Indonesian Student Athlete from UI Claims Gold at Japan Taekwondo Championship
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- Universitas Indonesia student Titan Averous Damhuri won gold in the men’s -68 kg kyorugi category at The 22nd WATA Open International Taekwondo Championship 2026 in Japan.
- Despite competing with a left knee injury, Titan delivered a strong performance and added another international title to his growing record as a student-athlete.
- Titan’s victory reflects his ability to balance academic responsibilities with athletic training, while also inspiring other UI students to pursue excellence in both education and sports.
Jakarta – Titan Averous Damhuri, a student of the Multimedia Broadcasting Study Program at the Vocational Education Program of Universitas Indonesia UI, has won a gold medal in the men’s kyorugi category at The 22nd WATA Open International Taekwondo Championship 2026 in Japan.
“I joined this tournament because I wanted to gain more experience and increase my exposure to international-level competition,” Titan said in an official statement received in Depok on Wednesday.
The 22nd WATA Open International Taekwondo Championship is an annual tournament regularly held in Japan and drew around 700 participants this year.
The event is regarded as one of the international competitions that brings together taekwondo athletes from various categories and levels.
For Titan, competing in the tournament offered a valuable chance to sharpen his skills and gain more experience on the international stage.
He prepared for the competition for about one month. During that period, Titan trained regularly with his team while continuing independent practice in between his university commitments. The preparation, however, was far from easy as he entered the event while dealing with a left knee injury.
The injury affected his training in the lead-up to the competition.
Even so, Titan remained determined to perform at his best in the ring.
“My biggest challenge was having to compete while my left knee was injured. It affected my training quite a lot, but I tried to stay focused and give my best during the match,” he said.
Amid the demands of being both a student and an athlete, Titan also worked to maintain a balance between academic responsibilities and training. He used his spare time to complete assignments while preparing for the tournament.
His success in Japan adds to a growing list of achievements he has collected in recent years.
In 2023, he won the men’s junior kyorugi title at the Daedo Taekwondo Open Championship in Singapore.
In 2025, Titan claimed another gold medal, this time in the men’s senior kyorugi category at the Lima Provinsi Kajati Banten Championship.
Looking ahead, Titan said he hopes to continue developing as an athlete and reach even higher levels of achievement. He is also targeting strong results in the upcoming Pekan Olahraga Mahasiswa Provinsi Pomprov and Liga Mahasiswa competitions.
Safrin Arifin, director of UI’s Vocational Education Program, said the achievement reflects the spirit and hard work shown by UI vocational students in developing their potential beyond academics.
“Titan’s achievement is expected to inspire other students to keep growing and to compete confidently at both the national and international levels,” Safrin said.
Indonesianpost.com | Antara
