UMS Karate Team Sweeps 13 Medals at Karate International Championship 2026

The Karate Team of Universitas Muhammadiyah Surakarta (UMS) has once again earned achievements at the international level at the Karate International Championship 2026. The UMS contingent successfully brought home 13 medals (2 gold, 7 silver, and 4 bronze) in the competition held at the State Islamic University (UIN) Walisongo Semarang from 10 to 12 July 2026.

The two gold medals were delivered by Fahmi Afif Rasyad from the Law Program in the men's student kumite over 84 kg category, and Fernian Syiela Wardani from the Sport Education Program in the women's student kumite under 61 kg category.

The full medal tally for UMS karate athletes is as follows:

Gold Medals

• Fahmi Afif Rasyad (Law Program) — Men's Student Kumite >84 kg.
• Fernian Syiela Wardani (Physical Education Program) — Women's Student Kumite <61 kg.

Silver Medals

• Shazika Shafa Humaira (Informatics Program) — Women's Senior Kumite <50 kg and Women's Student Kumite <50 kg.
• Viola Dwi Destarani (Pharmacy Program) — Women's Student Kumite <61 kg.
• Vania Ramadhani (Psychology Program) — Women's Student Kumite <55 kg.
• Muchlis Dwi Angga Kusuma (Psychology Program) — Men's Student Kumite <55 kg.
• Muhammad Labib Mu'azza (Islamic Education Program) — Men's Student Kumite <75 kg.
• Satria Galuh Saputra (Information Systems Program) — Men's Student Kumite <60 kg.

Bronze Medals

• Fahmi Afif Rasyad (Law Program) — Men's Senior Kumite >84 kg.
• Fernian Syiela Wardani (Physical Education Program) — Women's Senior Kumite <61 kg.
• Viola Dwi Destarani (Pharmacy Program) — Women's Senior Kumite <61 kg.
• Danar Tri Prayoga (Informatics Program) — Men's Student Kumite <67 kg.

UMS Karate Coach Ahmad Darmawan, S.T., said the achievement is the result of synergy between the management, coaches, and athletes in developing coaching strategies and determining the competition categories. According to him, the athletes' varied backgrounds and experiences became the team's strength when combined with proper mapping.

"In terms of quality, our karate athletes have varied backgrounds and experiences. The strategy for selecting athletes and competition categories by the UKM management, supported by synergy with the coaches, was the most prominent factor in achieving maximum results at the championship," he said on Tuesday (14/7/2026).

He explained that UMS Karate already has a structured system for cadre development and performance coaching. The coaching team is able to identify potential athletes early on with support from alumni who actively provide intensive coaching. Going forward, according to Ahmad, coaching needs to be strengthened through athlete regeneration and the development of data-based sport science so that achievements can improve sustainably while strengthening UMS's international recognition.

"UMS Karate has a relatively well-organized cadre development and performance coaching model. The coaching team is able to map out potential talents who can become champions, and this is supported by the involvement of alumni in providing intensive coaching and training," he added.

Silver medalist Vania Ramadhani, from the Psychology Program, said the team's success cannot be separated from disciplined training and camaraderie among the athletes throughout the preparation period. She noted that all team members underwent two months of intensive training before competing and supported one another to maintain motivation.

"From the beginning of preparation, we supported each other. My teammates kept inviting me to train and encouraged one another so we could stay optimistic during the competition. That camaraderie made the pressure feel lighter when competing because we didn't feel alone," Vania said.

According to Vania, one of the toughest challenges in the arena was facing opponents with a defensive style who relied on counterattacks. Because of this, she chose to play more patiently, waiting for the right moment to strike. That strategy helped her secure a silver medal in the women's student kumite under 55 kg.

"For me, the hardest ones are opponents who are dominantly defensive and then counter back. If you attack recklessly, you get hit with a counter. So I played more patiently, waiting for them to attack first before I moved in to find an opening," Vania said.

The achievement at UIN Walisongo Semarang further solidifies the consistency of UMS's Karate student club in producing high-performing athletes. Going forward, the team is targeting more prestigious events such as the National Sports Week and national championships, while also aiming to increase its gold medal count as a form of UMS students' contribution at both the national and international levels.

Writer: Alvian Rizky Prasetya

Editor: Gede Arga Adrian

Translator: Farizal Luqman Majid