Seeing The Struggle Of Pelatnas At Pangalengan National Training Center, Only One Goal

PANGALENGAN - Being at the location of the national training center (Pelatnas), every athlete must focus on preparing themselves for the competition. Becoming a champion is the target set by the Indonesian Achievement Sports Patriots. The motivation that was in their heads was the flying of the Red and White flag with the accompaniment of the Indonesia Raya song reverberating after the achievements of the nation's proud athletes. This also happened in Pangalengan, the location of the Athletics Training Center.

Therefore, every day at Pelatnas is spent with enthusiasm by athletes, one of which is Patriot Sports Indonesia, the athletic sport at Pelatnas Pangalengan, Bandung Regency, West Java.

In contrast, some athletes undergo training abroad or in the city center, where they live in five-star hotels. The eight athletes from the athletics training camps from North Sumatra, DKI Jakarta, East Java, Bangka Belitung and West Java are located in locations far from urban areas.

Not only that, they are also far from their families and rarely come home to continue practicing. However, they are still enthusiastic and sincere in practicing.

Visited on a Friday morning 17 December 2021, the athletes had just finished training and were ready to eat. They graciously received visits from artist Arie Dwi Andhika, deputy head of media and public relations for the Indonesian National Sports Committee (KONI) Tirto Prima Putra, and the 'Cerita Lari' running community.

That morning, they talked about many things, from the 2021 National Sports Week (PON) in Papua which became a sweet memory to the struggle to train at the Pangalengan Athletics Training Center under the guidance of coaches Alex Resmol and Agung Mulyawan.

The athletes are really ambitious to win the title. There was not the slightest complaint from the Sports Patriots even though every night, they faced skin-piercing chills. There was no heating in the woven bamboo-walled bed they occupied. The temperature at the location is rumored to reach 9 degrees Celsius at a place that has an altitude of 1,500 meters above sea level.

In order to improve performance, athletes are also seeking breakthroughs such as adding supporting equipment and getting physiotherapist services.

This is all done solely to present achievements to our beloved country and nation, Indonesia. Moreover, from athletics, there are many potential medals that can boost Indonesia's ranking in international multi-events. They don't talk much and complain, they are concrete in their work.

Among the athletes who are passionate about practicing, there is one female athlete who also shows enthusiasm for higher education. It was Pretty Sihite who was opening a laptop when peeked from her bedroom door. Every time, he went to college where his colleagues were resting.

The athlete from Medan is currently undergoing a post-graduate program at the Indonesian Education University (UPI) using the distance learning method. The 3000 meter specialist and 5000 Steeplechase / obstacle course majored in Coaching Specialist Sports Science. Previously, he had completed an undergraduate program at the State University of Medan (Unimed).

Pretty took the time to talk on the sidelines of college. He hopes that there will be scholarship support for athletes like him. Especially for herself, Pretty hopes for a scholarship from UPI.

In fact, he was surprised to hear that several universities supported scholarships for outstanding athletes such as the Open University, the London School of Public Relations (LSPR), the Bogor Institute of Business & Informatics (IBIK), and Pakuan University. Some of these universities have collaborated with the Central KONI in order to provide quality higher education.

With good communication, I hope that the attention of Patriot Sports can be even better in the future.

Still on the same date, a group of community running sports lovers visited in the afternoon at the Pangalengan Athletics Training Center. Some members of 'Cerita Lari' are proud to be able to visit and meet the Patriots of Indonesian Sports Achievements.

Some of the 'Running Stories' members were called to contribute to the Patriots of Sports one day. The reason is, they as recreational runners feel the need to support amateur sports runners who bring the nation's name in the international arena.