Holy Tapak Athletes Gowa Win Bronze At The 2025 World Silat Championship

2025 Men's Holy Tapak World Championships (photo: special dock)

JAKARTA - Another proud achievement was made by pencak silat athletes from Gowa Regency, South Sulawesi. Saldy, a young fighter from the Pimda 117 Muhammadiyah Holy Tapak College, won a bronze medal in the prestigious 2025 Holy Tapak World Championship which was held at Universitas Brawijaya, Malang, East Java.

The world championship, which took place from July 30 to August 3, 2025, became a prestigious international event involving 763 athletes from 24 countries. In the competition, Saldy was able to show his best abilities and managed to advance until the semifinals, before finally being defeated by strong athletes from West Java.

"We are grateful for Saldy's achievements in the world championship. This shows the results of the hard training he has been undergoing so far," said Head of Regional Leadership (Pimda) 117 Tapak Suci Gowa, Arifuddin Saeni, in Gowa, Sunday, August 3.

Arifuddin, who also serves as Head of the Gowa Regency Communication and Information Office, emphasized that this bronze medal achievement is clear evidence that regional athletes have the potential to compete in the international arena. He also expressed his appreciation to the local government for their full support for the sport of pencak silat, especially Tapak Suci.

"I would like to thank Mrs. Regent Husniah Talentang and Deputy Regent Darmawangsyah Muin for his extraordinary attention to the sport of the Holy Tapak in Gowa," he said.

Menurut Arifuddin, selama ini Bupati Gowa telah menunjukkan komitmen tinggi dalam membangun infrastruktur dan fasilitas bagi perguruan silat Tapak Suci, termasuk rencana pembangunan Padepokan Tapak Suci di Gowa. Dukungan serupa datang dari Wakil Bupati yang aktif memberikan bantuan dana untuk mendukung berbagai kegiatan dan kompetisi.

"Large attention from regional leaders is a separate motivation for athletes to continue to excel and make the name of the region at the national and international levels," he said.

The 2025 Holy Tapak World Championship is the second edition after it was first held in 2019. This year, the event also coincides with the commemoration of the 62nd Anniversary of the Holy Tax of the Son of Muhammadiyah. Apart from being a sporting event, this championship is also a means of strengthening Indonesian cultural diplomacy through the martial arts of pencak silat.

Participants from various countries took part, including Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Algeria, Egypt, Syria, Palestine, the Netherlands, France, Germany, Australia, Iraq, Taiwan, Timor Leste, Nigeria, the Republic of Chad, Mozambique, Pakistan, Ethiopian, Uganda, and Yemen. This proves that pencak silat is increasingly recognized and in demand globally.

"The participation in this event is not only about medals, but also about bringing Indonesian cultural identity to the international world," concluded Arifuddin.

With Saldy's success, it is hoped that more superior seeds will emerge from Gowa Regency which can take part and make Indonesia proud on the world stage of pencak silat.