IMAG I 2023: The Self-Defense Athlete Bibit Search Competition Will Be Held Routinely Every Two Years

Ketum KONI Pusat, Letjen TNI (Ret.) Marciano Norman at the closing of IMAG 2023 in Bogor, 31 October 2023. (Humas KONI PUSat)

JAKARTA - The series of matches for the National Self-Defense Sports Week or Indonesia Martial Art Games (IMAG) I 2023 ended and officially closed the Indonesian Minister of Youth and Sports (Menpora) Dito Ariotedjo at Bogor City Hall on October 31, 2023.

IMAG I / 2023 was previously opened on Sunday, October 22, 2023, at the Bekasi City Hajj Dormitory. In the first year of its implementation. IMAG competed in 9 martial arts sports in Bekasi City and Bogor City as co-hosts.

In Bekasi City, there are fencing matches, shorinji kempo, ju-jitsu, and hapkido. All matches in Bekasi City were held at Pondok Gede Hajj Dormitory, plus taekwondo at the POPKI Cibubur GOR.

Meanwhile, in Bogor City, there are sambo matches, wrestling, and wushu at GOR Pajajaran. Kickboxing is also competed in Bogor, precisely at the Green Forest Hotel.

IMAG is also aimed at capturing, filtering and fostering young regional outstanding athletes, who will become Indonesia's mainstay athletes.

The host contingent of West Java became the overall champion with 53 gold. Followed by DKI Jakarta in second place, and East Java in third place. Just like the top three of the XX/2021 National Sports Week (PON) Papua.

The inaugural IMAG in Bekasi and Bogor is engraved sweetly in the history of Indonesian sports as a biennial multi-branch. This adds to the number of multi-pronged sports competitions for the National Sports Week (PON) which are routinely held every four years.

This is a matter of pride for the Central Indonesian National Sports Committee (KONI) as an initiator with the two cities in West Java. Because it is not easy to start a breakthrough with existing limitations.

"I as the General Chair of the Central KONI express my gratitude and highest appreciation for the readiness and willingness of Bogor City and Bekasi City to host the first IMAG, with limitations. Thank God the 2023 IMAG can run smoothly," said the Head of the Central KONI, Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Marciano Norman.

The athletes who took part in the IMAG also have many young athletes who will later come down to represent their regions at the XXI/2024 PON in Aceh-North Sumatra. So that the level of the competition they participated in, this will really be more organized. These IMAG champions will also become PON champions and represent Indonesia in self-defense events, both international multi-events and international single events," Marciano added.

Marciano thanked the leadership of the sports and also all the Provincial KONI who also sent their athletes.

It is certain that the next IMAG will be better. At its inaugural implementation, IMAG has inspired several regions to become the next host.

"In the future, this will be very interesting and I am waiting for districts or cities in Indonesia that are interested in hosting the second IMAG in 2025," Marciano said, ensuring IMAG will continue.