Key to this Ironkid’s success: Less screen time, more training

Jarrel Balderas is a disciplined IronKid. Photo by Mark Giongco

SUBIC — Most kids spend much of their free time in front of their smartphones or computers.

But a few like Rob Jarrel Balderas have their eyes on the finish line rather than glued on a gadget.

The 12-year-old Balderas was the fastest in his age group to complete a 300-meter, six-lap swim and two-kilometer, two-loop run in the Ironkids Philippines on Saturday at WOW Recreation and Activity Center here.

Balderas, however, wouldn’t have finished first if he wasn’t disciplined enough to wake up way earlier than his classmates in the morning before school to train and still have the strength to get at it again after in preparation for the aquathlon event he just won.

“I trained two weeks before the race in the morning and afternoon. It was hard because I also have classes and I get sleepy sometimes,” said Balderas, who is an incoming Grade 7 student from Baguio City, in Filipino.

“It’s all about balance and self-discipline. He swims early in the morning before school then he trains again after school around 4:30 in the afternoon,” said Robert.

And discipline along with values begin at home.

“Discipline is very important and one of the things that I always remind him is to sleep early. He needs to be asleep at 9 p.m,” said Vilma.

There is a time for everything but more often than not, Jarrel’s mother wants him to not use much of his time on the computer, encouraging him to train more.

“I want him to train as often as he could so that he won’t think about using his cellphone or computer as much. And kids these days, they don’t like it when you tell them what to do and what they shouldn’t do so I want it more when he’s training.”