“I want to run!”

Story by Les Tan. Pictures by Les Tan and REDintern Eneida Tan.

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“I want to RUN!” Phineas Teo (right) of Red Swastika won the C-Boys 100m 13.42s, just ahead of Isaac Lee of Temasek Primary. (Photo 1 © Les Tan/Red Sports)

Over the last two weeks, I spent some time at the 49th Inter-Primary Track and Field Championships. 97 schools fielded 2,536 athletes over the eight days, a number that is trending downwards according to coaches and teachers I spoke with. Some schools have also dropped the traditional Sports Day, replacing it with a telematch-type sports carnival.

That is a pity.

Running around in a open field is one of those simple joys of growing up. If you’re blessed with a healthy, normal body, you take to running like you to take to breathing – you don’t have to think about it. Sitting there in class, the highlight for most of us is recess – so that we can run around.

So why the fewer numbers?

Perhaps we have lost a certain hardiness. For the first time, the 300m and 600m events were introduced this year. More of our young can’t take the 400m and 800m distances anymore. Highlighting it is not a criticism of the organisers. It is an innovative response to the changed lifestyle of our youth. There is little point insisting on our students taking part in an 800m event and then watch them stagger to a crawl at the end.

Also, some schools have made the decision that they can’t win any awards in track and field and have shifted focus to other winnable Co-Curricular Activities. As a result, they are letting their track and field programmes wither.

The aim of all sports CCAs, especially at the primary level, is to give our children the chance to play and get outdoors. Perhaps we should insist that all primary schools follow the example of Seng Kang Primary. The kids wear PE attire daily and there is a PE lesson every day. Yes, every day. Why should we be surprised? We eat every day, don’t we? So why shouldn’t we exercise every day? Our bodies need both. Apart from educating their minds for the future, we also owe it to them to educate their bodies for the future too.

Let our children run.

Jeannette Lim of Red Swastika School set a C-Girls 200m record of 28.94s. She also equaled the 100m meet record of 13.80s. (Photo 2 © Les Tan/Red Sports)

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Emani Satya Venkata Naga (right) of Gongshang Primary takes a quick glance at his opponent in the next lane. He won the D-Boys 100m in 14.22s while Rahul Bhardwaj (left) of St. Stephen’s finished fourth. (Photo 3 © Les Tan/Red Sports)

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Rahul Jayaprabha (#331) of Temasek Primary holds off the challenge of Goutham S/O Selvarajoo from Ang Mo Kio Primary to win the C-Boys 600m event in 1m 51.24s. Goutham was just behind in 1m 51.41s. (Photo 4 © Les Tan/Red Sports)

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Yusuff Abdul Rahman Mohd (#73) of Keming Primary was leading the A-Boys 200m race comfortably but tripped and fell metres from the finish line and ended up 7th. Kang Yi Fa (left) of Fuhua Primary overtook him to finish first in 26.56s. Christian Faustino (right) of Changkat Primary was third in 27.12s. (Photo 5 © Les Tan/Red Sports)

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Aizat Bin Muhammad Jufrie of Anglo-Chinese School (Primary) blazing home in a time of 26.31s in the B-Boys 200m. (Photo 6 © Eneida Tan/Red Sports)

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Ang Ding Hui of Ai Tong Primary on his way to winning the B-Boys 100m hurdles race in 15.84s. Ding Hui learnt his technique from his father, Ang Kwee Tiang, who used to represent Singapore in the hurdles. Ding Hui also swims and when asked which was more fun, said: “Both are fun!” (Photo 7 © Les Tan/Red Sports)

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Medics tend to a runner who is totally winded after running 400m. She recovered without any ill effects. (Photo 8 © Les Tan/Red Sports)

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A Pei Hwa Presbyterian runners consoles her relay teammate after they finished just out of the medals in fourth. (Photo 9 © Les Tan/Red Sports)

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The anchor runner of Ang Mo Kio steams home in first place ahead of St. Stephen’s School. Ang Mo Kio’s B-Boys 4x400m relay team clocked 4m 14.56s. (Photo 9 © Les Tan/Red Sports)

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