IPSI Jatim Targets Six Gold Medals at PON 2028 as Two World Champions Return

The Ikatan Pencak Silat Indonesia (IPSI) chapter in Jawa Timur has set a target of six gold medals at the National Sports Week (PON) 2028, relying on the return of two pencak silat world champions, Sara and Saifudin, who were absent from the Indonesia Open. The target was announced by IPSI Jawa Timur chair Bambang Haryo Soekartono after he reported the association's development agenda to Jawa Timur Governor Khofifah Indar Parawansa, as reported by TVRI News.

The Piala Gubernur, or Governor's Cup, provincial championship (Kejurprov) will be the entry point for athlete screening. Around 1,500 pencak silat fighters from across Jawa Timur's regencies and cities are scheduled to compete on 16 November 2026. Bambang Haryo, who also serves as Kapoksi, or faction leader, in Commission VII of the People's Representative Council (DPR RI), said the Kejurprov results would be mapped through regional selection (selekda), followed by preparations for the 2027 PON qualifiers (Pra-PON) and PON 2028. According to Bambang Haryo, as quoted by TVRI News, the four gold medals won at the Indonesia Open were used as a benchmark because Sara and Saifudin did not compete then, despite having never been defeated at world level. Khofifah is scheduled to attend the opening of the Kejurprov and witness the inauguration of the IPSI Jawa Timur board, which was formed two years ago.

Athlete development from regions to PON

Pekan Olahraga Nasional, or PON, is the highest domestic arena for athletes, held every four years and featuring dozens of sports contested between provinces. Jawa Timur has historically been one of the country's medal strongholds, competing closely with Jawa Barat, the capital region of DKI Jakarta and Jawa Tengah at the top of the gold medal rankings.

Pencak silat, a sport born from the tradition of Nusantara, the Indonesian archipelago, has a very broad participant base in Jawa Timur. IPSI, the sport's national governing body, oversees a competition ladder from regency championships to provincial and national events. The Kejurprov serves as the initial screening stage, while selekda picks the names to be sent to Pra-PON.

Pencak silat was recognized by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) as an intangible cultural heritage in 2019, and its international popularity has grown since. At the Southeast Asian Games (SEA Games), Indonesia has consistently contributed gold medals from the sport. However, PON remains the benchmark for national development because it brings together the best athletes from 38 provinces.

Pra-PON is the qualifying round that determines which provinces are entitled to send athletes to PON. This system forces every region to prepare athlete reserves early, because failure in Pra-PON means losing the chance to compete on the main stage. The six-gold target set by IPSI Jawa Timur for PON 2028 shows ambition to improve on the four gold medals won at the Indonesia Open, an international tournament involving pencak silat fighters from various countries.

The absence of Sara and Saifudin at the Indonesia Open is an important note. Both are known as pencak silat fighters who have never been defeated at world level, so their presence at PON 2028 is predicted to change the competitive map in their respective classes.

The tiered selection system applied by IPSI Jawa Timur—from Kejurprov to selekda and Pra-PON—mirrors patterns used by other sports in Indonesia. Its aim is to ensure athletes sent to PON are truly ready physically and technically. With around 1,500 Kejurprov participants, IPSI Jawa Timur has a broad enough database of pencak silat fighters' abilities to map.

What pencak silat fans in Jawa Timur should watch

The six-gold target at PON 2028 will depend heavily on consistent development over the next two years. Pra-PON 2027 will be the first test of whether IPSI Jawa Timur's projection can be realized. For pencak silat fans in Jawa Timur, the Piala Gubernur Kejurprov in November 2026 will be the first chance to see directly which young fighters will fill the PON squad.

The return of Sara and Saifudin also has practical implications. Both athletes have long been mainstays in their respective classes, and their absence at the Indonesia Open showed that international competition schedules can clash with regional agendas. Coordination among IPSI, the Komite Olahraga Nasional Indonesia (KONI) and the provincial government will be key so that flagship athletes do not lose momentum at two levels at once.

From a sports ecosystem perspective, pencak silat in Jawa Timur has a large participant base. A Kejurprov with 1,500 athletes indicates the sport is still popular at the grassroots level. For regions outside Surabaya and other big cities, such championships are the only stage to prove that their pencak silat fighters deserve a place in the provincial squad.