Determination and strength are not enough for athletes to win sports contests.

Lorenz Bello Datiles of Tomas, Davao del Norte used “special gear” to top four track and field races in the recent Davao Region Athletic Association games. His wins in the 100-meter, 200m, 400m and 400m team relay earned him the right to represent the Davao region in the prestigious Palarong Pambansa in Cebu City in July.

With the special running shoes with spikes that helped him win, the 17-year-old also earned him a slot on the national track team that will compete in the ASEAN Games in Vietnam.

When Datiles and his amazing shoes were featured in the TV show KMJS, the millions of viewers were impressed. Not because the footwear was a top-of-the-line brand but because it was dilapidated, with so many ripped parts stitched together.

Datiles, who comes from a poor family, could not afford to buy proper shoes that cost at least P10,000 brand new and had to settle for the worn-out pair that despite their condition were light and had good traction which helped him run very fast with ease.

Even more shocking was that the tattered pair was being shared by three other students on his school’s running team who were also poor boys.

After the KMJS episode aired, kind-hearted people, including his elementary school teacher who encouraged him to become a sprinter, gifted him with new running shoes and other sports gear, for his teammates as well.

Meanwhile, He Jie, the Chinese sprinter who won the gold medal in the marathon event of the 2023 Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, had a “special technique” that saw him win the recent Beijing half marathon.

Aside from his experience and stamina, He’s controversial tactic allowed him to beat three faster African runners to the finish line with a time of 1 hour, 3 minutes and 44 seconds.

In the video of He’s spectacular finish that went viral on Chinese social media Weibo, Kenya’s Robert Keter and Willy Mnangat and Ethiopia’s Dejene Hailu were shown slowing down and letting he stay ahead of them until he crossed the finish line.

Organizers found the four runners had violated contest rules and took back their trophies, medals and prize money, according to reports. Their times in the half-marathon were also cancelled and sports authorities banned the organizer from hosting the race again.

WJG @tribunephl_wjg