๐๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ | ๐๐ฎ๐ง๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐ฅ๐จ๐ง๐, ๐๐ข๐ง๐ง๐ข๐ง๐ ๐๐จ๐ ๐๐ญ๐ก๐๐ซ
Running is the ultimate metaphor for dreams. Each stride is already a destination, each finish line a story.
In a relay, that story becomes shared. The baton pass is a pact of duty, linking solitary contribution to a collective effort. For Tarlac Agricultural Universityโs (TAU) athletes heading to the Regional SCUAA Games 2026, the track is a proving ground. Four determined runners, each in their own lane, are ready to carry the Universityโs hopes forward.
Tarlaqueรฑo Jhaypee D. Maglalang is a hurdler and relay runner, he navigates the dual obstacles of academics and sports, inspired by his idol, Usain Bolt, and believing that true achievement is forged through sacrifice. A Deanโs Lister, he finds his pace at TAU, within a supportive community that acts as his second team, and where encouragement from teachers and staff helps him maintain balance. For Jhaypee, the race is about clean technique and consistent momentum, both on the track and in life.
The race for John Raven C. Villa is a marathon of grit. Specializing in the grueling 3000m to 10,000m events, his challenge is the ever-present shadow of injury, a setback that could erase months of training. Inspired by the humility of athlete Arlan Arbois Jr., he runs to build a better future for his family, viewing each exhausting lap at TAU as a necessary step toward a more stable finish line far beyond his home province of Batangas and the University oval.
For middle-distance runner and Bataan-resident Merson L. Abarca, the 800m and 1500m are battles against a quiet competitor: homesickness. His motivation comes from looking up to his teammates, transforming admiration into drive. Among the first batch of the newly offered BS Exercise and Sports Science program, he runs with a dual purpose, pushing through the lonely stretches of training for the greater goal of completing his education and making his effort count twice over.
Already a decorated competitor, Aljone S. Doctor, also from Tarlac, understands the race against time. His true event is the meticulous balance of lectures, training, and everything in between. He chose TAU for his athletic career as it is where his resilience is built through discipline and routine. His vision is fixed on the national podium, and every day on track is a willful stride toward becoming a fixture on the Philippine team.
Together, these four athletes illustrate the inherent contradiction of their journey: the pursuit of individual excellence within a cooperative endeavor. They each face a unique set of barriers: hurdles, distance, solitude, and the clock. Their personal races are completed alone. Yet, they are undeniably a team as their success is intertwined, fueled by shared early mornings and late afternoons, mutual understanding of sacrifice, and the pride of representing the same colors.
The true test of a relay team is not the speed of its fastest member, but the strength of the shared bond. These runners are learning to be dependable links in a chain. They are discovering that while glory is individual in their own laps, it is built on a foundation of teamwork, collaboration, and the unified rhythm of a group moving toward one goal.
Their individual lanes, distinct and demanding, all converge to form a single path forward for their respective journeys inside and outside TAU.
Trust one another, Accelerate with purpose, and Unite stronger, TAU Relay Team!
#SmartTAU #GreenandGlobal #SCUAA #Athletics #Relay #SDG3 #SDG4 #SDG17
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Text | Jerome L. Duqueย [Information Unit]ย ย
Photos | June Adel S. Guerrero [Information Unit]ย
Graphics | Omar U. Barauntong [Information Unit]ย
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