The excitement of the opening ceremony of the ASEAN University Games (AUG) XXI 2024 at Surabaya State University (UNESA).
Unesa. ac.id., SURABAYA—ASEAN University Games or AUG XXI 2024 started rolling after being officially opened by the Indonesian Minister of Youth and Sports (Menpora), Ario Bimo Nandito Ariotedjo or Dito Ariotedjo on Tuesday, June 25 2024 evening at the International Basketball Arena, State University Surabaya (UNESA) Campus 2 Lidah Wetan, Surabaya.
Opening ceremony was marked by various series of processions, the culmination of which was the lighting of the AUG torch by Indonesian football athlete and UNESA student, Rachmat Irianto, who was witnessed by AUSC leaders, invited guests and delegates from 11 ASEAN member countries who were present filling the event stands.
Menpora, Dito Ariotedjo expressed his pride, because Indonesia was hosting the Southeast Asian student sports week for the fifth time. According to him, the opening of this activity was a lively event attended by all representative teams from ASEAN countries competing in 21 sports until July 6 2024.
The Indonesian Minister of Youth and Sports, Dito Ariotedjo officially opened AUG XXI 2024 at UNESA.
Among various delegations from other ASEAN member countries, the target of the Indonesian student contingent is to win the overall championship. "We have just finished the ASEAN Schools Games in Vietnam, and we are not the hosts, but we can win second place. The hope is that at AUG we will be the hosts and can win," he said enthusiastically.
The Minister of Youth and Sports thanked UNESA, BAPOMI and all parties involved made Indonesia the host of AUG XXI 2024 with the theme "Unity in Diversity" so that the opening went smoothly.
He hopes that the student sports week between ASEAN countries will be successful. "We hope that this can unite and glue Southeast Asian countries, especially all the athletes and coaches or officials involved, so that new relationships can be established that will become stronger from this game," he said after the opening.
UNESA Chancellor and chief executive of AUG XXI 2024, Prof. Dr. Nurhasan, M.Kes., or who is familiarly called Cak Hasan, said that this AUG was attended by thousands of athletes, coaches or officials. They competed for medals in various competition events.
A total of around 250 medals were contested by delegates from ASEAN member countries, namely Indonesia, Malaysia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, Timor Leste, Brunei Darussalam, Thailand, Singapore, Cambodia , and the Philippines.
UNESA Chancellor Cak Hasan is all out in preparing for the smooth and successful AUG, as well as preparations to claim Indonesia's victory as overall champion.
“If "Judging from our position (the Indonesian contingent) as hosts and our dominance of being the overall champion 10 times in the previous AUG event, we should be able to become the overall champion again," stressed Cak Hasan.
In order to realize this target, Cak Hasan has prepared a number of the best athletes to strengthen the Indonesian contingent in a number of sports. The athletes who are fielded are not half-hearted, they are athletes who have spearheaded medals for East Java and Indonesia at various national and even Asian level sports weeks.
UNESA athletes who are included in the Indonesian contingent of course go through a series of selections through Pelatnas and National Student Sports Week (Pomnas) championship organized by Puspresnas through the Indonesian Talent Development Center (BPTI).
"I have said that we will give appreciation to those who excel in this competition, whether in the form of scholarships, UKT relief, coaching money, and so on. We do not want the best sons and daughters who make the nation proud to not be noticed for their achievements. "In fact, they should be appreciated," he said. [UNESA PR]
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Reporters: Dyah Asri (FBS), Saputra (FBS), Sindy Riska (Fisipol), Fatimah Najmus Shofa (FBS), Farhan Bachtiar ( Fisipol), Lina Lubabatul Karimah (FBS), and Zakariya Putra Soekarno (Fisipol).
Editor: @zam*
Photo: UNESA PR Team Documentation
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