Jakarta, Oct. 7 -- The Indonesian martial art, pencak silat, will make its debut at the 3rd Asian Youth Games (AYG) in Bahrain this month (October 22-31).

A total of 14 countries have confirmed their participation in this inaugural event.

The competitors include the host, Bahrain, along with other nations such as Cambodia, Indonesia, India, Iran, Malaysia, Pakistan, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand.

Furthermore, four Central Asian countries-Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Uzbekistan-are also expected to compete.

The competition itself is scheduled to take place just before the Opening Ceremony on October 19-20 and will feature three specific weight classes for young athletes aged 14 to 17.

The sport's inclusion, annou...