Filipino title: Matinding Kabiguan

February 2015: Marikina City, NCR

It was the regional palaro (games). The weather was good and it was a peculiarly cool day. The stadium was packed with people from all over Metro Manila. Banners and streamers were waved around. They, and the sports commentator Goryo Unida, witnessed the entire event.

Goryo commented, "Good day. We will now witness the quickest event in athletics... the 100-meter dash! We will now know who is the fastest kid in Metro Manila! Stay tuned!"

The audience cheered for their respective representatives. One of the runners, Rendo Lobo, wore the number five (4). As the competitors went to the starting line, Rendo looked at the Marikina delegation. Only a few from his school were present, but the only people who he was most concerned for was his parents and his girlfriend, Alisse. The noise of the crowd seemed ineffective to divert the focus of all the competitors. Meanwhile, their respective coaches would watch the race from the sidelines.

Rendo said to himself, "This is it... This really is it..." And then, he uttered a short prayer, eyes closed, as he put his feet on the starting block.

"Lord God... make me win... but please, do not make me win here if I will not win the nationals... In Jesus' name..."

The start referee walked to his post and poised with the signal, which was a small gun. He pointed the gun up. It was blank, but the conventional way to begin. The tension was building up among the competitors. Their hearts were thumping. The race will last only for seconds, but the competition itself felt like forever. Months and years of training will soon be summed up in this single event. For each one of the runners, Rendo included, the noise felt like fading, and the atmosphere seemed like tightening up into a closed space reserved for only eight of them.

Goryo continued, "There's no turning back! The 100-meter dash begins..."

The referee pulled the trigger, and in an instant, like more or less 0.15 seconds, the runners were off. In a standard stadium, the oval track is 400 meters. Thus, in this event, the competitors would only have to finish one-fourth of this distance. How short this may seem to laymen, the race in itself is no small matter. In fact, it is usually during the 100-meter dash wherein the so-called "fastest man" is determined. The Palarong Pambansa (national games) record for 100 meters is 10.74 seconds, or an average speed of 33.6 kilometers per hour (kph). Meanwhile, the world record for the same event is held no less by the Jamaican runner Usain Bolt: 9.58 seconds. Bolt achieved this feat in 2009, clocking an average speed of 37.6 kilometers per hour (kph). Even a mere 4 kph or 1 second difference would leave any other competitor in the dust.

Going back to the race, Goryo commentates, "Good start! All are quick! No one left behind!"

One second. Two seconds. Some in the audience begin to thump their feet on the stands.

"Number Four's running style cannot be seen in textbooks, everyone! I have never seen this kind of run!"

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Four seconds. Five seconds. Halfway there.

"Oh my! Number Four is taking the lead! He is at least a step... no, like, one pace ahead of all the others! Will he make it?"

Seven seconds. Eight seconds. Then, a most unexpected event...

"Oh my God! What... Number Four is down, ladies and gentlemen! Look... Number Seven is taking the lead! Number Three is just behind him, catching up!"

By some reason, Rendo tripped. He was flying a few centimeters above the ground for some microseconds before he finally fell. And he fell badly. The right side of his head, right hand, right arm, and right knee scratched over the rough surface of the track. While the track was asphalt coated with rubber, it was his speed that helped maximize the damage. As Rendo tried to stand, he fell down again and his body curled.

"The 100-meter dash is finished! But... Number Four is not going up! He's not gonna get up! He's not gonna get up! Just like the Philippine economy!"

Within twelve or so seconds, the race was over. Number seven (7) won, but the crowd was silent.

Rendo's coach was shocked. He cannot move a muscle, and his jaw dropped. Rendo's loved ones rushed down the stadium to the track, where they find him being carried by medics on a stretcher. As they reached him, his girlfriend in particular were all tears. His parents kept their composure, but concern and sadness can still be seen in their eyes. Rendo kept his eyes closed, turning his head away, and gritted his teeth while he, too, shed some tears. Tears of joy? Tears of fear? Tears of sadness? Even he was unsure of his emotions at this point. For him, tears are tears.

Meanwhile, the officials reviewed the replay of the race with the commentator, who also has the role of a sports analyst. Silence reigned, although some soft chatter can be heard.

One official said, "There! Stop it on that moment!"

Another official said, "Is that... a hand??"

Goryo answered, "It does seem like a hand... pushing him off balance?"

"Is it possible in such a high-speed race, Goryo?"

"Perhaps a camera error?"

"While it is true that it'll be hard to knock someone off while running..."

"His arm and hand sure looked like knocking him off?"

"I see... What do you think?"

"We must review it again."

And so they did.

The officials declared in unison, "He really did it this time!"

Goryo interjected, "Wait... Isn't his awkward way of running also to blame?"

One official asked, "How so?"

Goryo continued, "I mean, look at his style. His upper body is closer to the ground than the rest. Surely, he would really find trouble with this kind of running?"

Another official said, "Nonsense. He could've not reached the regionals anyway if that running style isn't working!"

"That kind of reasoning may lead us to falsely accuse someone..."

"In my opinion, his running style makes perfect sense. Look at this," the official said as he pointed at the monitor, "We all have not seen anything like it... It's unconventional, yes. But to run fast, you have to increase your foot speed."

"And how exactly does that... wackiness... increase his foot speed?"

"As I was saying, in order to run faster, you have to return faster to the ground. Running is a form of quick jumping. His lower center of gravity would only mean that he can return faster to ground than the rest."

"I see your point... But that would definitely wreck his posture!"

"In my opinion, his posture is already bad. To compensate, he developed this kind of run."

"Still, we have to investigate beyond the tape..."

"The kid said he did feel a push behind him!"

"What?! You're telling me that now!"

"That's why we're reviewing the tape already! This is our tangible evidence."

"Well... I thought you were supposed to be the dumber ones?"

"We have been officiating for 20 years, you know."

"So you say..."

"What's that, amateur analyst?"

"Hey! That's foul! Anyway..."

"Of course. Even we are surprised that we have the benefit of replay."

"Not that. You know..."

"Yes, we must announce our decision now."

And with that statement, the officials have concluded the matter. The event is over, but a sinister case arose. What will come out of this incident? Who is Metro Manila's fastest?