East Nusa Tenggara Province is ready to host the 2026 Special Olympics Indonesia National Sports Week II, scheduled to take place in Kupang City, involving around 1,200 athletes with special needs from 25 provinces.
"NTT has been appointed as the host of PESONAS II, which will be held in Kupang City from October 13-18, 2026. We are targeting participation from 25 provinces," said Reny Marlina Un, Chair of the PESONAS II 2026 NTT Committee, in Kupang.
He explained that the sports week aimed at children with special needs would feature competitions in around seven sports, including athletics, swimming, table tennis, badminton, mini soccer (futsal), bocce, and rhythmic gymnastics.
"These seven sports will also be contested at the 2027 World Summer Games in Chile. So, whoever wins PESONAS II will be selected to represent Indonesia at this international event," he said.
The team estimates that around 1,200 athletes will be directly involved, with a minimum of two companions required per athlete. This means the total number of participants and companions could reach over 3,000 during the 2026 PESONAS in NTT.
"The official launch of the PESONAS 2026 logo and series of activities will be carried out by the Governor after the Easter celebrations in early April," he said.
