Sprinter Thiruben chases American dream

When football was not available as a co-curricular activity when he was in Secondary 2, Thiruben Thana Rajan switched to running, since his parents used to be track athletes.

Football's loss has turned into athletics' gain as Thiruben won medals at school meets for National Junior College and even smashed the national Under-18 400m record last July.

But his ultimate goal remains Olympic qualification.

To get there, the 17-year-old wants to follow in the footsteps of Olympic champion Joseph Schooling by furthering his studies while training in the United States.

Last Friday, Thiruben's sporting dreams were given a boost.

SCHOLARSHIP

He was among 269 student-athletes who received the Singapore Olympic Foundation (SOF)-Peter Lim Scholarship at ITE College Central.

The cash awards amounted to $771,000 in total across four categories - primary ($1,000), secondary ($2,000), tertiary ($3,000) and Under-18 high performance ($5,000) - and will go towards their academic- and sports-related expenses.

Thiruben, who received $5,000, told The New Paper that he is determined to excel on the track.

It’s the best (place) for developing track and field. Thiruben Thana Rajan on why he wants to study and train in the United States

Explaining why he wants to set the bar higher by training in the US, he said: "It's the best (place) for developing track and field. Over here, I have to give up a lot of my training time for exams.

"I want to get myself in an environment where I'm competing with all the elite athletes, so I can grow more as an athlete and pursue my interest in my studies."

Even as he prepares to take his A levels this year, Thiruben stays committed to his training schedule that takes up six days a week.

Training starts after school at about 3pm and he has time to catch up on his homework only after he reaches home at 9pm.

Juggling both athletics and his studies has not been a walk in the park.

Said Thiruben: "It's a lot of sacrifices and discipline.

"A lot of people only look at the physical side of things, but mentally because you're also performing at such a high level.

"It's very hard to be focused on two things at the same time."

But he feels that it is worthwhile, adding: "It's something that I hope to overcome with the support of the people around me.

"I hope that I can do just as well in my studies as I have in my track (career).

"I also just want to do my parents proud, and that's what helps me get through it."

National service poses another hurdle for the sprinter, who also wants to compete in next year's SEA Games.

But he is determined to make it work, stressing the importance of managing his time well.

Since making the switch from football to running, Thiruben has steadily risen in the sport, clocking the U-18 national record of 47.91sec at last year's World U-18 Championships in Nairobi, Kenya, erasing Ng Chin Hui's mark of 47.97sec set in 2011.

SPRINT-BASED EVENTS

Although he started out as a cross-country runner, Thiruben has made the transition to more sprint-based events and the 400m is now his pet event.

His performances have given him a sense of self-belief, which Thiruben feels is crucial to his growth as an athlete.

He said: "My successes have helped me gain confidence in my own running - not to the point where I become complacent, but it's enough to keep me going.

"Breaking the record last year was not just for me but also for my parents and my friends; it was a way of saying 'thank you' to them and showing that my efforts have paid off."