Catherine Sihaloho’s Achievements as a Student and Fencing Talent

Padjadjaran University students have achievements in various fields, one of which is Catherine Sihaloho, a student of Fikom Unpad from Jakarta who is now in her 6th semester in the Communication Science study program. Although she is looking for an internship and developing a thesis topic, Catherine is still actively practicing fencing, a sport that has been a part of her life since the age of 13 when she was still in junior high school.

Catherine’s choice to become a fencer was no accident. Before becoming a fencer, Catherine had tried another sport, chess, but Catherine chose fencing because she saw fencing as something interesting because it requires careful strategy.

During her journey as an athlete over the years, Catherine has participated in various levels of competition ranging from provincial, national, and even international levels. In 2021, Catherine got the opportunity to compete in the National Sports Week (PON) representing DKI Jakarta. The experience of competing in PON 2021 was the most interesting experience according to Catherine because it was her first PON. Although it was a tense experience because she competed with more experienced seniors, Catherine won a bronze medal at PON 2021. In addition, Catherine considers the competition the most interesting because she also had the opportunity to explore the beauty of Papua during PON 2021.

Catherine recognizes that as an athlete, she must have the ability to adjust to new places. In every match, she has to adjust to the new environment in order to compete well and in top form.

For Catherine, being a fencer is not just about achieving and competing, it is also about building relationships with fellow athletes and making new friends with similar hobbies, exploring new places to compete, and learning about discipline and commitment during training, which is eventually implemented into everyday life. One of the things that makes Catherine happy about being a fencer is that it has given her a new family and friends who always encourage her to be the best version of herself.

While being a fencer has many benefits, it also comes with many challenges. One of them is good time management to balance between education, fencing training, and time with closest relatives. For Catherine herself, the obligation to practice almost every day is one of the challenges to keep doing her educational obligations and sometimes have to sacrifice time with the closest relatives. However, Catherine recognizes that this can still be faced, as evidenced by Catherine’s many achievements as a fencing athlete and her activity on campus.

For those who are interested in becoming fencing athletes, Catherine suggests joining a fencing club in their respective areas. Initial training and physical preparation before starting training with the sword are important things that need to be prepared.

In Catherine Sihaloho’s journey as an accomplished student and fencing athlete, she has shown tremendous dedication to both roles. Not only does it provide a glimpse into the successful life of a student and fencer, but it also provides encouragement and motivation for those who are interested in pursuing fencing. (JJC)