Tirelessly Honing Running Talent During the Pandemic

KOMPAS/TATANG MULYANA SINAGA

A sports teacher at Pangalengan V Vocational High School, Taufik Saleh (right), encourages his students to take part in the 2020 Pangalengan Track Race at Babakan Tanara Field, Pangalengan, Bandung Regency, West Java, Saturday (19/12/2020). The competition, which was held by the Agung Mulyawan Track Club (AMTC), involved local sports teachers to monitor the talents of local runners.

Mountain slopes help forge children\'s running talent in Pangalengan, Bandung, West Java. Physical education teachers in the area have become scouts chasing the talent of future athletes.

Drizzle soaked the Babakan Tanara Field running track at the Malabar Tea Plantation in Pangalengan on Saturday (19/12/2020).

On that morning the 2020 Pangalengan Track Race was being held by the Agung Mulyawan Track Club (AMTC). The event included running races of 5,000 meters, 3,000 meters, 1,500 meters and 800 meters.

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One of the participants who tried their luck in the competition, specifically in the 3,000 meter race, was Fauzi Rivaldi, 16, a 10th grader from SMK Negeri 5 Pangalengan state vocational school. Even though he was feeling nervous, Fauzi tried to focus on finishing the race without thinking about the results. That was the message of his physical education teacher, Taufik Saleh, 38, who faithfully watched him from the edge of the track.

He has the potential to become a running athlete. Besides that, he is also disciplined,

Toward the end of the race, Taufik asked Fauzi to maintain his running speed. This was because about 50 meters before the finish, Fauzi\'s steps seemed to begin wobbling. "Increase the speed again, Zi. You can still do better,” said Taufik as he jogged beside Fauzi.

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Feeling spurred into action, Fauzi ran faster and overtook two runners. He finished the race in 12 minutes and 43 seconds. This was the best time in the men\'s 3,000 meter beginner category. The competition was also attended by participants in the elite category. The participants were runners who were intensely training at AMTC.

"He has the potential to become a running athlete. Besides that, he is also disciplined," said Taufik.

KOMPAS/TATANG MULYANA SINAGA

The medical team helps Pangalengan Track Race 2020 participants who are exhausted after completing the competition at Babakan Tanara Field, Pangalengan, Bandung Regency, West Java, Saturday (19/12/2020).

Equipped with a short training session from national athletic coach Agung Mulyawan last year, Taufik created a running training program for his students in 2020. Students are scheduled to train every day after school.

The target for improving student running times will be evaluated in 3 to 6 months. However, the COVID-19 pandemic has put the program in disarray. This is because face-to-face learning activities at school have been replaced by online learning.

In the midst of these limitations, Taufik asked his students to practice independently. Their running was evaluated by cell phone video. From there, Taufik saw the potential of Fauzi, who routinely practices twice a day.

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However, the pandemic was not the only obstacle. One day before the Pangalengan Track Race, Fauzi was in a conundrum because he only had one pair of shoes to wear both to school and while running. His family has a limited income. His father delivers gasoline to plantation workers, and his mother runs a small shop in Banjarsari village, Pangalengan. "There is no money yet to buy new shoes," he said.

There is still a long way to go. This further adds to the enthusiasm for practicing.

Taufik then lent Fauzi his shoes and asked him to stay focused on the competition. "This competition can be an entry point for him to become a professional runner. So I tried to encourage him to take part," he said.

Becoming the champion in the beginner category did not make Fauzi complacent. The record time was 2 minutes and 11 seconds behind Michael Sadrakh, the champion in the elite category. Fauzi, the second child of three, has the opportunity to enter the elite category in next year\'s competition. "There is still a long way to go. This further adds to the enthusiasm for practicing," he said.

KOMPAS/TATANG MULYANA SINAGA

National athlete who won a gold medal in the 2019 Philippine SEA Games marathon, Agus Prayogo (front) attended the 2020 Pangalengan Track Race at Babakan Tanara Field, Pangalengan, Bandung Regency, West Java, Saturday (19/12/2020).

Pursuing a career

The motivation to pursue a career as a runner is also possessed by Hadean, 11, a fifth grader at SD Negeri Pangalengan 2 state elementary school. He was ranked third in the men\'s 800 meter race in the beginner category.

Rifki Romdoni, 31, the physical education teacher who accompanied him, cheered with joy. Hadean finished the race in 3 minutes and 26 seconds. Hadean also ran towards the podium. The moment was even more special because the medal was handed over by Agus Prayogo, the gold medalist in the Philippines 2019 SEA Games marathon.

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"Alhamdulillah [thank God], I won. This motivates me and other students," he said.

Agus Prayogo said that empowering sports teachers through running clubs was important to find running athletes from an early age. By doing so, the teachers could educate students and apply the right training regimens.

Since 1985, Pangalengan has been a center for athletic training in medium-to-long-distance running events. A series of achievements made by Agus also originated from long training at the place. "The potential of the Pangalengan children is not lacking. However, it is necessary to have consistent training and experience in competitions so that this potential will result in national to international achievements," he said.

This assessment is proven. Since AMTC was founded in 2018, young local talents have started to show off. Tazi Ahmad Dhani, 16, a Pangalengan boy, received a scholarship to the Ragunan Student Education and Training Center in Jakarta. He won third place in the 3,000 meter race at the 2019 Khon Kaen Games in Thailand, a competition among ASEAN sports schools.

New hopes

KOMPAS/MACHRADIN WAHYUDI RITONGA

Agung Mulyawan

According to Agung Mulyawan, sports teachers are spearheading the talent of running athletes in Pangalengan because they are the most intense people interacting with students. The Pangalengan Track Race was still held amid the COVID-19 pandemic to motivate students to practice.

This activity takes place under health protocols. When not in a race, all participants must wear masks. Each school is limited to sending a maximum of four male and four female runners.

The 2020 Pangalengan Track Race brings new hopes for 2021. Amid the limitations caused by the pandemic, future athletes and local coaches will continue to train to pave the way to a bright future. Through collaboration, the dream of making Pangalengan a national running center is very possible to realize.

This article was translated by: Hyginus Hardoyo.