UMS Gained Multiple Wins at PON XXI 2024

In a celebratory atmosphere, the Vice-Rector III for Student Affairs at Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta (UMS), Prof. Ihwan Susila, Ph.D., expressed his deep appreciation and full support for UMS students’ outstanding talents, both in academic and non-academic fields.

Ihwan emphasized that UMS can participate in all sports branches at PON 2024, as the university boasts many students with extraordinary talent. 

“Many of the delegates were selected through an achievement track, meaning we focus on helping them develop their talents,” he stated on Monday (30/9/2024).

In addition to competing in popular sports such as Badminton, Tennis, Table Tennis, and Pencak Silat, this year UMS sent athletes to newer branches, including Fencing, Horseback Archery, and Rugby.

“Rugby actually exceeded our expectations. After watching their performance, we were amazed by the incredible potential of UMS students,” Ihwan added.

To support students’ potential, the Office of Student Affairs has been actively conducting university-level selection events to prepare for the PON 2024 championships. According to Ihwan, UMS continues to identify student achievements from the moment they are accepted into the university and then develops their talents through the university’s Student Club (UKM).

“Through the UKMs, I believe students have great opportunities to train, compete, and even participate in national and international competitions,” he emphasized.

The Vice-Rector expressed his gratitude for the improvement in UMS achievements this year, particularly at PON 2024, where they secured five medals, an increase from the two medals earned the previous year.

UMS’s achievements at the PON XXI 2024 include:

• Gold medal in Pencak Silat, Men’s Class D, won by Ginting Baharudin Putra
• Bronze medal in Women’s Team Fencing, won by Putri Faradilah and Tassya Alissa Sukarno Putri
• Bronze medal in Senior Horseback Archery Serial Shoot, won by Hamam Arsya Kanaya
• Gold medal in Team Horseback Archery, won by Hamam Arsya Kanaya
• Bronze medal in Rugby 7’s, won by Zaidah Mufidah and Rahmatika Nur Chasani

“We hope this achievement will have a positive impact, as students at private universities often feel hesitant to express their abilities or celebrate their achievements. Hopefully, they will become more confident in exploring their potential and contribute further to UMS’s success at both national and international levels,” Ihwan hoped.

He added that in 2024, UMS is targeting 500 national achievements. To date, the university has already secured approximately 360 achievements. The Office of Student Affairs expects this number to grow, especially with the addition of international achievements from various competitions, including sports.

“We will continue to encourage students to achieve both nationally and internationally, as this has a significant impact on accreditation and our goal of becoming a World-Class University,” Ihwan added.

Echoing the Vice-Rector III, the Head of UMS’s Physical Education Program, Nur Subekti, S.Pd., M.Or., stated that UMS takes student development very seriously. Many UMS athletes have successfully competed on national and international stages.

“We hope the new achievements at PON 2024 will boost UMS students’ motivation, particularly in sports. We certainly hope UMS students can maintain, and even surpass, their current achievements,” Subekti concluded. 

Writer: Fika

Editor: Genis

Source: News UMS