PBTI and TNI Strengthen Taekwondo Development through Indonesia Open 2026

The Indonesian Taekwondo Association (PBTI) and the Indonesian National Armed Forces (TNI) are strengthening athlete development through the 8th Asian Taekwondo Indonesia Open Championships 2026, scheduled to take place at the Tennis Indoor Senayan, Jakarta, from 1–5 August.

PBTI General Chair, Lieutenant General TNI Richard Tampubolon, stated that this collaboration is intended not only to ensure the smooth running of the international championship but also to build an ecosystem capable of producing Olympic-level athletes.

“The 8 Mit Asian Taekwondo Indonesia Open Championships serves as one of the activities to celebrate the 81st Anniversary of the TNI. Taekwondo is a martial art that is highly popular among Indonesian youth,” Richard said in a written statement in Jakarta on Saturday.

The championship, which holds World Taekwondo (WT) G2 status, features 478 taekwondo practitioners from 36 countries and serves as a key event for accumulating world ranking points for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympics.

Richard noted that the TNI’s support for national taekwondo development is also demonstrated by providing opportunities for high-achieving athletes to join the military through non-commissioned officer and officer pathways. Several national taekwondo athletes are currently members of the TNI, including 2025 SEA Games gold medallist Muhammad Alfi Kusuma (First Lieutenant), Muhammad Rizal (Second Lieutenant), and 2023 Asian Championships winner Ni Kadek Heni Prikasih (Second Lieutenant).

According to Richard, the presence of these athletes demonstrates that the collaboration between sports federations and the TNI provides both certain development pathways and career sustainability. “This is proof of the TNI’s seriousness in building Indonesian sporting achievements,” he added.