IPB University Student Wins 1st Place in World Paragliding Championship in Serbia
Hening Paradigma, student of IPB University Graduate School Food Science Magister Program, successfully won gold in group landing accuracy in the 1st Category of Fédération Aéronautique Internationale (FAI) World Championship. The event was held in Vršac, Serbia, last September 2019. Paradigma expressed that he was proud of the achievement, as it is the most prestigious world championship of paragliding (1st category) held every two years. All countries and participants in this championship are record holders. Paradigma was just 14 years old when he first got involved in paragliding. Until now, he has won 23 gold, 15 bronze, and 10 silver medals both in national and international competitions.
Paradigma hopes to secure Indonesia’s dominancy as 1st in the world, landing accuracy category, and instill a sense of pride in the people of Indonesia. In order to gain that achievement, Paradigma and team had to face challenges such as extreme weather, understand rhythm of the competition set by the host country, and cope with differences of food from Indonesia and Serbia. Paradigma overcame dissimilar weather challenge by disciplining himself in rhythm, temperature, and maintaining healthy food intake. Paradigma was officially registered as a student in IPB University’s Graduate School, Food Science program, in the academic year 2019/2020 through Asian Games 2018 Gold Winner Scholarship from IPB University. IPB University created this scholarship as a way of caring for the Indonesian athletes who have brought Indonesia glory in Asian Games 2018, and to ensure the future of their education.
Paradigma’s diligence in paragliding was not always smooth sailing. In 2008, he was injured twice, once it was a large bruise on his thigh, leaving him unable to walk for more than three weeks. His second injury was a left elbow dislocation which prevented him from participating in the Asian Beach Games 2008 in Bali and National Sports Week 2008 (PON) in East Kalimantan. However, all these obstacles did not lower his spirit to continuously score records and bringing forth Indonesia on the world stage.
