Cheers filled the Universitas Gadjah Mada Innovation and Creativity Hub (GIK UGM)’s Joglo as the Judo competition of Porsenigama 2025 took place on Sunday (Nov. 16). The event became one of the most anticipated matches of the tournament, showcasing the technique, agility, and strength of UGM’s young athletes. Enthusiasm from both athletes and spectators was evident from the start, adding to the intensity of the full-day competition. This year’s tournament consisted of two categories, Tachi Waza and Judo, across weight classes ranging from 55 kg, 60 kg, 66 kg, 73 kg, 81 kg, 90 kg, to +90 kg.
Galang, the Person in Charge (PIC) of the Judo competition, reported that this year’s event brought together 130 students from various faculties.
The Tachi Waza category featured 59 participants, while 71 athletes competed in the Judo category.
He expressed hope that Porsenigama would continue serving as a development platform for UGM’s young athletes.
“We hope the Judo competition at Porsenigama can help identify athletes who will later represent UGM in national and international judo events,” he said.
In the men’s 81 kg Judo category, Muhammad Akmal Tian secured the gold medal.
The victory marked a significant achievement for Tian, who demonstrated consistency throughout the matches.
His steady performance reflected strong technical maturity, despite limited preparation.
“I hardly had any special preparation for Porsenigama this year, just relying on my experience from last year,” he shared.
A similar accomplishment was achieved by David Eka Prasetya, a 2024 student from the Faculty of Agricultural Technology (FTP UGM), who earned gold in the Tachi Waza 81 kg category.
Prasetya suffered a minor foot injury after a misstep during the match, yet continued competing and demonstrated solid technique.
During his preparation, he focused on mastering foundational Tachi Waza movements, as he had previously trained more extensively in wrestling, which uses different techniques.
“I adapted by observing and analysing techniques used by Olympic-level judokas,” he explained.
The Porsenigama competition offered valuable lessons for Prasetya, particularly regarding physical limits and match strategy.
The experience strengthened his commitment to developing further as a judo athlete.
He hopes to return to next year’s Porsenigama with an even stronger performance and without injuries hindering his progress.
Author: Cyntia Noviana
Editor: Triya Andriyani
Post-editor: Lintang Andwyna
Photograph: Porsenigama 2025