Fajar Jaelani enters the Spanish League after winning the 2025 SEA Games

Viralterkini.id, Jakarta — Indonesian hockey player, Fajar Jaelani Nugraha, recorded proud achievements throughout 2025 to early 2026.

The athlete who is familiarly called Acil Briel successfully defended his gold medal with the Indonesian Men’s National Indoor Hockey Team at the 33rd SEA Games in Thailand 2025, while at the same time entering elite European competition by joining the Spanish club, CD Malaga 91.

This success places Fajar as one of Indonesia’s current key indoor hockey players. At the 2025 SEA Games, the Indonesian national team was again victorious after defeating Malaysia in the final, which was strengthened by a number of world-class players.

This victory repeats the history of gold which was first won by Indonesia at the 32nd SEA Games in Cambodia 2023.

“My feelings are of course very happy and proud. Being able to defend the gold medal and sing the Indonesia Raya Song again at the SEA Games is a great honor,” said Fajar when contacted from Spain, Thursday (15/1/2026).

Not long after being successful in Thailand, Fajar got a rare opportunity to pursue a career abroad. For the first time in his professional career, he was contracted by the CD Malaga 91 club which competes in the 2025/2026 Spanish Hockey League.

Together with another Indonesian player, Prima Rinaldi Santoso, Fajar strengthened the club until the competition ended on February 12 2026.

According to Fajar, joining a European club was an important leap in developing his career as an athlete.

Even though he is reluctant to reveal the value of the contract, he considers the experience of competing against world-class players to be much more valuable.

“I will try to perform optimally and give my best for CD Malaga 91. My target is of course to help the team achieve achievements, especially as the club has secured a ticket to the league semifinals,” he said.

He added that it is hoped that the international flying hours gained in Spain will have a direct impact on his performance with the Indonesian National Indoor Hockey Team in the future. Fajar emphasized his determination to continue to strengthen the Red and White squad in big events.

“Hopefully this experience can make me more mature and help the national team defend its gold medal at the 2027 Malaysia SEA Games. I also have a big dream of bringing the Indonesian Men’s National Indoor Hockey Team to qualify for the 2029 World Cup,” emphasized the defender.

Fajar’s departure to Spain was also a concern because he was one of the Indonesian athletes who went with his family.

Of the six Indonesian hockey players who appeared in Europe, Fajar was one of the luckiest because his wife, Ai Meis Kusmiati, also followed him to Spain.

Ai Meis is a member of the Indonesian Women’s National Indoor Hockey Team which won a bronze medal at the 2025 SEA Games.

“I will leave first on January 7 2026, then my wife and children will follow on January 12. Because my wife is also a hockey athlete, she is allowed to train and have the opportunity to play here,” explained Fajar.

This opportunity cannot be separated from his relationship with Juanma Requena, an international referee who is also the coach of the CD Malaga 91 women’s team.

Juanma previously worked with the Central Management of the Indonesian Hockey Federation (PP FHI) in training national referees in Bandung.

Behind his current achievements, Fajar comes from a simple family in Ciamis, West Java. His father, Arief Hapiudin, is a cleaning assistant at the Ciamis District Health Service who was recently appointed as a Government Employee with a Work Agreement (PPPK).

Fajar himself currently still has the status of an honorary employee at the Ciamis Regency Culture, Youth and Sports Service (Disbudpora).

He hopes that the government, especially the Ministry of Youth and Sports, can pay more attention to the future of outstanding athletes.

“My fellow athletes and I hope that Minister of Youth and Sports Erick Thohir can make efforts for us to become ASN, as previously promised,” he said.

Fajar has known the sport of hockey since 2009 through Asep Anjar, a teacher at SMPN 1 Ciamis. Thanks to the support of his parents and tiered coaching, he succeeded in strengthening the West Java Hockey Team to win gold in the 2016 West Java PON and 2020 Papua PON.

Since being recruited by coach Dhaarma Raj, his name has become increasingly irreplaceable in the Indonesian National Indoor Hockey Team.

Now, with his SEA Games achievements and experience of playing in Europe, Fajar Jaelani Nugraha has become a symbol of consistency, hard work and new hopes for Indonesian hockey at the world level.