Triumph at the 2023 Bhayangkara Presisi Taekwondo Nationals

Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta (UMS) Taekwondo team has achieved a remarkable feat by winning 15 medals at the National Taekwondo Bhayangkara Presisi 2023 Championship in Magelang (6/8). The team's impressive tally comprises seven gold, five silver, and three bronze medals.

Mohammad Junior Candra Saputro, who clinched the gold medal in the Kyorugi under the 58 kg category, shared that in this championship, the UMS Taekwondo team sent a contingent for two categories: Kyorugi and Poomsae.

"UMS sent 15 participants to take part in the championship. Alhamdulillah, all of us managed to secure medals. We outperformed 88 taekwondo teams from 23 other campuses," Junior exclaimed.

Kyorugi is a match between two taekwondo players, and it requires both players to defend and attack their opponents to score points. On the other hand, Poomsae is a sequence of basic attacking and defensive movements in taekwondo.

In the final round against UPN Veteran Yogyakarta, the Poomsae Taekwondo Team from UMS initially faced a setback in the second round. However, they managed to turn the tide and emerge victorious with a point difference of 0.60.

"Alhamdulillah, in the Poomsae category, we secured both gold and silver medals," Junior added

Junior shared that the training process leading up to the competition took two months. He added that group training sessions were held almost every day.

"We usually train on Mondays and Tuesdays and, take a break on Wednesdays, then continue on Thursdays and Fridays. Sundays are typically reserved for regular physical training," said the student from the Faculty of Teacher Training and Education at UMS.

These training sessions also served as a way to assess the participants' abilities, leading to a natural selection process. Dhinda Aura Sukma, a silver medalist in the Poomsae category, explained that there were several stages that each participant had to go through.

"We trained for two months. The training was divided into several stages, starting from general training, specific training, and then selection," she clarified.

Moreover, Sukma added that before participating in the Bhayangkara Presisi championship, members of the UMS Taekwondo team would undergo a selection process.

"The selection is based on training consistency. We observe the progress of each participant. Who's improving, and who's not? From around 20 participants, it's then narrowed down to 15," said the Psychology student at UMS.

Junior and Sukma mentioned that during the training process, they encountered several challenges that posed unique obstacles. These challenges arose due to changes in the coaching staff, resulting in a period where coaching was temporarily unavailable during the preparations for the competition.

"During that time, there was a coaching staff transition, so we had to rely on self-training. Some guidance was available, but only for some days. We followed the training program previously set by our former coach," Junior explained regarding his challenges.

Nevertheless, despite these obstacles, Junior and Sukma remain grateful that their training yielded positive results in the championship.

Junior revealed that UMS provided full support throughout the preparation process and during the competition itself. This support included funding and accommodation facilities for the journey to the competition venue.

"UMS has been supportive, providing funding and facilitating accommodations and transportation to the venue," he said.

Through this remarkable achievement, Junior and Sukma are confident that UMS Taekwondo team will be able to compete in future championships. Junior mentioned that the team has plans to participate in two upcoming competitions.

"We are planning to participate in the Bali International Championship 2023 and the KASAL Cup 2023 in Jakarta around October," shared Junior and Sukma.

Sukma hopes that the UMS Taekwondo team will continue to maximize their training efforts. She advised them not to become complacent after their recent success.

"We still hunger for more. There are still many other competitions where we might face opponents who are stronger than us. So, training should be maximized," Sukma concluded.

Writer: Gede Arga Adrian

Editor: Genis Dwi Gustati

Translator: Farizal Luqman Maji