Priscilla Hertati Lumban Gaol raises the Indonesian flag to celebrate her win inside the ONE Championship’s circle.
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riscilla Hertati Lumban Gaol did not know who Paulina Purnomowati was, let alone meet her in real life. But when the businesswoman was handpicked to represent Indonesia at "The Apprentice: ONE Championship Edition," Priscilla expressed nothing but support.
“I am just proud that there is an Indonesian woman representing the country in a global competition. She took a huge risk and made a big sacrifice. As an Indonesian woman, I appreciate and feel proud of her,” said the mixed martial arts (MMA) fighter, who has represented Indonesia on the global stage since 2017.
The award-winning show, which began airing globally on Netflix early this month, has been trending worldwide including in Indonesia. It challenges 16 candidates from 11 countries to rack their brains to complete the business tasks in addition to some grueling physical challenges. The winner gets a $250,000 job offer to work directly under the tutelage of ONE CEO and chairman Chatri Sityodtong.
Paulina, meanwhile, is only the selected candidate from Indonesia after eliminating thousands of other applicants from around the world. Throughout the show, she needs to showcase her business expertise in a highly fast-paced competition that requires the participants to present innovative solutions to the business world’s most pressing problems today.
The candidates’ critical thinking and presentation skills are also put to test in front of some top CEOs including Grab’s Anthony Tan, Zoom’s Eric Yuan, and Twilio’s Jeff Lawson.
They also need to tackle physical challenges featuring several world-class martial artists like ONE women’s atomweight world champion Angela Lee and ONE women’s strawweight world champion Xiong Jing Nan.
“I support [Paulina] and I love what she is doing. She makes the country proud,” Priscilla said, adding that she would love to get involved in a similar show in the future.
Read also: 3 reasons to get excited for ‘The Apprentice ONE Championship Edition’ on Netflix
As a woman fighting in a male-dominated sport, Priscilla understands how important it is to know that she has the support of fellow compatriots. In the early days of her martial arts career, she had to conceal her status even from her family.
“In this age, it’s crucial for women to have self-actualization. We used to think that women could only stay in the kitchen, but this proves that we can also thrive in business and martial arts, too. [The show] carries an important message, which can open people’s eyes. Indonesian women deserve the support they need in what they are doing,” the 33-year-old said.
Priscilla began competing in martial arts 16 years ago when she was still in senior high school. At that time, she had to juggle between study and sports as she was not allowed to continue her activity especially as examinations drew near.
Priscilla recalled the moments when she was being underestimated even by the closest people in her life – family and friends. It took her a decade to get the blessing from her parents to pursue a career in martial arts.
“I have been underestimated a lot. I am not fighting just for the sake of it. I am fighting for my pride,” she said.
“People often ask me ‘why are you fighting? You are a woman.’ Such a question has never stopped me, though. Now I have proven it. People understand me now.”
Watch ONE: FULL CIRCLE on Feb. 25 on the ONE Super App and subscribe to ONE Championship on YouTube!
This article is published in collaboration with ONE Championship.
