports Day (Haornas) and PON XXI took the theme 'Ayo Olahraga, Bersatu Kita Juara' (Let's Exercise, United We are Champions). It is intended to make people more enthusiastic about exercising through the momentum of Haornas and PON, thereby increasing their fitness. Hopefully, PON could be used as a tool to unite the nation and become a means of increasing national sporting achievements.

"The big aim of this is to create a healthy Indonesia that achieves world-class achievements," he explained.

He hoped that PON could be a stepping stone for talented young athletes before moving on to the next level. it is possible that in the next Olympics or multi-event event, Indonesia can make history by achieving achievements in sports that were previously not popular with the public.

"Sports in essence also train us to compete in life through discipline, hard work, and sportsmanship which aims to create individuals who are ready to face all obstacles. Our success in organizing an event as big as PON is proof of Indonesia's readiness to host even bigger sporting events at the international level," he added.

Center KONI Chairman, Marciano Norman uttered PON XXI 2024 is a PON that is different than previous PONs because it is held in two provinces and is attended by 38 contingents consisting of 34 KONI Provinces, four contingents from new autonomous region provinces and IKN which also participated in PON opening ceremony parade.

This competition features 65 sports with 87 sports disciplines spread across two provinces, each in 10 districts/cities. The venues are generally of national standard, some of them even have international standards.

He went on to say that some matches would start on August 28, 2024, taking into account the length of the match and the use of venues for the two sports.

He hoped that it could be used as a momentum to increase national unity and integrity and improve national sporting achievements.

"I hope that this year's PON will be remembered as a PON that is better than the previous PON and a PON that is a source of pride for all of us that produces future Indonesian athletes," he stressed.

As for the information, the opening of PON 2024 was enlivened by a performance involving 873 male and female dancers from Aceh, with five choreographers from Aceh and one choreographer from Jakarta. The performance involved 18 trainers from Aceh.

Through this event, people can see a picture of the natural wealth, traditions, arts, culture, and spirit of Aceh, as well as the Acehnese people as part of Indonesia, who since ancient times have been proud and have always defended the land of Aceh and all its riches.

The opening ceremony is also enlivened by a parade of athletes from PON XXI Aceh - North Sumatra in 2024 with a total of 9,029 athletes.

The Jakarta contingent itself sent 734 athletes and officials. Meanwhile, the athlete parade also takes place at Baharudin Siregar Stadium, Deli Serdang, North Sumatra.

Aside that, KONI flag was raised, which was carried by six legendary Acehnese athletes, to the Acehnese flag-raising team to be raised, followed by the reading of the Athlete's Pledge and the Referee's Pledge.