Sprinter John making up for lost time

Sprinter John making up for lost time

Moch. N. Kurniawan, The Jakarta Post, Jakarta

Some wrote off sprinter John Herman Muray, who turned 27 on
June 1, as an also-ran when it came to international competition.

The Papuan, who only took up running six years ago, is
letting his legs do the talking to silence the doubters.

He is enjoying the best form of his career in the 100 meters;
he recently won two legs of the three-stop Asian Grand Prix -- in
Sidoarjo, East Java, as a wildcard entry and in Songkhla,
Thailand.

He improved on his 10.45 seconds in Sidoarjo with a time of
10.38 in Thailand, shattering his personal best of 10.54. He was
runner up in the middle leg in Singapore to Anil Kumar -- the man
he narrowly beat in Sidoarjo -- but his 10.52 was his slowest
race of the series.

John (his second name is often written as "Murray") had showed
he was still the nation's top sprinter by taking the 100 meters
in the 2004 National Games, along with two golds in 4x 100 meters
and 4 x 400 meters.

He feels a fitting cap to his career would be gold in the 2005
Southeast Asia (SEA) Games in Manila from Nov. 27 to Dec. 5.

"People think 'old John' is finished," he said. "But I want to
prove that they are wrong and I did it (in the Asian Grand
Prix)."

"Now, I just want gold in the SEA Games and to break the
national record of 10.20 in the name of Mardi Lestari."

In the 1999 SEA Games, John won silver in the 200 meters and
4x100 meters, while in the 2003 SEA Games in Hanoi, he was a
model of consistency, taking bronze in the 100 meters (in a time
of 10.59), 200 meters and 4x100 meters.

Born in Manokwari, John played soccer when he was a boy and
later joined a local soccer club as a striker. Although he seemed
set for a career in soccer, a coach recognized his talent in
sprinting in 1999, when he was 21.

"It was quite boring at the beginning because I only trained
and trained, but slowly I managed to adapt," said John, who still
plays soccer for fun.

"In that year, I participated in my first SEA Games as a
sprinter."

Unlike other athletes who find it hard to find a job to
support them, John was fortunate to find a permanent position
with the local Jayapura sports office in 2001.

"I have a better life than other athletes," he acknowledged.

He is the father of two daughters, Chelsea Joy Mariones, 4,
and Pijung Joy Manila, 2, -- so named because John was in the
Philippine capital when she was born -- from his marriage to
Lenny Muray.

"With national training for the SEA Games still ongoing, my
family lives in Jakarta in my older brother's house in Slipi,
Central Jakarta," he said.

"If I'm not practicing, I always spend my time with them."

As well as being a family man, John is deeply religious,
always sure to thank God for his success.

In Sidoarjo, when he crossed the finish line with Anil, the
Indian raised his hand to indicate he believed he had won.

Meanwhile, John slumped down and prayed to God; 15 minutes
later, the announcement was made that the Indonesian had won by
two hundredths of a second.

"For me, without God, I'm nothing. He gave me life and He will
take my life," he said. "If He wants me to win the race, it will
be done."

Training, which he once found boring, is now an integral part
of his plan to succeed.

"I just sharpen my technique and discuss with coaches how to
improve my time."

While others take the route of doping to get the edge, John
said he was taking vitamin supplements to help him improve his
times.

"I wasn't taking the supplement at the Asian Grand Prix," he
said. "So let's see the good effects of the vitamins in helping
my times."