Central Java Defends the Overall Champion Title of the MilkLife Archery Challenge Junior National Championships 2026

Archery athlete from Jepara, Jabr Rajaa'Challe at the MilkLife Archery Challenge National Championship (Kejurnas) Junior 2026 (special doc).

JAKARTA - The Central Java contingent again became the overall champion in the MilkLife Archery Challenge National Championship (Kejurnas) Junior 2026 which took place at the Supersoccer Arena, Kudus, on July 22-29, 2026.

A total of 78 medals were won, consisting of 26 gold medals, 22 silver medals, and 30 bronze medals, which also maintained the overall champion title for five consecutive years since 2022.

The last gold medal for Central Java was presented by Jabr Rajaa'Challe in the national individual U-15 boys' event after defeating the East Java representative with a score of 6-4. The athlete from Jepara also contributed gold in the national U-15 boys' doubles event.

With the strength of 80 athletes competing in the U-10, U-13, U-15, and U-18 categories in the recurve, compound, and national divisions, Central Java showed consistency in coaching young athletes.

The head of the Central Java contingent, Martin Sudarmono, said the success was the result of a tiered coaching process. All athletes who appeared at the Junior National Championship (Kejurnas) are said to have gone through the selection process at the Junior Provincial Championship (Kejurprov) before being prepared for the national competition.

"This achievement is inseparable from the consistency of the performance of Central Java athletes. They are athletes who have been filtered from the Junior Provincial Championship in May 2026, then prepared to fight and show the best at this Junior National Championship," said Martin Sudarmono in an official statement.

According to Martin, the challenges during the match were not easy. The changing wind conditions became a test for the athletes to determine the adjustment of the shot in each series of matches.

"This time the challenge is not easy because the wind direction often changes quickly, but the agility of our athletes to make decisions brings their arrows right on target," he said.

For Jabr, who led Central Java to dominate the contingent, this success is also special because it is his debut at the Junior National Championship.

"I didn't expect to go to the final and get gold. This is the first time I have participated in the Kejurnas after practicing archery since 2023."

"Last year I was hesitant to participate because I was not confident with my shots. However, this time I proved the results of the training and dared to perform at the national level," said Jabr.

The success of Central Java was also appreciated by the Deputy Chairman II of the PB Perpani Training and Achievement, Abdul Razak. He assessed that the competition at the 2026 Junior Kejurnas was increasingly competitive, which showed that the quality of Indonesian young athletes continued to improve.

"The quality of young archers this year has improved which can be seen from the very competitive medal acquisition."

"This is a positive signal for the development of archery in the sense that archers from various regions can compete with each other," said Razak.

According to him, tiered competitions such as the Junior Kejurnas are an important part of producing a regeneration of national archery athletes. With more and more young athletes able to compete at the national level, Indonesia's opportunity to produce outstanding archers at the international level is also increasingly open.

The dominance of Central Java in the 2026 Junior National MilkLife Archery Challenge is proof that consistent coaching, structured selection, and experience competing in national competitions can produce young athletes with achievements.

This achievement is expected to be a capital for the archers of Central Java to continue their journey in the Popnas (National Student Sports Week), Senior Kejurnas, to strengthen the Indonesian national team in the future.

MilkLife Archery Challenge National Junior Championship 2026 Winners List

Central Java

Gold Medals: 26 Silver Medals: 22 Bronze Medals: 30

West Java

Gold Medals: 20 Silver Medals: 18 Bronze Medals: 18

DKI Jakarta

Gold Medals: 18 Silver Medals: 11 Bronze Medals: 20

Special Region of Yogyakarta

Gold Medals: 17 Silver Medals: 8 Bronze Medals: 7

East Kalimantan

Gold Medals: 9 Silver Medals: 7 Bronze Medals: 2

Riau Islands

Gold Medals: 7 Silver Medals: 8 Bronze Medals: 9