The interest of a student of the Undergraduate English Department Universitas Dian Nuswantoro (Udinus), Angelica Calista Putri Julianto, toward Wushu has been kindling since she was in kindergarten. The support from her parents pushed the woman known as Angel to commit to pursuing this sport and accomplishing various feats.
As she grew up, many podiums were secured under Angel’s feet. Her commitment came to fruition in many different leagues and competitions.
Angel’s accomplishments include a first place in the Taiji Quan Zixuan Female category at Wugames 2024, a second place in the Taiji Quan Female at the 2023 Central Java Provisional Sports Week, a first place in the Women’s Senior Taiji Quan category in a league hosted by a public university in Semarang, and many more.
According to Angel, injuries are the most common challenges she must overcome during a match, especially if the injuries begin to recur shortly before a match. Angel stated that this caused negative energy to emerge.
“This is where the problems start to arise. I have to get rid of my negative thoughts, so it won’t affect my performance. Another hardship I must endure is Nandu (jump). As a Wushu athlete, especially on the senior level, I must perform Nandu on various levels of difficulty. This means that I should upgrade myself in terms of the level and the difficulties,” she explained.
In addition, Angel, who was born in 2005 in Semarang, also stated that there were various attributes an athlete must have. These include a powerful mentality to counter opponents of different ages and experiences, and an excellent control of fear, adrenaline, and grogginess so one cannot let them affect their performance.
“An athlete must also be disciplined and have a powerful motivation and spirit to excel in every match. Also, don’t forget to show respect to our parents and coaches, as their support and knowledge are what turned us into athletes in the first place,” she continued.
Time Management for Academic Activities
Angel also said that athletes must also be able to manage time, especially for athletes like her, who also bear the responsibility to maintain their studies.
“Currently, I often train both in the morning and evening. The morning training begins from 8 to 11 AM. After that, I usually go to campus to attend lectures. If there is no class in session, I usually work on my assignments. In the evening, I continue my training from 5 to 8 PM. Following my training, I continue doing my assignment or studying,” said the athlete who is a member of the English Student Association at Udinus.
According to Angel, Udinus always provides support, like allowing her to be absent from lectures or classes to train. The campus also appreciates her accomplishments and efforts. “I hope I can compete in compete in various matches this year well, attain more accomplishments, and get my goals accomplished,” she concluded. (Humas udinus/Penulis: Ika. Editor: Haris. Foto: Dok. Pribadi)
