Nine Young Athletes Awarded PB Djarum Badminton Scholarships 2026

Nine young badminton players have earned the Djarum Badminton Scholarship for 2026, securing their spots within the PB Djarum club following a rigorous selection process. The announcement follows the 2026 PB Djarum General Auditions, which drew 2,140 participants from across Indonesia.

Selection Process and Talent Distribution

The successful candidates were chosen from two age groups: U-11 and U-12. The final roster includes two girls in the U-11 category, three boys and one girl in the 11-year-old group, two boys in the 12-year-old group, and one girl in the 12-year-old category. These athletes emerged from a larger pool of 67 “super-ticket” recipients who qualified through regional auditions held in Pekanbaru, Makassar, and Kudus.

According to data from the auditions, 15 athletes qualified from Pekanbaru, 16 from Makassar, and 36 from the Kudus leg of the tour. These qualifiers underwent two phases of quarantine to determine which individuals would ultimately be awarded the scholarship and a place at the club.

Strategic Talent Scouting

Sigit Budiarto, director of the talent search team, noted that the regional diversity of this year’s audition locations provided a clearer view of the character and potential of young players from across the country. He emphasized that the selection criteria extended beyond current technical abilities.

“The selection process does not only consider the current capabilities of the athletes, but also the relevance of their potential to the needs of the club’s training program,” Budiarto said. He encouraged those who were not selected to remain persistent, noting that the path to becoming a professional athlete is a long-term commitment.

Long-term Development Perspective

Hendrawan, the coordinator of the individual coach for the girl PB Djarum, reinforced the importance of viewing the scholarship as a starting point rather than a final destination. He urged the young athletes to maintain their discipline and physical conditioning regardless of the immediate results.

“Success at the beginning is not always the final success, and not having success at the start does not mean you won’t have it in the end,” Hendrawan stated. The coaching staff focused on evaluating the long-term prospects of the participants, aiming to identify those with the highest potential for future professional achievement.

2026 Djarum Scholarship Recipients

The following athletes have been named as recipients of the 2026 Djarum Badminton Scholarship:

• U-11 Girls: Vicky Lee Alison and Alisie Elaina Sembiring
• KU 11 Boys: Russel Junior Sumual, Azka Adhitama, and Azka Azfar Rabbani
• KU 11 Girls: RR Arnetta Safara Bilqish Sholeh
• Faiz Athallah
• KU 12 Girls: Errencia Clarista

Next Steps for New Club Members

The nine scholarship recipients are now slated to begin their formal integration into the PB Djarum training system. The club has not yet announced the specific start date for the upcoming training cycle, which will serve as the next checkpoint for these athletes as they transition into the full-time development program.