Another proud achievement has been carved by a young athlete from Kutai Kartanegara (Kukar). Cristian Dafio Sentosa, a karateka trained by the Indonesian Karate-Do Institute (Inkado) Kukar, successfully won a bronze medal at the 13th South East Asian Karate Federation (SEAKF) Championship 2026 held in Hanoi, Vietnam.
The championship, which took place starting July 9, bore witness to Dafio's toughness on the international stage. Although the competition at the Southeast Asian level is known for being fierce, this young athlete was able to deliver an impressive performance and ultimately step onto the winner's podium.
The Chairman of Inkado Kukar, Ahmad Yani, expressed his highest appreciation for the achievement. According to Yani, Dafio's success is tangible proof that the athlete development system implemented by Inkado Kukar has been effective and capable of producing talented athletes up to the international level.
"This achievement is extraordinary considering it is an international-level championship. Even though he didn't win gold, the struggle shown by Dafio makes Kutai Kartanegara, East Kalimantan, and even Indonesia as a whole very proud," said Yani, who also serves as the Chairman of the Kukar Regional House of Representatives (DPRD).
Furthermore, Yani hopes that this achievement will motivate other young karateka to continue training with high discipline. The success in Vietnam is expected to be an important momentum so that local athletes do not feel intimidated when competing against athletes from other countries in professional competitions in the future.
