The Road to Glory for Bengawan’s Young Fencer

On a 14x1.5 meter fencing strip, two fencers stood face-to-face. Their masks obscured their expressions, but their eyes met sharply, each analyzing the other. Both were determined to reach the podium at the 2024 XXI National Sports Week (PON) in Aceh-North Sumatra.

As the referee called, “En-garde. Prêts. Allez,” they stepped forward. Putri Faradilah's foil moved swiftly, aiming to score before her opponent could strike. “I just hoped I could bring home the gold,” said the young athlete, who was more known as Puput, on Saturday (8/3/2025).

On the sidelines of the competition at the Fencing Hall of Harapan Bangsa Stadium, Banda Aceh, Puput's father, Hendra Faradilah, watched silently, offering only a slight nod. As her coach, he rarely showed emotion during her matches. For Puput, that was enough.

“In fencing, there are no special treatments, even if your father is a professional fencing coach,” she emphasized.

Born in Palembang, Puput has been dedicated to fencing since the age of four, shortly after moving to Solo following her father’s reassignment as the head fencing coach for Central Java.

Initially, Puput was more interested in swimming, like many of her peers. But one day, her father urged her to try the sport that had shaped his own life.

Hendra Faradilah is a well-known name among fencing enthusiasts in Central Java, especially in Solo. A former Indonesian national fencer at the 2017 SEA Games, he is now a highly respected coach, training both able-bodied and disabled fencers in the region.

“From my first practice, I didn’t feel like I was being forced into it. Maybe because I had watched my father coach so often, it didn’t seem like something entirely new to try,” said Puput, a student of Informatics Engineering Education at Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta (UMS). 

The saying “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree” holds true. Her father’s passion for fencing has been passed down to Puput, and to her younger sibling as well.

At the age of nine, Puput won her first championship, bringing home a silver medal at the 2014 Central Java Regional Sports Week. That victory earned her a spot on the Central Java team for the National Championship in East Kalimantan.

Many assume that being a coach’s child comes with special privileges. But that’s not the case for Puput. On the training ground, she wasn’t treated as ‘the coach’s daughter’  she was just another athlete who had to follow the rules.

“If I make a mistake, I still get scolded,” she said.

Training took place three times a week at the Universitas Tunas Pembangunan (UTP) Fencing Club in Surakarta. But since she was enrolled in a special sports class at school, her training was even more intense. She practiced offensive and defensive techniques, game strategies, and engaged in daily sparring sessions with senior athletes.

Since 2018, Puput’s achievements have begun to pile up. Medal after medal was collected, from the Provincial Sports Week, Pre-National Sports Week, to the National Sports Week (PON).

In 2023, she flew to Malaysia to compete in the South East Asia Fencing Federation (SEAFF) Championship. The result? She brought home a silver and a bronze medal.

Photo of Puput after winning several national fencing championships, One of them is the bronze medal of PON XXI 2024 Aceh-North Sumatra for team numbers which took place at the Fencing Hall of Harapan Bangsa Stadium, September 16, 2024.

But behind the collection of medals every triumph lay a road paved with struggles. She also endured painful defeats.

PON XXI 2024 in Aceh-North Sumatra was one of the toughest moments in her career. Puput came in aiming for gold in the individual event. Everything had been prepared, rigorous training, well-planned strategies, even training camps in Singapore and Malaysia.

But on match day, everything changed. The opponent she had studied moved unpredictably. A few minor mistakes early in the bout threw her off rhythm. Every attack she launched seemed to be anticipated by her opponent. 

The referee raised his hand, “Attaque. Touche. Point.” The match was over. The final score was not in favor of the 19-year-old fencer.

“I stayed silent for quite a while. I didn’t cry right away, but of course, I was disappointed. There was this emotion I couldn’t let out because my dad was watching,” she told us.

Puput failed to bring home the gold. That night after the match, she even considered quitting fencing. “Then my dad came and encouraged me. He told me that today’s defeat wasn’t the end for me. Even great athletes have lost before, don’t be discouraged!” she recalled.

Despite her intense training schedule, Puput continues to do her best in her studies at UMS. Initially, she imagined herself enrolling in a psychology program, but a scholarship led her to study Educational Informatics at UMS instead.

Fortunately, the university has been very supportive. Whenever she has to travel for competitions, she receives academic dispensations. Some professors even check in on her and ask about her progress in fencing.

“When competing in championships, Alhamdulillah, I always get permission. From the Provincial Sports Week, Pre-National Sports Week, to the National Sports Week,” said the fourth-semester student. She chose not to join any campus organizations because most of her time was already dedicated to training and competitions.

Puput shared that fencing is not a widely popular sport in Indonesia. Its enthusiasts are relatively few compared to badminton and football. However, recently, there has been a slight change.

“After the Korean drama 2521, it seems like more people of my age have started to take an interest. Even on social media, many have begun to look into fencing,” she said with a laugh.

After going through the tough experience at PON 2024, Puput now has a new target. She wants to join the national training camp, compete in the SEA Games, and if she dares to dream even bigger, she wants to continue her father's legacy to reach the Olympics.

“My biggest dream has always been to get there. But I also know that the road will be long,” she admitted.

For now, Puput continues to train. She understands that great dreams require great preparation and sacrifice. She must dedicate time to studying match videos, analyzing opponents’ attack patterns, and continuously refining her strategies. Every mistake becomes a lesson for improvement.

“My father reached the SEA Games in 2017, representing Indonesia. I want to surpass that.” she concluded.

Writer: Genis Dwi Gustati

Translator: Farizal Luqman Majid

Editor: Al Habiib Josy Asheva

Designer: Salsabila Kamila Wardah