The top of the climbing wall bore witness as Cahyo Adi Nugroho completed his final move. His hand reached the highest point of the Men's Lead climbing route. Moments later, the student from the Communication Studies Program, Faculty of Social and Humanities Sciences at UIN Sunan Kalijaga Yogyakarta, descended on his safety rope.
Below him, cheers from his supporters immediately erupted. Pride, relief, and emotion all came together in a single moment. That Thursday (9/10/2026), Cahyo did more than simply finish the route. He brought home the first gold medal for the UIN Sunan Kalijaga contingent at PORSI JAWARA II, held at UIN K.H. Abdurrahman Wahid (Gus Dur) Pekalongan.
That medal was the result of a process prepared long before the competition began. For several months, Cahyo trained while continuously evaluating his performance from one competition to the next.
For him, the greatest challenge was not simply conquering the wall, but conquering himself.
"The hardest part is beating yourself. It felt incredible, I can't even put it into words," Cahyo said after the match.
In the qualifying round, he performed consistently. That same performance carried through to the final, as he conquered each hold with careful calculation until he became the participant who reached the highest point.
For Cahyo, the victory did not stand alone. There were the prayers and support of his parents, friends from UIN Sunan Kalijaga's Mapala (Nature Lovers Student Association) who came in person to Pekalongan, and the training process that shaped him to stay calm on the route. Along that journey, support from UIN Sunan Kalijaga was also part of what enabled him to make it all the way to the contingent's first gold medal.
He also had a message for his fellow athletes who still have matches ahead of them in the PORSI JAWARA II series.
"Don't overthink whatever the outcome will be. Keep your head held high. What matters most is that we make the most of what we trained for and give our best in competition," he said.
On the same day, another story unfolded on the arts stage. Ozy Qomar, a student in the Islamic Guidance and Counseling Study Program, Faculty of Da'wah and Communication, contributed a bronze medal in the Islamic Pop Solo branch.
For Ozy, the medal was the fruit of his hard work. He said he felt very happy that the intensive training he underwent with his coach finally paid off in the arena. During his preparation period, he trained continuously to refine his performance while evaluating his progress to perform even better at the competition.
Support from the university was also part of that process. Ozy noted that UIN Sunan Kalijaga gives students space to prepare themselves, including through support for the PSM Gita Savana (Gita Savana Student Choir).
"What matters most is doing your best. Try to do your best and show what you're capable of," Ozy said.
The two medals won on the first day reveal a different face of PORSI JAWARA II. On one side, there is Cahyo, testing his composure and precision of movement all the way to the top of the wall. On the other, there is Ozy, bringing his vocal training and musicality to the stage.
The two come from entirely different fields, yet they converge on one thing: the courage to bring perseverance into the arena of competition.
This achievement marks an early foothold in what remains a long journey for the contingent. Some matches are still ongoing, while a number of other branches have yet to enter their next stages.
Cahyo chooses to see his gold medal not as a finish line, but as a path opener for his fellow athletes.
"This is our first gold medal for UIN Sunan Kalijaga. I'm confident more gold medals from our other friends will follow. I know they can become champions too," he said.
From the top of the climbing wall to the arts stage, these two medals became an opening story, not just about who came home with a medal, but about students who dared to test themselves, carried the name of their university, and learned that every competition always leaves behind something longer-lasting than a number on the scoreboard. (humassk)