Palaro track and field champion running for better life

MANILA, Philippines – The gush of wind on his face, the rough of the field on the soles of his shoes, and the sweat running down his body. For 10 years now, it’s been the same pattern for Alexis Soqueño.

Wake up in the morning, eat breakfast, train, go to school, train some more, eat, sleep, and then repeat. Like clockwork.

The process can get tiring. Others cave in a after a few trainings. Some don’t last months. But Soqueño, really, doesn’t have a choice. Or at least, that’s how he sees it.

See, every meter he runs, every hour he spends in training, every day he sacrifices, they’re all for a chance at a better life. He wants the opportunity to establish a future for him, his siblings, and his mother. So for the last 10 years, his motivation has always remained purposeful.

His father is no longer around due to an unfortunate tragedy, and he’s taken the responsibility to ensure tomorrow is better for his kin.

“Para sa future ko to,” Soqueño told Rappler on Thursday, May 7. It was moments after he stood atop a platform and carried a Palarong Pambansa gold medal on his neck. He had just won the 400-meter dash for Region XII in boys secondary, winning with a time of 54.9 seconds, which slightly topped the 56 ticks of the silver medalist.

(This is for my future.)

He didn’t stop running during his years of training. “Para libre yung scholarship, mag college,” said the Negros Occidental native, who’s staying in his hometown for college. But his biggest hope is to make the National team.

(So that I get a free scholarship to college.)

“Yung national team talaga,” he emphasized his target. “Kasi pag national team ka, may allowance.”

(It’s really making it to the national team. Because when you’re in the national team, you get allowance.)

How important will the income be for him?

“Wala na kasi akong papa,” he admitted, before saying that his dad accidentally fell off a tree when he was just in grade school.

(My dad already passed away.)

But he doesn’t want to create success just on the tracks. He hopes to achieve it in the classroom as well.

“Gusto ko mag aral,” he said. “Tapos mag-training at mag computer.”

(I want to study. I want to train and learn to use computers.)

But, that’s not all.

“Maging teacher. PE. Sa high school, dahil hindi mahirap.”

(I want to be a PE teacher in high school, because it isn’t that difficult.)

Some might crticize him as he aims to accomplish his goals, but he doesn’t think they’re too far-fetched. As he says, “Walang impossible kay Lord.”

(Nothing’s impossible with God.)

“Araw-araw,” he discussed his regimen. “Sunday lang yung rest day. Sa umaga, 7 to 9. Minsan, 7 to 10. Sa hapon, 3 to 5, 3 to 6.”

(Every day. Sunday’s my only rest day. In the mornings, 7 to 9. Sometimes, 7 to 10. In the afternoons, 3 to 5, 3 to 6.)

For now, he will continue waking up early in the morning and spend hours of his day running the tracks, striving for a better future. – Rappler.com