Target to enter the top 10 of the 2028 PON, the KONI South Sulawesi 2025-2029 Board of Directors officially inaugurated
MAKASSAR - Efforts to restore the glory of South Sulawesi (Sulsel) sports officially began. The Chairman of the National Sports Committee of Indonesia (KONI) Center, Lieutenant General TNI Purn Marciano Norman, officially appointed the KONI Sulsel 2025-2029 board of directors at the Sandeq A Ballroom, Claro Hotel, Makassar, Friday (8/5/2026).
Under the leadership of Ir. H. Darmawangsyah Muin, KONI South Sulawesi now carries a heavy burden to produce world-class athletes as well as improve their ranking in the national arena.
Mission to Repeat Success at PON XXII 2028
In his remarks, Darmawangsyah Muin emphasized that his main goal as a manager was to bring South Sulawesi back to the elite ranks of Indonesian sports.
"Our target for the XXII PON 2028 NTT-NTB is to break into the top 10. This is not an easy task, it takes hard work and cooperation from all parties," said the man who also serves as Deputy Regent of Gowa.
Marciano Norman is optimistic about this target. He reminded that South Sulawesi has a strong history on the national stage, such as when it ranked 7th at the XVIII PON 2012 in Riau with 19 gold medals.
"The desire to enter the top 10 is realistic because South Sulawesi has a track record as a barn for successful athletes," said Marciano.
South Sulawesi: World Class Athletes Warehouse
South Sulawesi is known to consistently contribute gold talent to Indonesia. Marciano highlighted several big names, including:
Kusuma Wardhani: Archery legend who won Indonesia's first medal at the Olympics (Seoul 1988). Rahmat Erwin Abdullah: 2023 Asian Games champion and weightlifting record breaker. Asnawi Mangkualam: National football icon. SEA Games 2025 hero: Names such as Andi Try Sandi Saputra, Rusdi (Sepak Takraw), and Nawrah Qanitah Zhafirah (Artistic Swimming) who have just made the nation's name in Thailand.Evaluation and Improvement of Governance
Despite being rich in talent, South Sulawesi's achievements in several recent events have declined. At the XXI PON Aceh-North Sumatra 2024, South Sulawesi fell to 16th place. This trend continued at the 2025 Martial Arts PON in Kudus, which also placed South Sulawesi in 16th place.
In response to this, the Head of KONI Central conveyed an important message regarding organizational management. "Organizational governance is a priority. Only with good accountability, the public can accept us. Build good relations with all parties to achieve achievements," said Marciano.
The Governor of South Sulawesi, Andi Sudirman Sulaiman, through the Head of the Department of Sports and Culture, H. Suherman, emphasized the full commitment of the government in supporting the KONI work program in the future.
"The South Sulawesi Provincial Government is committed to fully supporting preparations for the XXII PON 2028 and other international sports events," he concluded.