Sports
16th World Pencak Silat Championship hosted in Phuket
Pencak Silat Championship
Women Pencak Silat match Indonesia-Malaysia 2011 (Source: Gunawan Kartapranata)
USPA NEWS -
From January 7 to 17, 2015 Phuket will host the 16th World Pencak Silat Championship in Saphan Hin´s 4,000-seat indoor Sports Centre, in Phuket Town, Thailand with more than 600 athletes from 47 countries.
The event is expected to be the biggest assembly of martial arts competitors ever held in that sport. Seven events are planned for the Female Match category and eleven for the Male Match category as well as three Artistic categories, Solo, Double and Team for Female and Male.
The term Pencak Silat is an umbrella term for the martial arts of Indonesia. The origin of Pencak Silat is not quite clear but in Malaysia the story concurs that it was originally developed by tribal groups. By watching animal movements they learned to defend themselves against wild creatures and other tribes, clans and later even kingdoms.
The term Pencak Silat is an umbrella term for the martial arts of Indonesia. The origin of Pencak Silat is not quite clear but in Malaysia the story concurs that it was originally developed by tribal groups. By watching animal movements they learned to defend themselves against wild creatures and other tribes, clans and later even kingdoms.
With these skills, a person got respected and feared by society which secured prestige, power and a privileged position in that society. What is known is that Pencak Silat developed a cultural assimilation of various self-defence styles with different characteristics and names and it plays an important role in Indonesia´s history.
Today, more than 800 individual schools of martial arts across the 13,000 islands of Indonesia are called Pencak Silat and there is no particular standard rule to be followed.
Today, more than 800 individual schools of martial arts across the 13,000 islands of Indonesia are called Pencak Silat and there is no particular standard rule to be followed.
Each style has its own unique movements, techniques and tactical rational. The wide variety of styles and techniques developed due to the fact that these martial art systems have been taught by different masters who used their own style. Pentak Silat has now become very popular all over the globe since the first world Championship 1982, held in Jakarta with only 7 nationalities participating.
Phuket has successfully hosted many international events in the past and this sporting event is expected to be the biggest gathering of athletes yet for the championship.
For more information go to: http://www.worldpencaksilat2015.com/
Phuket has successfully hosted many international events in the past and this sporting event is expected to be the biggest gathering of athletes yet for the championship.
For more information go to: http://www.worldpencaksilat2015.com/
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