Sukan Asia 1982: Rabuan Pit – Raja Pecut Asia

Rabuan Pit membuat penampilan sulung beliau di Sukan Asia pada tahun 1978, di mana beliau menduduki tempat ke-6 dalam acara 200m. Empat tahun kemudian, beliau berjaya memenangi pingat gangsa dalam acara yang sama. Yang lebih memberangsangkan lagi, Rabuan Pit menjadi satu-satunya pemenang pingat emas Malaysia pada Sukan Asia 1982 setelah menjuarai acara 100m dengan catatan masa 10.68s dan dinobatkan Raja Pecut Asia. Pada ketika itu, Malaysia tidak pernah mengutip pingat emas dalam acara 100m sejak M. Jegathesan pada 1966. 

Ramai terkejut dengan kemenangan Rabuan Pit setelah beliau berjaya menewaskan juara tahun 1978, Suchart Jairsuraparp dari Thailand, yang meraih gangsa manakala Jang Jae-keun dari Korea Selatan berada di tempat kedua. 

Bagi acara 200m pula, Rabuan mengaku bahawa perlumbahan akhir akan menjadi satu cabaran yang besar di mana beliau akan menentang Toshio Toyota dari Jepun, pelari terbaik Asia pada masa itu. Akhirnya, Toshio berjaya menduduki tempat kedua, meninggalkan Rabuan di tempat ketiga. Manakala Jang Jae-keun berjaya mencuri tumpuan apabila beliau bukan sahaja  memenangi acara 200m malah mampu mencipta rekod kejohanan baharu, dengan masa 20.89s. Pelari pecut Korea Selatan tersebut terus memecahkan rekod diri sendiri pada edisi yang berikutnya dengan catatan masa 20.71s . 

Ketabahan dan pengorbanan Rabuan membawa beliau mencapai kejayaan. Rabuan tidak lupa mengucapkan terima kasih kepada bapa beliau, dan jurulatih Nashatar Singh, atas sokongan mereka sejak awal. Ia merupakan keazaman tinggi Rabuan sendiri yang telah meningkatkan prestasi beliau. Rabuan turut rajin menjalani rutin latihan tambahan yang dirancang oleh beliau sendiri. Pada tahun yang sama, beliau dinobatkan Olahragawan Kebangsaan 1982. 

#LegasiLagenda #LegasiLegendaDikenangYangKiniDijulang

//

Rabuan Pit made his Asian Games debut in 1978, where he placed sixth in the 200m final. Four years later, he would go on to win the bronze medal in the same event. Not only that, Rabuan Pit became Malaysia’s sole gold medallist at the 1982 Asian Games with his 100m win (10.68s) and was declared the fastest man in Asia. Malaysia had not won gold in the 100m event since M. Jegathesan in 1966. 

The win was a shock for all, as he defeated 1978 gold medallist Suchart Jairsuraparp from Thailand, who claimed the bronze while South Korea’s Jang Jae-keun came second. 

For the 200m event, Rabuan was already hesitant about his chances, signifying it would be a tough race. He noted that he was up against Toshio Toyota from Japan, who was the best in Asia at the time. In the finals, Toshio managed to place second just ahead of Rabuan in third. It was Jang Jae-keun who stole the show by not only winning the 200m race but also setting a new Games record of 20.89s. The South Korean sprinter would go on and break his own record in the following edition with a time of 20.71s.

Rabuan’s perseverance and sacrifices led him to his victories. While he thanked his father as well as his coach, Nashatar Singh, for their support since the beginning of his career, it was his own determination to improve as he diligently followed a training routine, which he developed himself. His achievements also won him the 1982 Sportsman of the Year award.