Andre Obaja Maloky, a 2023 batch Management Program student at UPH Surabaya Campus, secured the gold medal in the Indonesia Super Fighting Championship 2023, held virtually from December 20-23, 2023. This national-level taekwondo competition was organized by the Central KONI, the Regional Management of Indonesian Taekwondo in Yogyakarta, in collaboration with the Ministry of Youth and Sports, involving 675 participants from 55 dojangs across Indonesia.

Andre Obaja Maloky won the gold medal in the Senior Men’s Individual Poomsae category. In Poomsae competitions, evaluations are based on several aspects, including skill, movement accuracy, expression, movement strength, movement trajectory, stability, speed, and rhythm.

For Andre, the biggest challenge in participating in this national-scale event was the high number of participants and the difficulty of competing virtually.

“My first experience participating in a National Virtual Poomsae Championship and competing with so many participants was very challenging. Additionally, I had to ensure my movements were perfectly captured within the camera frame,” he said.

Andre is also active in campus activities, especially in the Student Activity Unit (UKM) and Spiritual Growth for Students. This involvement requires Andre to be highly disciplined in time management to ensure all his activities run smoothly and effectively. For Andre, taekwondo is a passion, but his status as a student is his priority.

“As a student, attending classes and completing assignments is the main priority. However, preparation for competitions is also very important. It’s challenging to manage training time, and it often feels limited,” Andre shared.

Additionally, Andre made it to the Top 12 Ambassadors of UPH Surabaya Campus, which is an extraordinary achievement. With this accomplishment, Andre will be more involved in student organization activities. However, his passion for taekwondo remains strong. He even hopes that there will be a Taekwondo UKM at UPH Surabaya Campus to further develop his potential.

“UPH Surabaya Campus supports me in competing and achieving. The support comes not only from friends but also from lecturers and staff. The campus also assists with the necessary documentation and registration. I hope that in the future, I can train on campus, perhaps with the establishment of a Taekwondo UKM at UPH Surabaya Campus.”

Andre’s achievement demonstrates how passion and responsibility can go hand in hand with good time management and self-discipline, along with support from the University.

Author’s Greetings – YA & AAI