Amid intense preparations for the Asian karate stage, a sense of relief finally appeared on the face of Leica Al Humaira Lubis. The student of the Faculty of Computer Science and Information Technology at Universitas Sumatera Utara (Fasilkom-TI USU) achieved another remarkable milestone by winning a gold medal at the 2026 National Karate Championship for the FORKI Chairman’s Cup IV, held in Bandung from May 9–12, 2026. This marked her third gold medal following her victories at the 2025 SEA Games in Thailand and the 2024 Aceh–North Sumatra National Sports Week (PON XXI).

Competing in the prestigious Senior Women’s Kumite +68 Kg category, Leica delivered an impressive performance from the early rounds. The athlete trained under Indonesia’s National Karate Training Center successfully broke through the dominance of her rivals before eventually facing Jakarta karateka Salma Aulia in the final match. In a high-intensity bout, Leica secured victory with a convincing score of 6–3. For Leica, this gold medal was more than just another victory. It represented a long journey filled with setbacks and hard work that finally paid off.

“This is an important moment because this is my first gold medal at the National Championship. In the previous two championships in West Sumatra and Banten, I won silver medals,” Leica said happily after the medal ceremony. The achievement became a significant milestone in her career as a national karate athlete. Especially after failing to secure a bronze medal at the 2025 Asian Karate Federation (AKF) Championship, the National Championship gold medal now serves as a major confidence boost ahead of the upcoming AKF competition in June. “This is an important stepping stone toward the Asian level,” she said.

Leica’s success did not come instantly. The daughter of Andi Lubis and Maya Junifrianti first became acquainted with karate at the age of 10. She trained at Dojo INKANAS Sei Deli and quickly fell in love with the martial art because, according to her, karate develops not only physical strength but also mental resilience. Although she once stopped training for a period, Leica returned to karate at the age of 11 and has remained fully committed ever since.

Behind her determination stands a figure she greatly admires: Sensei Jintar, the coach who has guided her since childhood. He played a major role in shaping Leica’s character and competitive mentality, enabling her to grow into a national athlete. Leica’s journey to success was not always smooth. She once experienced a bitter disappointment after failing at the 2022 Regional Sports Week (Porprov), which served as a qualification event for the National Sports Week (PON). However, the setback did not stop her.

“Alhamdulillah, afterward I was called to the North Sumatra PON team selection and succeeded,” she recalled. A never-give-up attitude has become Leica’s life principle. She firmly holds onto the motto: “Train as if you have never won, and compete as if you have never lost.”

That philosophy is reflected in her daily life as an athlete. Before competitions, Leica prepares herself with strict discipline, from praying to studying videos of her future opponents’ techniques. In her everyday life, the 172-centimeter-tall athlete, weighing 66 kilograms, also maintains a healthy lifestyle by consuming nutritious, controlled meals and ensuring adequate rest.

Interestingly, despite her achievements as a national athlete, Leica chose to pursue academics in information technology rather than sports studies. She jokingly admitted that she stayed in the field because she had “already entered Fasilkom USU.” Outside the competition arena, Leica has a calm personality. She enjoys reading and listening to rock music. Although many of her friends consider her quiet, Leica explained that she is actually just shy and hesitant to talk too much. “My friends say I’m quiet. But actually, I’m just shy and reluctant to talk a lot,” she said with a smile.

Behind her calm demeanor lies a big dream she continues to pursue. In addition to aspiring to become a web developer, Leica also has a simple yet meaningful ambition: to travel around the world through karate. Her gold medal victory at the 2025 SEA Games in Thailand remains one of the proudest moments of her life. As a debut athlete, she successfully contributed a gold medal for Indonesia at Southeast Asia’s biggest multi-sport event.

“I felt happy and emotional because as a debutant I could present a gold medal for Indonesia,” she said. Now, after the 2026 FORKI National Championship, Leica must once again focus on national training camp preparations in Jakarta. Major events await her ahead: AKF 2026 and her main target of making Indonesia’s National Team for the 2026 Asian Games in Nagoya, Japan, this coming September.

Amid this long journey, Leica has a simple message for young people of her generation:
“Never give up on achieving your dreams, because God will work in His own way,” Leica said confidently. Those words feel like more than mere motivation; they are a true reflection of Leica’s own life journey — a Fasilkom USU student who has proven that perseverance, discipline, and the courage to rise after failure can lead someone to stand on the highest podium.

Congratulations and continued success, Leica Lubis! (RJ)