PAPUA PEGUNUNGAN – In order to participate in eight numbers, three athletes are currently undergoing training camp in Karawaci, Tangerang, Banten Province and the three billiards players are finalizing their preparations for PON XXI Aceh – North Sumatra.
The three billiard athletes who will compete in PON:
- Junaidi (men’s 10 ball and 15 ball single competition numbers),
- Hamka Jaya (number 9 ball and 8 ball single men),
- Kenny Tirza Chandra (9 ball and 10 ball women’s singles).
Junaidi and Hamka Jaya will also play in the men’s 9 ball and 15 double.
Acting Chairman of the Papua Mountains Billiards Sports Association (POBSI), Hamka Jaya, when contacted by telephone, said that he, Junaidi and Kenny had participated in several trial matches or try outs. Similar try outs will continue until August 2024, “until August, we schedule seven to eight trials, before entering the PON billiards competition which will be held in Medan City, North Sumatra,” Hamka said.
According to Hamka, the Papua Pegunungan billiards players have participated in various national billiards championships and the last time they participated in the Indonesian Billiards Sports Association Pool Sircuit Series II Bali. On the Island of the Gods, Junaidi and Hamka lasted until the round of 16, while Kenny made it to the semi-finals.
In July, Junaidi, Hamka, and Kenny will follow, namely:
- Batam Open billiards championship,
- Bandung Open Championship,
- Series III Circuit in Lampung,
- Billiards Championship held in Jakarta.
“While the training camp is running, trials are also important as a mental development to compete and analyze the strength of the opponent,” he said.
According to Hamka, the three mountainous Papuan billiards players who will compete in PON XXI are former Papuan billiards athletes who already have a lot of experience participating in various championships at the national level.
The eight PON XXI billiard competition numbers that will be followed have been adjusted to the strength and experience of the three athletes, “there are still many other types of billiard competitions, but the human resources are still lacking,” Hamka said.
Although only fielding three billiards players, the Indonesian Billiards Sports Association of Papua Mountains Province set a high target, they are eyeing two gold medals and one silver medal PON XXI and however Hamka chose to keep the race numbers targeted to gain medals a secret, “all have a chance. The most important thing is that both athletes and administrators continue to strive for the best in PON to achieve maximum results,” he said.
The coach of the Billiards Team of the Indonesian Billiards Sports Association Papua Pegunungan, Edward Lumbantoruan explained that the training camp in Karawaci was running smoothly, Kenny was training separately, because he was undergoing training in Australia and he would only join Junaidi and Hamka in Karawaci in early July 2024, “for the development of training, so far so good. During the trials in Jambi, one of our male athletes (ranked) in the top eight and top 30, in Bali, one male athlete entered the top 16, and the female athlete entered as a semifinalist,” Edward said.
Edward stated that the eight numbers of the billiard competition of the Indonesian Billiard Sports Association which were followed by the three Papuan Mountains billiards players were equally likely to produce medals, “at this time our players are quite familiar with potential opponents competing in the men’s group at PON later, as well as in the women’s group,” he said.
The billiards players from Jakarta, West Java and Central Java are expected to be the toughest competition for Junaidi, Hamka and Kenny. The Jakarta, West Java and Central Java billiards teams are strengthened by several athletes who have won gold medals in the Indonesian Billiards Sports Association.
However, according to Edward, strong billiards players are spread across many teams of the Indonesian Billiards Sports Association from various provinces, “so there are no more favorites, all can beat each other. It’s just our preparation to be even more mature, so that at the implementation of PON later we will be at our best,” said Edward.
Daily Chairman of KONI Papua Mountains, Antonius Wetipo admitted that the training camp of various sports that will compete in the XXI Indonesian Billiards Sports Association in Aceh and North Sumatra is going well, “we always coordinate, both with the KONI management itself and the local government,” said Wetipo.