Rian Hendris Saputra, a master’s student in Civil Engineering at the Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Indonesia (FTUI), class of 2024, successfully won 1st place in the Combat Sambo category at the 2025 National Martial Arts Games (PON Beladiri).
Combat Sambo is a martial art that combines grappling and striking techniques, requiring strength, focus, and mental endurance. Rian’s journey to victory was supported by intensive training and his consistency in maintaining both academic and non-academic performance.
In the competition organized by KONI in collaboration with the Jarum Foundation, Rian competed as a representative of the DKI Jakarta team. The event took place in Kudus, Central Java, from 11 to 26 October 2025 and was participated in by athletes from various provinces across Indonesia. In the final round, Rian delivered an impressive performance, showcasing solid technique and well-prepared strategy, ultimately securing first place.
“This victory is not only for me but also for FTUI and DKI Jakarta. I want to prove that engineering students can excel not only in the classroom but also in sports,” said Rian.
Balancing life as a student, athlete, and police officer in the Traffic Corps (Korlantas) is not an easy feat. Amid a demanding academic schedule and numerous assignments, Rian remains committed to training every day. After spending his mornings and afternoons attending classes and completing coursework, he continues his martial arts training every evening at 7 PM. When he has breaks in his class schedule, he takes the opportunity to train twice a day. For Rian, there is no secret formula to success—only discipline, consistency, and prayer.
Ahead of PON, Rian prepared intensely—mentally, physically, and strategically. A major challenge arose when the competition schedule overlapped with Midterm Examinations (UTS). The team departed early for Kudus, while Rian needed to complete his exams and joined two days later. Fortunately, his match was scheduled for the final day, allowing him to compete without missing his academic responsibilities. This experience demonstrates that with good time management, discipline, and strong determination, one can achieve success in academics, professional life, and sports simultaneously.
Rian’s achievement received appreciation from the Dean of FTUI, Prof. Kemas Ridwan Kurniawan, S.T., M.Sc., Ph.D. In his statement, he expressed “Rian’s remarkable achievement shows that FTUI students excel not only academically but also demonstrate discipline, resilience, and sportsmanship at the national level. FTUI is proud of this accomplishment and will continue to support the development of student potential in various fields. We hope this success will inspire other students to continue achieving excellence and bringing pride to FTUI and Universitas Indonesia,” said Prof. Kemas.
This accomplishment further proves that FTUI students are capable of competing and excelling in various fields. FTUI remains committed to supporting the development of student interests and talents through academic activities, research, competitions, and sports at both national and international levels.
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Public Communications Office
Faculty of Engineering, Universitas Indonesia
