"Cameron during his school record-breaking 400m hurdle race in March of 2022" By Aoddy, 2022
The 400m hurdles. Historically denoted as one of the most challenging feats in the world of athletics, the event requires a concoction of endurance, speed - and most importantly technique - to master. With 10 hurdles, each 36 inches high, placed equidistantly around the track, a slight miscalculation can cause a catastrophe. Immense training counteracts this, with hours of repetitions required to train your body in order to excel this event.
Cameron Rohde is a junior at the International School of Bangkok, who has devoted his athletic prowess on this grueling event. On the 25th of March, 2022, Cameron took the track for the Bangkok Metropolitan Athletic Conference (BMAC) to spike up for the 400 meter hurdles. Cam was not only going for the school record, but also more importantly, a ticket to the European Championships in the summer of 2022. Following the sound of the gun, Cam ran a perfect race, crossing the line to win with a time of 55.94 seconds, seemingly achieving both goals. However, complications due to timing resulted in Cam being denied qualification. Meet officials claimed the ISB meet timing was unofficial. “It felt as if I had been cheated,” Cam mentions, expressing the unfairness of the entire ordeal.
Although the denial was unfortunate, it only served as a minor stepback in Cameron’s journey. Following the meet, Cam raced in the Thai nationals, competing four years above him in the under-20 heat and finishing fourth. Moreover, in the Lithuanian nationals, Cam finished on the podium at third in the under-18 heat.
As Cam progresses through his high school career, he is only looking to add more to his already-impressive resume. This summer, Cameron will compete at the Arcadia track meet in California. Considered one of the most competitive pre-collegiate meets in the United States, the event is often considered the “Home of National Records,” with 32 national high school records being broken at the meet. Furthermore, the prestigious meet has helped produce 179 US Olympians, such as World Record Holder Sydney McLaughlin, pictured below.
With a benchmark time of 40.77 seconds required to compete in the 300 meter hurdles, only a handful of athletes worldwide are able to meet the standard. On the 7th of March at the ISB invitational twilight meet, Cam dropped a swift 38.58, comfortably meeting the mark and securing his spot at Arcadia. Apart from his participation at Arcadia, Cam will be competing at the United States U18 nationals in Ohio, putting himself on the national map. If his times allow, this will be followed by participation in the under 20 nationals in Eugene, Oregon; the mecca of Track and Field in the United States.
Cameron’s journey navigating the circuit of Track and Field portrays his immense grit and determination to pursue his dream. Living in Thailand makes his collegiate recruitment ever-so challenging, with fewer scouts and elite meets available in Southeast Asia. Hopefully Cam’s success will serve as motivation for aspiring athletes in Thailand to pursue their athletic aspirations.