Pencak silat is an umbrella term for a class of related Indonesian martial arts. In neighbouring countries, the term usually refers to professional competitive silat. It is a full-body fighting form incorporating strikes, grappling, and throwing, in addition to weaponry. Every part of the body is used and subject to attack. Pencak silat was practiced not only for physical defense but also for psychological ends. There are hundreds of different pencak silat styles and schools which tend to focus either on strikes, joint manipulation, weaponry, or some combination thereof.
Sports in Indonesia are popular from both the participation and spectating aspect. Some popular sports in Indonesia are football, futsal, basketball, volleyball, badminton, and the native Indonesian martial art pencak silat. Badminton is arguably Indonesia's most successful sport. Indonesia has won gold medals in badminton in every Olympic Games since the sport was first introduced to the Olympics in 1992, with the exception of two, at the 2012 and 2024 Summer Olympics, although in latter Games, Indonesia clinched a gold medal for the first time in sport climbing and weightlifting, respectively. Indonesia became the first grand winner in Badminton Olympics back then 1992. Indonesia regularly participates in the Thomas Cup, Uber Cup, and Sudirman Cup badminton championships, then became the first nation in history to complete those three titles. Indonesia also regularly participates in regional multi-events sport, such as the Southeast Asian Games, Asian Games, and Olympic Games. Indonesia is one of the major sport powerhouses in the Southeast Asian region, winning the Southeast Asian Games 10 times since 1977.
Pencak silat at the 2015 SEA Games was held at the Singapore Expo Hall 2, Singapore from 10 to 14 June 2015.
The Pencak silat competition at the 2018 Asian Games was held in Jakarta, Indonesia from 23 to 29 August 2018 at Pencak Silat Arena (Padepokan) inside the Taman Mini Indonesia Indah in East Jakarta. This sport is popular in Southeast Asia. Hosts Indonesia won 14 out of the 16 gold medals, and Vietnam won the remaining two.
The men's tanding class B competition at the 2018 Asian Games took place from 23 to 27 August 2018 at Padepokan Pencak Silat, Taman Mini Indonesia Indah, Jakarta, Indonesia.
The men's tanding 60 kilograms competition at the 2018 Asian Games took place from 23 to 29 August 2018 at Padepokan Pencak Silat, Taman Mini Indonesia Indah, Jakarta, Indonesia.
The men's tanding 65 kilograms competition at the 2018 Asian Games took place from 23 to 27 August 2018 at Padepokan Pencak Silat, Taman Mini Indonesia Indah, Jakarta, Indonesia.
The men's tanding 70 kilograms competition at the 2018 Asian Games took place from 23 to 27 August 2018 at Padepokan Pencak Silat, Taman Mini Indonesia Indah, Jakarta, Indonesia.
The men's tanding 75 kilograms competition at the 2018 Asian Games took place from 23 to 29 August 2018 at Padepokan Pencak Silat, Taman Mini Indonesia Indah, Jakarta, Indonesia.
The men's tanding 95 kg kilograms competition at the 2018 Asian Games took place from 23 to 29 August 2018 at Padepokan Pencak Silat, Taman Mini Indonesia Indah, Jakarta, Indonesia.
The women's tanding 65 kg kilograms competition at the 2018 Asian Games took place from 23 to 29 August 2018 at Padepokan Pencak Silat, Taman Mini Indonesia Indah, Jakarta, Indonesia.
The women's tanding 60 kilograms competition at the 2018 Asian Games took place from 23 to 27 August 2018 at Padepokan Pencak Silat, Taman Mini Indonesia Indah, Jakarta, Indonesia.
The women's tanding 55 kilograms competition at the 2018 Asian Games took place from 23 to 29 August 2018 at Padepokan Pencak Silat, Taman Mini Indonesia Indah, Jakarta, Indonesia.
The women's tunggal (single) seni competition at the 2018 Asian Games took place from 25 to 27 August 2018 at Padepokan Pencak Silat, Taman Mini Indonesia Indah, Jakarta, Indonesia.
The men's regu (team) seni competition at the 2018 Asian Games took place on 27 August 2018 at Padepokan Pencak Silat, Taman Mini Indonesia Indah, Jakarta, Indonesia.
The women's regu (team) seni competition at the 2018 Asian Games took place on 29 August 2018 at Padepokan Pencak Silat, Taman Mini Indonesia Indah, Jakarta, Indonesia.
Puspa Arumsari is an Indonesian pencak silat practitioner. She is a gold medalist at the 2016 Pencak Silat World Championship which was coincidentally held in Indonesia. Puspa represented Indonesia at the 2018 Asian Games and claimed gold medal in the women's individual tunggal event where Pencak silat was one of the newest sports to be introduced at the 2018 Asian Games. This became Indonesia's first Asian Games gold medal in its own martial art, pencak silat.
Hanifan Yudani Kusumah is an Indonesian pencak silat practitioner. He won a gold medal in the 2018 Asian Games, after previously winning a bronze medal in the 2017 SEA Games.
Nurul Suhaila Binte Mohamed Saiful is a Singaporean pencak silat practitioner. She represented Singapore at the Southeast Asian Games, the Asian Games and the Pencak World Championships. Nurul won her first world championship in 2018, at the 15th World Pencak Silat Championship.
Nurzuhairah Mohammad Yazid is a Singaporean pencak silat practitioner. She represented Singapore at the 2018 Asian Games and won a silver medal in women's singles event held at Padepokan Pencak Silat Taman Mini Indonesia Indah, Jakarta. She claimed her first world title in the Female Artistic Singles Category that took place from 13 to 16 December 2018 at OCBC Arena Hall 1, Singapore Sports Hub.
Sugianto (INA)
Ilyas Sadara (THA)
Al-Mohaidib Abad (PHI)
Vietnam (VIE)
Malaysia (MAS)
Bo Thammavongsa (LAO)
Abdumalik Salimov (UZB)
Zholdoshbek Akimkanov (KGZ)
Sheik Ferdous Alau'ddin (SGP)