goodmorningpapua.com – A female fighter, Akdamina Susana Epa, becomes one of the mainstays of the Papuan fighting team to win the gold medal at the National Sports Week or PON XX of Papua. Moreover, Akdamina has already won the rigors of competition for fighting degrees in the PON XIX of West Java 2016.
The athlete who was born in Sentani, Jayapura Regency, on May 16, 1988, said that he never expected to have a career as a martial arts athlete. Susi, Akdamina Susana Epa’s nickname, admitted that at first she practiced boxing, and that was just following an invitation from her friend.
Her hobby of practicing the boxing was even opposed by her parents who considered boxing a dangerous sport for women. Susi finally succeeded to convince her parents that boxing is a provision to take care of herself.
“I have been boxing since 2007, from high school. I am not a student of the Student Sports Education and Training Center or PPLP, but I immediately played in regional championships. At that time I [practiced] boxing [because of] an invitation from a friend who said I should join boxing to protect myself, because we are women. I joined the training and finally joined the Kejurda. At first my parents didn’t agree, but I talked nicely with my parents, they finally agreed,” said Susi, Tuesday (20/7/2021).
Susi had tasted failure when she competed in the Regional Boxing Championships in Sarmi in 2014. She was lucky to have met the late Robby Finngkreuw, a fighting teacher who persuaded her to join the Papuan PON competition team selection to take part in the Pre-PON of West Java in 2015.
Susi apparently passed the selection, and was forged by Robby Finngkreuw to become a reliable fighter. It is not easy for a boxer like Susi to become a fighter of Tarung Derajat . Her parents were again worried to see Susi being forged into a fighter, because this martial art uses both hands and feet.
Not wasting the opportunity, Susi immediately proved herself as a potential female fighter. She got success to win a gold medal at the Pre-PON of West Java, which was her first championship in combat sports. “Before the Pre-PON, I only practiced for three months. Even then my feet are not agile. Towards PON XIX of West Java, I practiced for five months, until I really could,” she explained.
Together with Paul Brando Finngkreuw and Gabriel Sadewa, Susi represented Papua in PON XIX West Java, 2016. Susi once again made a surprise by winning the PON gold medal. “I only participated in the championships in the Pre-PON of West Java and PON XIX, both of which I succeeded to get a gold medal,” she said.
Now, Susi wants to give her best achievement for the Land of Papua. “Now I’m preparing again for the PON XX of Papua. The target given by the management is three gold medals [from the combat sport branch]. I’m one of the [athletes] targeted for gold. I will fight as good as possible,” she concluded.
A Chairperson of the Family of Papuan Sporst of Tarung Derajat, Dr Demus Kogoya, expressed optimism that Susi Epa could win the gold medal for PON XX of Papua. “In her class, Susi Epa is the best in all of Indonesia. She who we championed to get the gold medal, defended his achievements in the [ PON XIX of ] West Java. I see she is still superior and is a scourge for fighters from other provinces,” said Kogoya.