Jakarta (ANTARA) – The Indonesian Underwater Sports Association (PB POSSI) wants to promote underwater hockey in Indonesia by using the 2026 CMAS Asian Underwater Hockey Championship, taking place on August 5-8, 2026, in Bogor.
“PB POSSI is committed to developing underwater hockey into a sport capable of achieving remarkable accomplishments,” PB POSSI Chairman Makhruzi Rahman said in a statement received here on Thursday.
Rahman expressed hope that the Asian championship would have a positive impact on the development of underwater hockey in Indonesia while increasing public awareness of the sport.
He also hoped that more athletes would be interested in taking up underwater hockey and participating in various competitions.
The championship has brought together 276 athletes from seven countries, including Indonesia, China, the Philippines, Japan, Malaysia, Singapore, and Thailand.
The men’s elite division features teams from Indonesia, the Philippines, Japan, and Singapore, while the women’s elite category includes Indonesia, Malaysia, and Singapore.
In addition to the elite division, the championship also features under-15 (U-15) and under-19 (U-19) categories, each contested by eight teams competing in each age group.
Indonesia is represented by Cucut Underwater Hockey and Bhineka Stars in the U-19 category, while Searia and Cucut Underwater Hockey compete in the U-15 category.
Rahman expressed appreciation to the World Underwater Federation (CMAS) for entrusting POSSI with hosting the Asian championship.
He expressed hope that Indonesian underwater hockey athletes would achieve strong results against competitors from other Asian countries.
He also urged the organizing committee to ensure that all delegations and participants enjoy a safe, professional, and internationally standardized competition experience.
Previously, head of PB POSSI underwater hockey athlete development, Geraldine Sahetapy, said the federation is currently focusing on developing the next generation of Indonesia’s underwater hockey athletes.
She explained that the effort began with outreach programs and talent identification in several regions, which have been carried out intensively since October 2024.
“These efforts are being undertaken as part of our commitment to rejuvenating and regenerating underwater hockey athletes, in line with POSSI’s goal of producing new athletes for the future,” she said on Friday (July 31).
Translator: M Ramdan, Kenzu
Editor: Bayu Prasetyo
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