If you are keen and have queries, please contact Coach Rameshon at 9100 4369 or you can email him at m.rameshon@gmail.com or swift.rameshon@gmail.com. Please refer to website http://flexifitness.com.sg (for more information on him and his programmes)
By Murugiah Rameshon
Bsc (Hons) Degree in Physical Education, Loughborough University (1992-1994)
Masters in Education (University of Western Australia, 2005-2008)
Pranavann - Following Jared Hui's Footstep.
Again it looks like Hwa Chong is taking the lead right from the start for A, B, C Division Boys. In the A division Girls, ACJC is having a headstart. RI is now trailing in second place for A Division Boys and Girls, even in B and C Division Boys also. A number of schools are also doing well, which I will not mention here.
Looking at the race, I told myself to write on some runners who are up and coming in Singapore and have taken to sports to excel in life.
Recently, being in the top academic class in Queensway Secondary School, Pranavann took up running recently, just last month, running 3 times per week. He came in 6th in the Queensway Secondary School Cross Country Championships. This was done on Feb 05, the same day when Ashley Liew did his 2hr 38min in Hong Kong Marathon 2012. However, he found the timing was not satisfactory to his projected target.
As National Cross-Country race was nearing, Pranavann decided to train a bit harder, even though it was too late. He improved upon his sedentary type of lifestyle to an active one. In the National Schools Cross-country Championships 2012, he did not fair well, as a schoolboy who also participated in the race, was according to him, unintentionally kicking his leg while running. Pranavann avoided the boy and he ran safely behind the group of runners. Officials could not see this. Seeing that he did not do well, immediately after the race, it did not deter him from competing in National Schools Track and Field.
He ran the race and did 4min 31sec at the 1.2km mark and then proceeded to the 2.4km mark doing a time of 9min 10sec, which was his personal best time for the 2.4km. He told me that Mr Justin Fernandez, HOD PE has timed his last year's 2.4km time and it was 9min 38sec. He was very happy to see this and it was a target that he was going for while running the 3km race on the track for under 17 boys. Having seen the personal best time for 2.4km, Pranavann started to slow down a lot in the midst of the race and kept losing a few of the runners at the back. He was able to complete the round without stopping and found that those behind some distance away were told to stop. This made Pranavann feel that he has finally completed the race successfully with a decent time. The 3km time was 12min 36sec on my watch and two of the Queensway Secondary students had the same time on their watch, except for one of them having 12min 35sec. When Pranavann finished the race, he told me that his stopwatch showed 12min 36 sec. However, we congratulated him for the 2.4km 9min 10sec effort.
I told him that in the past I have done a 7min 14sec time at the 2.4km mark while doing a 10km track race, where I did 32min 52secon that race day, in the early 90s and told him to continue running after GCE 'O' Levels.
He told me that Queensway has entered the Qualifying round for Nationals Schools' Soccer game and was asked to play for it since the teacher-in-charge saw a marked improvement in the 1km time trial held last week.
Pranavann told me that after reading Jared Hui's success story of doing 8min 03sec in CJC time trial, he felt very motivated. With that Jared came in 2nd in this year's National Schools' Cross Country Championships. He told me that this was a very remarkable feat indeed.
After GCE 'O' Levels, Pranavann told me that he would like to take up serious running, from 3 times per week to 5 times per week once his GCE 'O' Levels are over.
Note:
By Narayanan
Rameshon has taught in Hwa Chong Institution, plus several schools, and Republic Polytechnic as well. He has won many accolades and he was awarded Merit Award for 1991 marathon performance in breaking the national record of Singapore, at that time. He has made 22 male athletes do a marathon in sub-3hrs. He has made 7 female runners do sub-4 hours for the marathon, as well. He was inducted to the ‘Roll of Honour’ by the then College of Physical Education, organised by Singapore Olympic Academy, in 1998, for breaking the National record repeatedly 4 times, till he did 2hr 24min 22sec).
He also has a Coaching group and he trains them on Tuesdays and Thursdays, 7pm at Botanic Gardens. Those interested can call him at 91004369 for coaching assistance, to improve performance. There is also personal training that he does for many in a week. You can e-mail him at swift.rameshon@gmail.com.
