JAYAPURA, PAPUA – This final stage selection includes athletes with disabilities under the auspices of the National Paralympic Committee Indonesia of Jayapura City and Regency which is focused on two sports, namely:
- Swimming Branch,
- Athletics.
Selection of athletic sports is centered at Barnabas Youwe Stadium, Sentani, then continued with swimming at the Yonif 751 swimming pool, Sentani.
This is the third day or the final stage of selection for swimming and athletics held by the National Paralympic Committee Indonesia Papua to capture special talents for the XVII National Paralympic Week training camp.
Previously, the National Paralympic Committee Indonesia Papua conducted athlete selection for athletic sports centered at Barnabas Youwe Stadium and continued at Cenderawasih University Field.
Chairman of the National Paralympic Committee Indonesia Papua Province, H. Jayakusuma said this selection is a continuation of the talent scouting agenda for swimming and athletic athletes in Jayapura City and Regency who will be prepared to undergo training camps towards the XVII National Paralympic Week, “This selection is a series of preparations for the Papua National Paralympic Committee Indonesia to find the best athletes who will be included in the training camp shelter in preparation for the National Paralympic Week in Medan, and we hope that through this selection we can get athletes who will bring achievements and make Papua proud at Peparnas,” said Jayakusuma.
This selection is not only followed by old athletes. The National Paralympic Committee Indonesia Papua also provides opportunities for young athletes to bring out their talents, “We also provide opportunities for young athletes to be able to show their talents. We are very impressed with their enthusiasm,” said Jayakusuma.
Chairman of the selection team Professor Saharudin Ita said the selection event aims to attract athletes who will be included in the centralized training camp ahead of participation in the XVII National Paralympic Week, “This selection is carried out to find athletes who will be included in the training camp towards Peparnas XVII,” he said.
Saharudin Ita explained, this three-day selection is focused on athletics and swimming, while for archery will be held, “Today we are still focusing on athletics and swimming, we will complete the two sports and then continue to archery on Monday,” he said.
The three-day selection held by the National Paralympic Committee Indonesia Papua in Jayapura Regency and City was greeted with enthusiasm by athletes with disabilities.
Chairman of the National Paralympic Committee Indonesia of Jayapura City, Marinus Melianus Jowei said as many as 28 athletes participated in the swimming selection. They also prepared other sports such as chess and archery, “We at the city’s Indonesian National Paralympic Committee prepared 28 athletes in this swimming selection, there are also several other sports that we have prepared for Peparnas,” said Jowei.
While Jayapura Regency included as many as 102 athletes in swimming and athletics who came from Genyem, Sentani and several other areas, “We are happy because we are entrusted with hosting this selection event and the selection process is running smoothly, we hope that through this selection we can give birth to athletes who will excel at Peparnas,” said Chairman of the National Paralympic Committee Indonesia Jayapura Regency, Reinaldy Tokoro.
This selection event was good news for three people with disabilities from Genyem, Jayapura Regency, namely:
- Alex Wouw,
- Michael Steven Wadi,
- Agustinus Daka.
They also tried their luck by participating in the selection in athletics and they hope to pass the selection to realize their dreams, “This is the first time we have participated in the National Paralympic Committee Indonesia selection. We got the information from Jayapura Regency officials who came to Genyem and there are 10 of us from Genyem and hope we can qualify to join the National Paralympic Week,” said Agus.
After the completion of the selection of swimming and athletics, the National Paralympic Committee Indonesia Papua will continue the selection of Peparnas athletes in archery.
In this selection event, the National Paralympic Committee Indonesia Papua is looking for 150 athletes to fill 12 sports that will be included in the XVII National Paralympic Week event in Medan, North Sumatra, October this year.