West Java Will Become Athlete Development Center, Menpora: Appreciation From Central Government

Menpora Zainudin Amali. (Doc. Kemenpora website)

BANDUNG - West Java Province (West Java) will become a center for developing talented young athletes. This is a form of appreciation from the central government for the achievements that have been achieved.

Among them were PON XIX and PON XX, where West Java became the overall champion in a row. In addition, West Java also contributed a lot to donate national athletes who excel in the international arena.

The determination of West Java as the center for athlete development was conveyed directly by the Minister of Youth and Sports (Menpora), Zainudin Amali, after attending the Inauguration of the West Java IMI Management for the 2021-2025 Term of Service in the West Hall of Gedung Sate Bandung, Sunday, March 6.

"As an appreciation from the central government for its achievements, we have designated West Java as a center for developing young talents in the design of national sports," said Menpora Zainudin Amali, as quoted by Antara.

"We pay special attention to West Java because it has shown good coaching and is proven by achievements," he continued.

According to him, the key to West Java's success is consistency in coaching athletes and supported by adequate sports infrastructure. Moreover, West Java now has a Sport Science Laboratory at the Indonesian Education University (UPI).

"It is not easy to achieve that because there must be coaching," he said.

Even Menpora also revealed, West Java is currently in a surplus of athletes. He said that during the XX PON in Papua, almost all provinces used athletes fostered by West Java.

"One of these surpluses I found when I was draping medals for other provinces in the Papua PON. I asked where they came from, it turned out to be from West Java, this is not only in one sport. There I concluded that West Java has a surplus of athletes," he said.

The Minister of Youth and Sports hopes that, with good coaching and lots of talent, West Java will become the main contributor to athletes at the Olympic event, which has become the target of the central government.

"West Java must be the main contributor in the Olympic event which has become our target," he said.