National Woodball Championship selects athletes for 2026 World Cup

Jakarta (ANTARA) - The 2026 National Woodball Championship, being held at Lapangan Banteng Square in Jakarta from July 6-10, 2-26, served as a selection event for Indonesia's top athletes ahead of the 2026 World Cup Woodball in Malaysia.

Chairman of the Indonesia Woodball Association (IWBA), Aang Sunadji, said this year's championship has set a new record by attracting 223 athletes from 16 provinces, the largest participation in the event's history.

"This year's National Championship is the largest we have ever organized. We waived the participation fee so that regional associations would not be burdened by costs and could send their best athletes, including junior teams," Sunadji said during the opening ceremony here on Monday.

The championship features 14 events in the elite category, along with youth divisions for the Under-12, Under-15, and Under-18 age groups.

He said the inclusion of youth divisions is part of IWBA's effort to strengthen the regeneration of national athletes.

According to him, woodball development is aimed not only at producing elite athletes but also at preparing young players for long-term success.

He added that the championship results will serve as one of the main considerations in selecting Indonesia's national team for the 2026 World Cup Woodball.

"The best athletes from the National Championship will be our main consideration in strengthening Team Indonesia for the World Cup," he said.

Head of the Jakarta Youth and Sports Office, Andri Yansyah, said the Jakarta provincial government fully supports the event as the host by providing competition facilities and services for participants from across the country.

Additionally, the Secretary General of the Indonesian Olympic Committee (NOC Indonesia), Wijaya Noeradi, noted that the championship demonstrates the sustainable utilization of public spaces and sports facilities.

IWBA expects the championship to serve not only as a competition for titles but also as a momentum to strengthen athlete development from an early age.

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Translator: Ramdan, Kenzu

Editor: Bayu Prasetyo

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