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Jakarta to host gymnastics test event
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Indonesian gymnast Dwi Samsul Arifin performs a routine in the steady rings as he competes in men’s artistic gymnastics category during the 29th Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on Aug. 22, 2017. Indonesia will host 15th Junior Artistic Gymnastics Championships in Jakarta next month as a test event for the upcoming 18th Asian Games. (JP/Seto Wardhana)
Indonesia will organize a gymnastics test event for the Asian Games at Istora Senayan in Jakarta from April 25 to 28.
The event, named the 15th Junior Artistic Gymnastics Championships, will also be used as qualification for 2018 Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in October.
The April event will feature 23 countries, including Bangladesh, China, Indonesia, Iran and Japan. The host country will deploy 10 athletes -- consisting of five boys and five girls -- to the Istora event, where the competition will be divided into different categories for boys aged between 14 and 17, as well as girls aged 13 to 15.
Ilya Avianti, the chairwoman of the Indonesian Gymnastics Association (Persani), said Indonesia was honored to host the event, adding that the country would be hosting an international gymnastics competition for the first time.
“Gymnastics is not a popular sport in Indonesia. Hosting the event will be a perfect opportunity for us to educate the public and introduce them to the sport in the hope that more people become enthusiastic about gymnastics ahead of the Asian Games,” Ilya said in a statement sent to The Jakarta Post on Wednesday.
Competition director Ita Yuliati said the junior championships would facilitate Indonesian gymnasts in studying their possible opponents for the Games. “Junior athletes will also have the experience of competing in an international tournament.” (rdi)
