Major competitions such as the World Athletics Championships and the Asian Athletics Championships have cast a spotlight on Brunei’s presence in the international sporting arena, consequently marking the participation of local athletes to represent the Sultanate in regional and international track scenes through short distance running events, hitting new heights in their career.
As sporting events worldwide paused during the COVID-19 pandemic, the country has been stepping up developments in middle-distance running to produce and nurture the best talents in the country.
Such progress yielded recent results of local student-athletes who bagged medals in the CAK Sport Academy Track and Field Challenge Championship in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
Abdullah Abbas bin Abdullah led the Brunei team with a gold medal in the Under-16 Individual Men’s 1,500 metres (m) event after clocking a time of 4.29.03s. He was joined by Muhammad Nurirfan bin Muhammad A’arafah who clinched silver with a time of 4.29.10s.
Other notable mentions were Kasyful and Asyura Rosli, who bagged silver in their respective events.
The quartet’s success in Malaysia amid fierce competition from top-quality opponents underlined the steady progress in the middle-distance running scene.
The country’s potential in the sport can be traced back to the tenure of former National Coach Suleiman Nyambui when he conducted training sessions with a view of participation in major international meets. After the end of his tenure in guiding the national team, his hard work has not gone unnoticed, with his successor Younes Ammouta now overseeing the development of the sport.
The Moroccan – who is no stranger to the country having competed in local races – adopted a drive to continue the legacy of middle to long-distance running in the country that resultantly prompted the establishment of Long Distance Relay Tion (LDRT).
The idea came from the coach’s unyielding passion to help build a team capable of winning championships and instil a positive mindset and mentality among the members. He has also considerable experience during his career having represented his school in the North African Championships in Tunisia.
After settling in Brunei at the end of 2016, he joined numerous races in Brunei and is now tasked with bringing the next generation of runners into the country.
He said, “The connection between an athlete and coach is important. We need to trust the process; otherwise, the work will not be able to be carried out.”
The coach has brought in a culture of working together as a family, subsequently leading to daily training as a group of runners.
One of the students who benefited from his coaching methods is Abdullah Abbas, a student-athlete from the Department of Co-curriculum Education.
Prior to a competition, the 16-year-old keeps himself motivated by watching videos of international athletes, whereby he learns how they control their mental state during a race.
He and his compatriot Muhammad Nurirfan admitted nervousness “of a different kind” as the competition drew closer. The team also received a favourable response from people sending them off at the airport before heading to Kuala Lumpur for the competition.
When the team arrived in the Malaysian capital, Abdullah recalled how he witnessed professional athletes for the first time and appeared nervous, particularly with their physique.
Asyura, who was part of the team, also said, “We were all very silent, especially the juniors Irfan Abbas, Danial and also Kasyful.
“But the vibe was pretty cool because everyone was wearing their windbreakers and stretching their legs and ankle.”
Abbas said, “During the competition, I was nervous, but Coach Younnes constantly reminded me not to worry and to try my best from the previous national races. The coach always say to target your personal best and a win is just a bonus.”
The race’s early stages saw Muhammad Nurirfan breaking clear of the chasing pack and taking the lead with Abbas hot on his heels.
As the race wore on, Abbas thought that their lead would last and that their competitors would surpass them after 200m.
However, much to the student-athlete’s surprise, none of the fields could overtake the pair with their pace at that time, reading 2:50s.
Abbas said, “At that time, we (with Irfan) worked together and I just followed him. During the second lap, I was confident.
“I have managed to rid the nerves out of my system as Irfan was leading the last 200m of the course.”
Since then, it became apparent that the conclusion of the race would result in the battle for gold between two young and promising Bruneians between Muhammad Irfan and Abdullah Abbas.
At this point, Muhammad Nurirfan was showing fatigue in the last 100m, enabling Abdullah Abbas to seize control of the race.
Muhammad Nurirfan said, “Abbas still had the speed and endurance to get past me.”
It was a sweet victory for Abdullah Abbas, especially after giving his best and pushing through the limits. The duo’s success has also clearly impacted teammate Asyura, who found inspiration from their performances, saying, “I think I was inspired after that. There’s no need for fear, even if we’re not in Brunei. All we have to do is give our best effort.”
The success of the individuals has been attributed to the influence of Younnes Ammouta in forming the team and taking them under his wing and guidance.
For example, Abbas used to train independently without any support, but his running form and knowledge have undergone a significant transformation since he started receiving coaching from the Moroccan.
In contrast, Muhammad Nurirfan considers the coach his idol, having followed his running career in Brunei. The team has also added Department of Youth and Sports athlete Nazrin Nidzhamuddin, one of many runners who have seen progress in the sport due to Younes’ coaching style.
He said, “Before LDRT was formed, we ran as a group of army personnel and then one of Younes’ colleagues approached and offered us to train with the team.” – Fadhil Yunus
