Bored of the pandemic, Indonesians compete in night running

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Bored of the pandemic, Indonesians compete in night running

By TRTWorld


The trend has landed on the wrong side of the law as it has drawn police crackdowns for attracting on-spot betting.
Night running has become all the rage in Indonesia. It is being traced back to the boredom brought on by the coronavirus pandemic, it having pushed young people to find alternatives to casual night outs.

From early August of this year, an increasing number of young Indonesians are hitting the streets barefoot to compete in nightlong running competitions.

The winner either takes home the memories of loud cheers and clapping, or a financial prize, ranging from $40-60 (Rp 700.000- Rp 900.000).

The money comes through on-spot betting: runners who take the first spot get their cut.

Since the Indonesian law prohibits any kind of gambling, the entire scene has now come under police scrutiny.

For 20-year-old Agung Ramadhan, running on Jakarta's empty streets is addictive and is popular because it can be remunerative, too.

"I used to play futsal. But all the futsal fields are now closed, so I joined the street race," Ramadhan said.

First, Ramadhan became a curious spectator, watching teenagers and young men charge down the streets in a bid to outpace each other.

The events began to adopt a carnival-like look, except for it being an all-male event, with people shouting, whistling, clapping, sneering and making all sorts of noises in the dead of the night.

After a month, or so, Ramadhan had graduated from being a fencesitter to a runner, participating in at least 15 races. He says he "won most of them."

His fans now call him "tiger".

The police raid

To continue reading, please visit: https://www.trtworld.com/magazine/bored-of-the-pandemic-indonesians-compete-in-night-running-40197

Bored of the pandemic, Indonesians compete in night running
TRT World
Each race is set for two runners competing barefoot on a 100-metre-long city street. The races start from 12am and go on until dawn. Within a few weeks, ...


NOTE
: The BRS does not condone breaking the law.