Indonesia claimed the title of overall champion at the 20th Pencak Silat World Championship held in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, from December 18 to 22, 2024. The Indonesian contingent secured a total of 11 gold, 7 silver, and 5 bronze medals, outperforming Vietnam with 10 gold, 3 silver, and 3 bronze, and Malaysia with 6 gold, 9 silver, and 4 bronze medals.
In the 5th Junior World Pencak Silat Championship, Indonesia also demonstrated dominance by winning 11 gold, 3 silver, and 2 bronze medals. This achievement placed Indonesia at the top, followed by Singapore with 9 gold, 3 silver, and 8 bronze, and Kazakhstan with 5 gold, 7 silver, and 10 bronze medals.
The Indonesian Minister of Youth and Sports, Dito Ariotedjo, expressed his pride in this accomplishment, emphasizing that this success was the result of the athletes’ hard work and government support. He also highlighted that pencak silat, as part of Indonesia’s cultural heritage, is gaining increasing recognition on the international stage.
The championship was attended by approximately 1,100 participants from 57 countries, with Indonesia fielding around 170 athletes. This broad participation reflects the growing global reach of pencak silat and its role as a symbol of friendship among nations. Support from the United Arab Emirates as the host further strengthened efforts to include pencak silat as an official Olympic sport.
Indonesia’s outstanding achievements in this championship not only bring pride to the nation but also solidify pencak silat’s position as a sport with great potential to flourish globally. It is hoped that this success will help pencak silat gain recognition from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and secure a place in future Olympic events.
