Depok, July 26th 2023. Mapala UI (Mahasiswa Pecinta Alam Universitas Indonesia) had the opportunity to represent the Universitas Indonesia (UI) to take part in the 2nd ASEAN-China Student Rowing Competition held by the Tianjin Haihe Water Sport Center, China. The team consisting of 8 rowers and 1 coxswain managed to bring home a bronze medal to Indonesia after rowing 1000 m in the male eight person single oar with helmsman category.
This achievement is clear evidence of the dedication and perseverance of Mapala UI team members in facing challenges and upholding the reputation of Universitas Indonesia at the international level. They were the only Indonesian representatives out of 9 participants who came from 4 different countries, namely China, Thailand, Malaysia and Indonesia. This competition was part of the activities of the ASEAN-China Network for Cooperation and Exchanges among Engineering and Technology Universities (ACNET EngTech). The event also featured cultural performances from each delegation.
Mapala UI participated at the cultural performance event by performing the Kecak dance which created a silent atmosphere throughout the gala dinner room. The audience was transfixed watching their dance. This silence was broken when the UI students invited the participants to dance Gemu Fa Mi Re (Maumere) together.
In this competition, Mapala UI’s rowing team showed an impressive performance with an unyielding spirit and close cooperation. Mapala UI has proven that Indonesian students are able to compete and excel at the international level. In addition, they proved that rowing in Indonesia has great potential to achieve global achievements.
Vice Rector for Academic and Student Affairs, Prof. Dr. rer nat Abdul Haris, gave appreciation for the achievements of the Mapala UI Team. “The unyielding fighting spirit shown by the Mapala UI Team must be appreciated. UI really supports student activities both academic and non-academic. This includes artistic and cultural creation activities that bring pride to UI and Indonesia on the international stage,” said Prof. Harris.
The team consisted of students from several faculties, such as Aldes Alfarizi, Fikra Alfath, M. Fadhil Falah, M. Fajar Aqil Asya’bani, M. Fajar Al Walidayn from the Faculty of Humanities; Gagah Putra Ibrahim from the Faculty of Social and Political Science; M. Shalahudin Yahya from the Faculty of Economics and Business; Raden Abdullah from the Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences; and Raditya Anggoro from Faculty of Administrative Science. They marked a milestone for Mapala UI in encouraging members and achieving even greater success in the future. As said by M. Shalahudin Yahya, Head of Mapala UI, “This is an experience we will never forget for the rest of our lives, it is an honor for us to be able to bring UI’s name to the international scene. Apart from that, what makes us even more proud is that we can introduce Indonesian culture and dance the Gemu Fa Mi Re with delegates from other countries at an international event like this.”
