IO, Solo – Universitas Sebelas Maret (UNS) Surakarta received a beautiful gift on the commemoration of its 45th Anniversary. One of the most meaningful prizes is the achievement of Zidni Rahma Amaly, a student of the Sports Coaching Education Study Program, Faculty of Sports, UNS, who represented Indonesia in the 2021 Virtual International Pencak Silat Championship last month.
At the event, organized by the International Pencak Silat Association, Zidni was in the top rank in the women’s singles category. Zidni, who outperformed representatives from Thailand and Brunei Darussalam, is currently joining the National Training Center as she is being prepared for the SEA Games in the Philippines.
She entered the National Training Center since being declared the 1st Place winner in the qualifying round of the Indonesian National Sports Week. Zidni was then appointed by the National Training Center to represent Indonesia in this international Pencak Silat tournament.
Deputy Dean for Academic, Research, and Student Affairs at the Faculty of Sports, UNS Dr. Rony Syaifullah confirmed this news. “Competing internationally means that she carries the name of the campus and the country as well. Alhamdulillah, the results are good, first place,” he said as quoted by Uns.ac.id, Friday (12/3/2021).
The tournament that Zidni par ticipated in was virtual. In the preliminary round, all applicants were asked to submit a video demonstrating their silat movement. This video cannot be edited at all because it is to be screened and verified directly by the committee. After being declared qualified, the participants competed virtually.
To foster the UNS’s Pencak Silat athletes and inspire them to always excel, Rony admitted that he would hold a similar tournament as one of the agendas to celebrate UNS’s 45th Anniversary. In the tournament, which is planned to be held after Eid, only singles and teams will be competing, considering there are still social restrictions.
He hopes that the achievements of UNS Pencak Silat can endure. “Pencak Silat UNS has a winning tradition. It was so before I entered the university, when I entered it as a student, and until now my students have also made many achievements. I hope that this tradition will become the hallmark of UNS. Hopefully, it will always be maintained,” said the lecturer, who is also the coach of the Indonesian Pencak Silat team at the 2018 Asian Games. (est)