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| West Kalimantan Government Confident in Student-Athletes’ Potential at POPDA 2025: A Stepping Stone to National and International Sporting Success. |
Pontianak, Indonesia – The Provincial Government of West Kalimantan is showing strong confidence in the potential and achievements of its student-athletes, especially through the 2025 West Kalimantan Regional Student Sports Week (POPDA). This annual event serves not only as a platform for healthy competition but also as a vital selection stage for the National Student Sports Week (POPNAS), the highest-level sports event for students in Indonesia.
Scheduled to take place from June 22 to 26, 2025, in Pontianak, POPDA 2025 gathers participants from 14 cities/regencies across the province, with a total of 525 athletes, coaches, and officials competing in six main sports: athletics, taekwondo, karate, cycling, archery, and wushu. Several other sports, including climbing, weightlifting, swimming, and shooting, will select athletes through regional trials in collaboration with sports federations.
Governor Norsan Encourages Fair Play and Discipline
During the opening ceremony at GOR Pangsuma, Governor Drs. H. Ria Norsan, M.M., M.H. motivated the young athletes, emphasizing the importance of discipline, regular training, and fair play in achieving success.
“Success is in your hands. If you want to achieve great things, be disciplined, train hard, stay healthy, and always compete with honesty and fairness,” said the governor.
He also expressed high hopes for West Kalimantan athletes to perform even better at the upcoming POPNAS in Jakarta this November, building on their impressive performances from previous years.
Strong Performance at National Level Builds Optimism
West Kalimantan achieved an outstanding result during POPNAS 2023 in Palembang, finishing in the top 8 nationally, with 9 gold, 4 silver, and 6 bronze medals won in sports such as swimming, athletics, weightlifting, cycling, wushu, boxing, pencak silat, and taekwondo.
Additionally, in the Pre-POPNAS Zone II held in Solo in 2024, the West Kalimantan team successfully qualified 35 athletes and coaches in team sports such as basketball, pencak silat, boxing, and women’s badminton for the 2025 POPNAS.
According to Windy Prihastari, S.STP., M.Si, Head of the Youth, Sports, and Tourism Office of West Kalimantan, this success reflects the government’s strong commitment to nurturing young athletic talents in the region.
“This achievement is a direct result of the support and collaboration between the provincial government and all stakeholders in developing West Kalimantan’s youth athletes,” she said.
Incentives for Winners from Provincial and Local Governments
As a form of appreciation, Governor Norsan announced that the provincial government will grant performance bonuses to athletes who win at the national level. He also urged district and city governments to follow suit and reward their own athletes.
“It shouldn’t just be the provincial government giving bonuses. Regional leaders like mayors and regents must also appreciate their athletes,” Norsan emphasized.
POPDA 2025 as a Launchpad for West Kalimantan’s Future Sports Stars
With growing achievements and continuous support, POPDA West Kalimantan 2025 is not just another regional sports event — it is a powerful platform to identify, nurture, and prepare the next generation of athletes to shine on the national and even international stage.
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