The Kaltara Contingent Is Ready To Compete In 28 Sports At The XXI Aceh-North PON 2024

The event for the release of the PON contingent for North Kalimantan Province. (IST)

TANJUNG SELOR - The North Kalimantan (Kaltara) contingent is ready to compete in the XXI Aceh-North Sumatra National Sports Week (PON) 2024. A total of 28 sports (sports) will be participated by Kaltara athletes in this prestigious championship. The chairman of the XXI Kaltara PON contingent, Brigadier General Pol. Dr. Golkar Pangarso Rahardjo Winarsadi, SH, S.Ik., MH, ensures that preparations have been made carefully to achieve the best achievements.

"We have prepared all contingent needs, ranging from accommodation, transportation, to facilities for athletes and officials. We are sure that the Kaltara contingent will perform optimally and provide the best results at PON XXI Aceh-North Sumatra 2024," said Brigadier General Golkar during the release of the contingent in Tanjung Selor, North Kalimantan, Monday (26/8).

PON XXI, which was originally scheduled to open on September 8, 2024, has been postponed to September 9, 2024, to coincide with National Sports Day. The closing of this event will take place in Medan City, North Sumatra, on September 20, 2024.

The Kaltara contingent will compete in 14 sports in Aceh and 14 other sports in North Sumatra. In Aceh, matches will be held in five different locations: Banda Aceh (Judo, Kempo, Weightlifting, Budget, Tennis Soft, Rock Climbing, Wood Ball, and Screen), Aceh Besar (Shooting and Kushing), Sabang (Selam Laut), Central Aceh (Triathlon), and East Aceh (Pak Takraw). Meanwhile in North Sumatra, the sports will take place in six locations: Medan City, Deli Serdang, Karo, Binjai, Langkat, and Toba.

The XXI Kaltara PON contingent consists of 94 athletes and 114 official personnel, which are divided into campus officials (47 people) and non-campus (67 people). A total of 60 contingent committees have also been prepared to support the smooth preparation and implementation of matches, both in Aceh and North Sumatra.

Some athletes, such as from Selam, Layar, and Triathlon, have been in Aceh since early August to undergo training centers (TC). This TC is held at the location of the match as an adaptation step to the weather and local conditions. Several athletes and officials are already in Aceh to practice and adapt to the field conditions. This is very important to maximize their performance during the match," explained Brigadier General Golkar, who also serves as Deputy Chief of the Kaltara Police.

Despite facing challenges in providing accommodation in Aceh, the North Kalimantan PON Task Force and the North Kalimantan KONI Aju Team have succeeded in overcoming the problem. Currently, accommodation for non-campus officials, secretariats, and media centers has been prepared. "We make sure all accommodation, consumption and transportation needs are ready. This is part of our commitment to support the success of the Kaltara contingent at the 2024 Aceh XXI PON," said Brigadier General Golkar.

The chairman of the Kaltara PON contingent emphasized that all elements of the team will work hard for the sake of mutual success. "We hope that all athletes and officials will give their best. The full support from the people of Kaltara will be a great motivation for the contingent to excel in PON XXI," concluded Brigadier General Golkar.