PORTALJABAR, DISTRICT. GARUT - Garut Regency Sports Week (Porkab) 2024 was officially opened by the Acting Regent of Garut, Barnas Adjidin, at the SOR Merdeka Kerkhof Field, Jalan Merdeka, Tarogong Kidul District, on Sunday evening (21/7/2024).

The opening ceremony was marked by the sounding of sirens by the Acting Regent of Garut and Forkopimda Garut, as well as the lighting of torches by three outstanding athletes from Garut: Neng Ida Ariani (Table Tennis), Berliana Nur Fadilah Fitri (Diving), and Muhammad Rizal Setiawan (Karate).

Before the opening ceremony, the Acting Regent of Garut and his staff enjoyed an arts and culture performance with the theme "Cultivating Culture Towards Achievement", including a barongsay performance and ending with a list of 2024 Garut Porkab participants from 42 sub-districts.

In his speech, Barnas appreciated the Garut Regency Youth and Sports Service (Dispora) and the Garut Regency Indonesian National Sports Committee (KONI) for holding this lively opening event. He was also grateful for holding the 5th Porkab which was attended by 42 contingents from all sub-districts in Garut Regency.

Barnas emphasized the importance of Porkab as an event for selecting outstanding athletes who will represent Garut Regency at a higher level, such as the West Java Provincial Sports Week (Porprov).

"I really support sports measures, hopefully in the future the Garut Regency Government and also the DPRD can budget more than in 2024," said Barnas.

Barnas said that sport is a place for friendship as well as a place to build character, so in implementing this Porkab he advised that it should be carried out in a sporting manner.

"I hope that this Porkab will be carried out in a sporting manner and bring Garut into the top 5 of the West Java Provincial Sports Week (Porprov)," said Barnas.

With the slogan of excellence, added Barnas, of course you have to excel in all aspects, including the sporting aspect.

"Of course coaching must continue to be improved, infrastructure must also be improved, and we also support sports activists to advance Garut sports," said Barnas.

Chairman of KONI Garut Regency, Abdusy Syakur Amin, said that Porkab aims to find potential athletes who will be developed further. Syakur emphasized the importance of tiered, systematic and regular competitions to increase athletes' flying hours so that they become more mature in facing various competitions, so that they can produce athletes who are proud of Garut Regency.

"So that later we can hope that our athletes will have more flying hours so that they will become more mature in participating in various kinds of competitions," said Syakur.

The Chief Executive of the 2024 Garut Porkab, Subhan Rohmansyah, stated that this year's PORKAB was attended by 26 sports, with a total of 245 competition numbers and 5,496 athletes competing for 245 gold medals, 245 silver medals and 304 bronze medals. This event took place in 7 venues spread across several sub-districts in Garut Regency, namely in Garut Kota, Tarogong Kaler, Tarogong Kidul, Kadungora, Cibiuk, Cibatu and Cisurupan sub-districts.

Subhan revealed that PORKAB 2024 has three main targets: successful implementation, successful achievement, and economic success. Apart from sports competitions, Porkab this year also held an MSME bazaar with 100 tents at SOR RAA Adiwijaya, as well as games and an arts stage. (Diskominfo Garut/Fauziah)