A proud achievement has once again been marked by a Universitas Terbuka (UT) student. At the XIX National Student Sports Week (POMNAS), held in Semarang, Central Java, from September 19–27, 2025, a UT Batam student successfully carved history for the Riau Islands Province.
Jeremi Andre Wattimena, a Law student at UT Batam, successfully secured a gold medal in the men’s under 87-kilogram taekwondo event. This achievement broke the long 14-year wait for the Riau Islands contingent, which had not won a gold medal at POMNAS for that period. Jeremi’s brilliant performance ensured the name of Riau Islands once again shone on the national student sports stage.
In this year’s POMNAS, the Riau Islands contingent fielded 41 athletes across 11 sports. Of that number, six athletes came from UT Batam, competing in taekwondo, karate, and pencak silat. Their presence not only represented the region but also served as tangible proof of UT’s commitment to nurturing high-achieving young generations, both academically and non-academically.
Full support from the university was evident even before departure. The athletes were officially sent off by the Director of UT Batam, Angga Sucitra Hendrayana, S.E., M.Si., along with the Head of Administration Subdivision Silfi Amelia, S.Akun., and Marketing and Cooperation Analyst Liska, S.H. In his remarks, Angga expressed his hope that the UT students would perform to their maximum potential while upholding sportsmanship.
“The participation of UT Batam students in this national event is expected to be an inspiration for other students to continue honing their potential, not only in academics but also in sports and arts,” said Angga.
Similar appreciation came from the Manager of Registration and Marketing at UT Batam, Amrin, who emphasized that this achievement proves that the distance learning system does not prevent students from excelling. According to him, UT’s flexibility actually opens up wider space for students to balance their studies with the development of their interests and talents.
As a state university that implements an open and distance education system, UT provides limitless learning opportunities for anyone, anytime, and anywhere. This learning model aligns with the sustainability principles of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly Goal 4 (Quality Education), which focuses on increasing access to quality education and developing the potential of the younger generation.
The achievement brought home by Jeremi and his teammates proves that UT students not only excel in the academic realm but are also capable of competing at the national level in sports. Moreover, the gold achievement at POMNAS XIX affirms UT Batam’s role as an educational institution that produces excellent, independent, and competitive graduates.
With this success, UT Batam further demonstrates its contribution to the advancement of both education and sports in the Riau Islands Province. The national-level achievement of UT students proves that flexible university studies are not an obstacle to achieving dreams but a gateway to greater opportunities for Indonesia’s young generation.
