English Corner – Book Corner
This book tells about Kat Gupta, a girl aged 18, who joins Kingston Harriers, a famous club of runners.
Kat is a runner of 400 meters. They have to work hard because a few months later there will be a competition for the National Championship.
The best winners will be selected to run for Great Britain.
Under the direction of Coach Jeff Cox, they begin the training.
It is really hard since Kat’s performance is lower than other runners. Moreover, she finds it difficult to make friends with the runners from the same club.
Fortunately, she has Salma, her best friend, who unceasingly encourages her to practice harder. Along with Moin, Salma’s brother, they always ignite Kat’s spirit to push even more.
Kat then meets Gina, an 800 runner from a different club. She is happy that finally, she has a friend to share with, the same runners.
One day Gina introduces Kat to something that will make Kat less tired: a pill. Gina says that everybody uses it.
Kat hesitates. With the help of Moin, Salma’s brother who works at a pharmacy, Kat knows that the pill is a stimulant, Ethadren, which is banned.
Even though Gina insists on using the pill, Kat still refuses. Instead, she trains even harder.
Then she is chosen to be one of the runners in the competition to be selected as the Great Britain runners.
Before the competition begins, Jeff Cox meets Kat personally and persuades her to use the same pill, Ethadren.
Kat is shocked, but still firmly refuses to use the pill. She firmly walks away from the coach because she wants to join the competition without cheating.
When the competition is over, the two best runners ahead of Kat are disqualified because of using Ethadren, the stimulant. Jeff Cox, the coach, is taken to jail.
Kat is chosen to be one of the runners who will compete on behalf of Great Britain. Her dream beautifully comes true!
It becomes more glorious, because Kat reaches her dream with the power of integrity.
For Kat, the biggest challenge is actually not how to win the competition, but how to win it without cheating. And Kat nails it! She defeats not only the runners but even the coach! (Nani Songkares)