Amie: Her eyes on the finish line
READY with her stance and with eagle eyes on the finish line, Sisa Mae Carunungan is ready to run in the limelight and reap the early success as a young runner of their generation.
Running isn’t easy. To run three kilometers is already far enough for a nineyear old girl beginner who dreamed of crossing the finish line first.
It started with the simple fun run where athletes are also given the chance to improve their endurance.
Now, Fifteen-year
old Sisa Mae “Amie” Carunungan, a Grade 9 student of Baguio City National High School, prefers longdistance running and finds the 800 meters more enjoyable.
“Doon po kasi ako kadalasan nananalo,” she said. Pushing her limits on a 20-minute workout, and trainings that last for two hours or more, she developed her self-discipline and patience.
No wonder Amie feels she is born for sports. Her father, Richard Carunungan, was also an athlete during his younger years and so are her siblings.
Her father encouraged her to run the path he ran and assists her to realize her full potential as a runner.
“Swing lang ng swing,” Amie said as she sways her elbows back and forth. “Pag nag- swing na po ako ng mabilis, doon na lumalakas ang confidence ko,” she added.
As the youngest of five children, Amie has an edge when it comes to proper training and discipline since her brother and three sisters were former athletes. Every time they trained, she observed them, trying to imitate their every move. Thus, she was able to acquire the right skills and training that influence her way of running today.
Being an athlete, a student, a classroom auditor and a daughter is quite hard to balance given she often needs to be at the field.
When the hands of the clock tick 3 PM, she is obliged to wear her gears and run her routines until 5 PM. She sometimes feels like running out of time, failing to do her academic requirements and unable to help in household chores.
Fortunately, her school gives varsity players the chance to make up for lost time for their academic ac- tivities after every competition.
“Sabay- sabay na lang po kami ( referring to her co-athletes) na iti- take yung mga activities na na-miss,” she explained.
Carunungan is not just running for the glory of winning. She sees running as the key for her to be able to continue her studies until college. She wants to lessen the financial burden on her parents.
Amie isn’t just passionate about running. She can also “run” her way through your stomach. Every Technology and Livelihood Education (TLE) class, she bakes cupcakes and loves to make other snacks. During her free time, she does fluffy and tasty pancakes for her family at home. Her cooking skills made her decide to pursue Hotel and Restaurant Management as her course when she enters college. Singing, too, is part of her pastime.
Amie’s parents are the ones who inspire her to be persistent and keen on every lap she runs. Her mother, Lonia Carunungan, watches her every run.
Rivals will never be absent in every battle.
But the unstoppable Amie leaves them arduously panting as she speeds up to beat them. After losing in the Batang Pinoy 2014, a sports competition open to all teens aged 15 and below, she is now ready to prove herself in the upcoming Palarong Pambansa 2015, an annual multi- sporting event for Filipino students on this upcoming month of May.
Notwithstanding the difficulties of her training, the eyes of this little girl are burning with passion. Gazing upon her face, you can see a warrior— a warrior who is determined to fight for her dreams and aspirations in life.