JAYAPURA - The Indonesian National Sports Committee (KONI) of Papua Province will immediately form a team to select athletes who will participate in the XXI National Sports Week (PON) pre-qualification, in August 2023.

The formation of the team according to the Chairman of KONI Papua, Kenius Kogoya reflected on the pre-PON results followed by Papuan athletes in June 2023. There are several sports that go down in almost all match numbers, but most did not qualify.

"For example, some cases of those who have already participated in the pre-PON in July 2023. Many of the athletes who were included did not qualify. Only one or two people enter Pre-PON."

"KONI Papua will form a team to supervise and select athletes who participate in pre-PON (in August 2023)," explained Kenius in Jayapura, Thursday (3/8/2023).

Kenius hopes that the new sports will participate in pre-PON this month, and have begun to see athletes who have the talent and potential to qualify and even become champions. So that the athletes who will be sent can give the best results.

"Do not let there be an impression of just participating but not bringing results. So that in the future with all our budget limitations, we will be very selective (sending athletes in pre-PON)," he said.

Previously, KONI Papua until the end of July 2023 had sent hundreds of athletes with a total of 20 athletes who participated in the PON XXI pre-qualification round. The results recorded as many as 165 Papuan athletes, passing the PON pre-qualification round. ***