PORTALJABAR, BANDUNG CITY - Acting Governor of West Java Bey Machmudin confirmed 1,295 athletes, 320 coaches and 63 mechanics, to take part in the West Java Regional Training Center (Pelatda) for the next six months.

During this Pelatda, 1,295 athletes will be prepared to face the XXI/2024 National Sports Week (PON) in Aceh and North Sumatra next September.

Bey emphasized that West Java's target for PON XXI is the overall champion. In this way, the overall champion hat trick can be achieved because at PON XIX/2016 in West Java and PON XX in Papua West Java the overall champions were consecutive.

"West Java wants to win a hat trick, in the 2016 PON and 2020 PON we managed to become overall champions, so I hope that this year we will become overall champions again," said Bey Machmudin, at the Pajajaran Athletic Field, Bandung City, Thursday (25/1/2024).

At PON XXI, West Java had the largest contingent of athletes, namely 1,259 athletes, 320 coaches and 63 mechanics. They will compete in 78 sports. PON XXI will compete in 1,042 match and competition numbers. This is the largest number of matches and competitions in PON history.

Starting Pelatda today, 1,259 athletes, 320 coaches and 63 mechanics will take part in training camps spread across several areas of West Java.

Pelatda are spread across the Pajajaran center, UPI campus, West Java Arcamanik Sport, Jalak Harupat Stadium.

Then there are training centers in West Bandung Regency, Cimahi City, Karawang Regency, Bekasi Regency, Sukabumi Regency, Bogor Regency, DKI Jakarta, Banten, Subang Regency, Sumedang Regency, Depok, Pangandaran Regency, Bekasi City, Purwakarta Regency and Cirebon City.

Bey hopes that Pelatda can be utilized as optimally as possible by athletes. Bey also asked them to increase their practice portion independently.

"Please be disciplined in training during Pelatda, plus independent training, not just from the trainer's program," he asked.

To see the seriousness of the athletes during Pelatda, Bey plans to visit several training centers suddenly.

"Starting next week I will go around looking at Pelatda but I won't tell you which sport and when, I want to know the seriousness of the athletes and coaches," said Bey.

Bey is optimistic that the overall champion target at PON XXI can be achieved. This confidence is reflected in the quality of the athletes plus significant budget support from the West Java Provincial Government.

"West Java has increased the budget for preparations for PON XXI. Starting from accommodation during the six-month Pelatda, pocket money for athletes, coaches, mechanics, vitamins, training and competition equipment, to bonuses for gold medal winners, and training abroad," said Bey.