Medan, Indonesia – National swimmer Farrel Armandio Tangkas made history by earning the first gold medal for Papua at PON XXI , held in North Sumatra. Competing in the men’s 200-meter backstroke event at the Selayang Swimming Pool, Medan, on Saturday evening (August 14), Farrel delivered an outstanding performance, finishing with a time of 2 minutes 01.81 seconds, breaking his own PON record.

Farrel’s previous record of 2 minutes 01.94 seconds was set at PON XX in Papua in 2021. His latest achievement not only surpassed his personal best but also broke the 2016 PON record held by Ricky Anggawijaya, who clocked 2 minutes 02.84 seconds at PON XIX in West Java.

The Secretary General of Papua’s National Sports Committee (KONI), George Weyasu, expressed his pride and gratitude for Farrel’s accomplishment. “We are deeply thankful to Farrel and his coach, who is also his father, for their remarkable contribution in securing this gold medal for Papua,” said Weyasu. He hopes that Farrel’s achievement will inspire other athletes from Papua who are still competing across various disciplines in North Sumatra.

Farrel’s victory is particularly significant as it marks the end of a 13-day wait for Papua’s first gold medal in North Sumatra, with the competition starting on September 2, 2024.

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In addition to this gold, Farrel is still in contention for more medals. He is set to compete in four other events: the 50-meter backstroke, 100-meter backstroke, 200-meter medley, and 400-meter medley, raising hopes for further success. “We are optimistic that Farrel can continue his excellent performance in these upcoming events and bring more gold medals for the Papua contingent,” Weyasu added.

The Papua contingent has now joined the medal tally in North Sumatra, though Aceh remains the leading contributor with 10 gold medals.

As PON XXI continues, all eyes are on Farrel and his future races, as he looks to further cement his legacy as one of Indonesia’s top swimming talents.