RRI.CO.ID, Jakarta - Balancing the demands of university life and competitive sport, Titan Averous Damhuri, a student of Multimedia Broadcasting at Universitas Indonesia’s (UI) Vocational Education Program, captured gold in the men’s -68 kg kyorugi category at the 22nd WATA Open International Taekwondo Championship 2026 in Japan.

His triumph came despite battling a left knee injury during preparations. “I joined this tournament to gain experience and increase my exposure at the international level,” Titan said in an official statement from Depok on Wednesday, May 27, 2026, as quoted by Antara.

The WATA Open, an annual taekwondo competition in Japan, drew around 700 participants across categories and skill levels. Titan prepared for a month, training with his team and independently while managing academic responsibilities.

“My biggest challenge was competing with a knee injury. It disrupted my training, but I stayed focused and gave my best in the match,” he explained.

Titan’s victory adds to a growing list of achievements. In 2023, he won gold in the junior -68 kg category at the Daedo Taekwondo Open in Singapore, and in 2025, he claimed the senior -74 kg title at the Five Provinces Kajati Banten Championship.

Looking ahead, he aims to excel at the upcoming Provincial Student Sports Week (Pomprov) and the National Student League.

UI Vocational Program Director Safrin Arifin praised Titan’s accomplishment as a reflection of the determination and hard work of UI students in developing non-academic potential.

“Titan’s achievement is expected to inspire other students to keep growing and dare to compete at both national and international levels,” Safrin said. ***