A Breath of Fresh Air from Sprint

KOMPAS/RONY ARIYANTO NUGROHO

West Nusa Tenggara sprinter Lalu Muhammad Zohri wins the 200-meter mens’ U-20 final at the 2019 Athletics Championship at Pakansari Stadium, Bogor, West Java, on Sunday (4/8/2019). Zohri won with a record time of 20.81 seconds.

BOGOR, KOMPAS — Indonesian athletics are getting a breath of fresh air from the 100-meter and 200-meter sprint categories. In the 2019 National Athletic Championship in Cibinong, Bogor, West Java, August 1 to 7, almost all runners of the 100 meters and 200 meters succeeded in sharpening their time records. In fact, on the fourth day of the event, there was a new national team born from the 200-meter junior and senior female categories.

Indonesian Athletic Association (PB PASI) sprint head coach Eni Nuraini said this was a positive signal for the Indonesian sprint category ahead of the 2019 Southeast Asian Games (SEA) Games in the Philippines. Indonesia has the opportunity to win medals in male or female sprints, especially in the 100-meter and 200-meter categories.

"Because the best times of almost all athletes has improved, this has also been an advantage for our relay team, especially the men\'s 4x100-meter relay. Now, we try to maintain their physicality to remain optimal. Moreover, the SEA Games will not be long, [it is in] November," Eni said.

In the final men’s 200-meter junior at Pakansari Stadium on Sunday (4/8/2019), an Indonesian runner, Lalu Muhammad Zohri, sharpened the national junior record in that category. The runner from North Lombok, West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), broke the national record belonging to Papuan runner Franklin Burumi: 21:27 seconds to 21:14 seconds in the 200 meters preliminary round for men’s junior on Saturday.

Then, the 19-year-old runner sharpened the competition again to 20:81

seconds, the best in the final number. The time recorded by Zohri was only 0.05 seconds adrift from the 200-meter record in senior category belonging to Suryo Agung Wibowo, 20:76 seconds, which was made on Dec. 11, 2007.

According to Zohri, the results he made were already very good because he has not practiced and competed in the 200-meter in about two years. In addition, the coach or medical team only allowed him to run 90 to 95 percent.

"I was run here and told to relax because I was still in rehab after a minor left knee injury at the Asian GP in China in June. I also take care of the condition for preparations for the 2019 Athletics World Championships in September. So, this championship is for me to train endurance and also feel the atmosphere of the race for warming up before the World Championships," said Zohri, Southeast Asia\'s fastest sprinter with a time of 10:03 seconds over 100 meters.

A promising performance was also shown by sprinter Alvin Tehupeiory in the senior women\'s 200m final. The runner from Maluku broke the national record when she won the gold number with a time of 23:76 seconds. Alvin sharpened the record of the legendary runner of Maluku, Irene Joseph, 23:86 seconds, which has lasted for 20 years (created on July 17, 1999).

These results continue the good performance of the 24-year-old runner, who previously won the 100-meter senior number with a time of 11:64 seconds. The time record is only 8 seconds adrift of Irene Joseph\'s 100-meter senior women\'s record made on Oct. 20, 1999.

"I am very satisfied with my achievements at 100 meters and 200 meters now. After this, I might still be practicing improving speed and acceleration, and keeping physically fit for the 2019 SEA Games," Alvin said.

Almost new record

In the field sports, Indonesia\'s prominent long jumper, Maria Natalia Londa, continued to approach her best performance. Yesterday, Maria almost broke her own record in the senior women\'s long jump final. In the third jump, the athlete who defended the province of Bali posted a 6.68-meter jump. The jump was only 0.02 meters adrift of the record she made four years ago at the Singapore SEA Games.

However, after printing the 6.7-meter record, Maria could no longer make a better jump. Nevertheless, the jump could not be rivaled by other jumpers so Maria won gold. The silver medalist was an athlete from West Nusa Tenggara (NTB), Rohani with a 5.82-meter jump, and the bronze medalist was an athlete from Yogyakarta, Nica Beta Ayu with a 5.54-meter jump.

Maria said it was her best jump after setting a record four years ago. After that record, the best jump was 6.55 meters in the championship, which became a series of training camps in the United States ahead of the 2018 Asian Games.

The 28-year-old athlete said she was very proud of the results this time because she also has not really recovered from a right ankle injury she felt the first time during training five days before the 2018 Asian Games.

"Given I am not recovered 100 percent, my results are very good," Maria said.

Ahead of the 2019 SEA Games, Maria tried to protect herself physically from injury. For the training program, everything is on target. "Now, I just need to take care of myself physically so that I don\'t have any problems until the 2019 SEA Games. I am very traumatized by injuries ahead of the Asian Games yesterday," said the 2014 Incheon Asian Games gold medalist. (DRI)