EN.MUHAMMADIYAH.OR.ID, PRAGUE – Putra Tri Ramadani, an Indonesian sport climber and student of Muhammadiyah University of Surabaya (UMSURA) has made history by winning the gold medal in the men’s lead event at the 2026 World Climbing Series in Prague, Czech Republic.
The fourth-semester Management student secured the victory on Monday (8/6). He became the first Indonesian athlete and the first athlete from Southeast Asia to win a World Climbing Series gold medal in the lead discipline.
Putra scored 43 points in the final, finishing ahead of Japan’s Neo Suzuki with 39 points. Followed by Austria’s Jakob Schubert claiming the bronze medal.
The achievement marks the biggest milestone of Putra’s climbing career to date. He reached the finals in the previous two World Climbing Series events before capturing his first title in Prague.
A Journey Built through Consistent Success
For Putra, the gold medal represents the culmination of years of steady progress. His rise began in 2022 when he won a gold medal at the East Java Provincial games in Situbondo. That performance earned him a place in East Java’s regional training program.
He continued to build momentum through national and open competitions, collecting several gold medals along the way.
His breakthrough came at the 2024 National Sports Week (PON), where he won five gold medals in the lead discipline across individual and team events. The results secured his place in the national training camp of the Indonesian Sport Climbing Federation.
University Celebrates Historic Achievement
Mundakir, rector of UMSURA, expressed pride in his student’s accomplishment.
“After watching the final, I was deeply impressed by Putra’s performance,” he said. “He scored 43 points and outperformed competitors from some of the world’s strongest climbing nations. This is a historic moment for Indonesian sport climbing.”
He described the victory as Indonesia’s first gold medal in the lead category at the World Climbing Series and said the entire university community was proud of the achievement.
Mundakir also announced that the university would provide a special bonus in recognition of Putra’s success.
“We will invite Putra to campus after the competition,” he said. “It has become a tradition at our university to reward athletes who bring honor to both the institution and Indonesia on the international stage.”
Supporting Athletes Beyond Competition
Meanwhile, Khoirul Anam said Putra’s success reflects the university’s commitment to supporting excellence in both academics and sports.
“Umsura is committed to being a home for professional athletes,” he said. “We want them to develop their talents, achieve success, and continue their higher education at the same time.”
Khoirul added that the university has established flexible academic arrangements for student-athletes. The system allows them to balance their studies with training schedules and national team responsibilities.
Putra is not the only elite climber studying at the university. Several national athletes have previously graduated from UMSURA, including Roji, Rachmad Adi, Eka Dian Krismawati, and Kharisma Ragil.
According to Khoirul, nine sport-climbing athletes are currently enrolled at the university across various academic programs. All receive full athletic scholarships from the institution.
Putra’s victory in Prague not only marks a personal triumph but also represents a landmark achievement for Indonesian and Southeast Asian sport climbing on the world stage. (Bhisma)
