Maung Chet in action on the track. Pic: Supplied

MIDDLE-distance runner Maung Chet recently returned from the 12th World Indoor Championships that were held at the Luis Puig Velodrome in Valencia, Spain, from March 7 to 9.

The International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) sponsored the meet, which was the second of aspiring track star Maung Chet’s international career.

At the meet he took part in the 1000 metre race and was watched by the General Secretary of Myanmar’s Track and Field Federation, U Mya Than Htike.
The 20-year-old runner, who originates from Kyauktalone, in Mandalay Division, says he prepared for the event at the Institute of Sports and Physical Sciences in Mandalay.

But his selection for the event was a more fortuitous affair.

“The International Association of Athletic Federation (IAAF) sent an invitation to the Myanmar Track and Field Federation asking them to nominate an athlete who could represent the country at the championships.

“I think I was selected by the Federation because I had a good record in the various domestic competitions that preceded this event,” he says.

“I won two gold medals, one each in the 800m and 1500m category at the States and Divisions track and field competition that was held in January.
His times for the races were 3 minutes and 57 seconds for the 1500m, a time that broke the country record of 4 minutes and 8 seconds that had stood since 1975. And I also set a record in the 800m race too – I ran it in 1 minute and 54.1 seconds, which is 4 seconds faster than the previous record,” he said.

He adds that he’d also picked up two other gold medals at the earlier Ministerial competition.

The Valencia competition was the second of Maung Chet’s international career that began at the Junior SEA Games in June 2006, where he won a bronze medal in the 1500m run.

And he says he would have been at the last SEA Games were it not for sickness.

“I failed to get selected for that event because I was ill at the time and unable to compete properly,” he adds.

But competing in Spain also created a number of challenges for Maung Chet.
“Getting used to the jet lag and the time adjustment were both problems for me and I didn’t really overcome these.

“There was also the food, which was very different to Myanmar. I didn’t like it much and ate only vegetables,” he said, adding that this contributed to his failure to qualify for the main races.

“I was tiring just to get there: We flew to Singapore and then on to Barcelona before catching a train to Valencia and I was exhausted by the time we arrived. It was also quite cold, which didn’t make things easier for me because I’m not used to it. But the major reason was the track, which was a velodrome and about 200 metres shorter than what I normally run on. It was difficult to adjust to the banked corners,” he says.

However, despite his lack of success he says it was an excellent chance to see the sport’s giants in action.

“They were really impressive to watch and it will be difficult for me to follow them,” he says adding that he’s learned a lot from participating.

“It’s all about picking up some experience and I learnt plenty from watching other athletes’ techniques and practice routines. And it was good to run on a track like that as well,” he says.

And he says he’s putting those new techniques into practice as he begins the long preparation for the next SEA Games.