A total of 2,143 athletes from 433 clubs across Indonesia are competing in the 2025 Hamengku Buwono X Cup National Badminton Circuit C Championship, which officially commenced on Monday (Sep. 29) at the Universitas Gadjah Mada (UGM) Sports Hall. The national-level championship was inaugurated by the Governor of the Special Region of Yogyakarta, Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X.
Sri Sultan expressed his hope that the championship would not only serve as a platform for competition but also as a medium for education and inspiration, reinforcing the values of sportsmanship, fair play, and brotherhood.
“Make the Hamengku Buwono Cup a momentum to ignite the flame of motivation, both for yourselves and for the generations who witness it,” he remarked.
He further shared a simple philosophy of badminton, noting that the shuttlecock struck into the air symbolizes hope, which must not fall to the ground until the struggle is over.
“Each rally is also a life lesson, a lesson about perseverance, strategy, and the balance between offense and defense,” said Sri Sultan.
Dr. KPH Yudanegara, Chair of the Indonesian Badminton Association (PBSI) in Yogyakarta, explained that the championship is being held at three venues, featuring a total of 20 courts. He noted that the number of registered participants exceeded expectations, surpassing 2,000 athletes.
“This marks a new history, and this morning we were awarded a MURI (Indonesian World Records Museum) record for the highest number of athletes in a single badminton championship in Indonesia,” he stated.
Chair of the PBSI Central Executive Board (PP PBSI), Commissioner General of Police Dr. M. Fadil Imran, also conveyed his pride in the athletes and expressed his gratitude to Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X for his blessing and support.
According to him, the championship is not merely about finding winners but also serves as a ground for learning, nurturing, and discovering new badminton talents from across Indonesia.
“We want to ensure that every young person who dreams of raising the red and white flag on the world podium has equal opportunities and a system that supports such championships,” he emphasized.
The opening of the championship, which runs from Sep. 29 to Oct. 4, 2025, featured a symbolic joint shuttlecock strike by Sri Sultan Hamengku Buwono X, the Chair of PP PBSI, the Chair of PBSI Yogyakarta, and the Rector of Universitas Gadjah Mada.
The ceremony was followed by the presentation of the rotating trophy and the MURI record certificate, officially recognizing the 1st Hamengku Buwono X Cup National Circuit C 2025 as the badminton tournament with the largest number of participants in history.
Author: Alena Damaris
Editor: Gusti Grehenson
Post-editor: Rajendra Arya
Photographer: Firsto Adi