Dispatches From Overseas: Part II

Sunday, July 31

I got a medal today!! YAY me! My hundred was not so good, but six hours and a nap later, I ran the 300 hurdles, my new fav race (replacing the 400H). I got fourth and stood on the podium to get my medal, but next time I know I can run faster. I felt so good running it and Julia Pettruci got fourth, too, in the age group below me. Sherraine Davis got third in the shot put and a diamond, Alexa Williams got seventh in the high jump, Fiona Paladino got third in the high jump and the last event of the meet, the 200, Zaid Al-Doori got first place!!

I guess we did pretty well as a whole, and even people who were upset they did not perform the way they wanted were cheered up as we all screamed and cheered the loudest for our teammates. We also saw some of the friends we made from the Taby and Italian team and cheered for them, too. Were all happy to have another chance to run again in Iceland (which we are leaving for tomorrow). I can't wait! I didn't want to leave the stadium though. This was the most beautiful stadium and best track meet I have ever been to. Everyone from Sweden was so nice to us and their local paper is doing an article about our team! I hope Iceland will be just as fun! Blue Lagoon here we come! 

Saturday, July 30

Today was the DN Galan Youth — aka our time to shine. WOO! I think I can say that we shined, literally shined, three of us got diamonds. A.J. Wolf got first in the shot put, Ben Konigsberg did awesome in the 300 hurdles (he got third) and Dan Harrison got third in the shot put. I can't say I got a diamond (yet). I faulted twice in the long jump (which was really my first time long jumping), had one ok jump. My 200 was ok, just missed the final, but I just couldn't be upset. The meet was just too awesome. I felt like I was in the Olympics except less stressful. It was surprisingly less stressful than most of the meets back home. Maybe it was because we couldn't understand the announcements and get nervous, but there were no mean officials yelling at us too hurry up or take off our jewelry (we were allowed to wear jewelry), no stressful claustrophobic paddock areas we we're herded like cattle and no one rushing us to strip down, get ready to run, hurry or we might miss the race, get out on the track now!!!

Seriously it felt like WE were most important, everyone wanted US to have the chance to be superstars. Maybe it's because everyone at this meet actually cares about track and field; everyone was so focused, on time, serious. Maybe that’s why the officials didn't have to yell or be annoying. Maybe that's why we were treated so professionally! There were 10-year-olds warming up by themselves practicing their form, totally focused on their event; it was incredible! No one was saying who does that little kid think he is, huh? Like wow, these people actually appreciate us as serious athletes. For the 200, I warmed up and went into the check-in area. It was a nice big room with couches, cool chairs, free water and Powerade (my favorite drink). I stretched and waited for my name to be called, then went with a group to wait in a tunnel just before emerging into the stadium with huge TV screens and music playing (they had the best music). We were led to the start of the 200 and waited til our heat was up.

When it was time to run, a parade of girls with matching outfits holding baskets lined up behind each one of us at the start to take our bags and clothes off the track as we got ready to run. We took our time to adjust our blocks, take some practice starts and then when it was time to run, the announcer announced each one of us, and a camera swerved in front of each one of us too show us smiling or waving on the huge TV screen. And then we took our marks, got set, and ran, the camera showed our race on the huge screen the whole way. When I crossed the finish line in fourth place, all the girls started hugging me and saying great, good job! Even though it was not my best time, everyone was so positive. We all had tried our hardest and that is what mattered. I can't wait to run again tomorrow, everything just blew me away. And a diamond would be nice, they are a girl’s best friend. 

Friday, July 29

Today was a really special day. We went to the Taby Athletics Track again to practice and meet the Italian team from Sardinia, who were practicing too. Coach Harrison made us introduce ourselves but I don't think they understood anything because they didn't speak English. We couldn't understand them either. I was so surprised that most of them were so young. The smallest was 11 years old and so adorable. I can't imagine doing track from such a young age as your only sport. Most kids at age 11 in the U.S. are playing a different sport every season and don't even know what track is about. In the U.S., you first try it in middle school and high school and really begin to love it if you're good at it. These kids get a huge head start, I think I will teach my kids about track when they're like five.

We also got a chance to talk to the Swedish team, the insane discus thrower Heidi Schmidt, a hurdler named Elanor and some of the boys. Elanor was going into 9th grade, the same age as my sister and she was so sweet. I sat next to her at a lunch with all three of the teams after and we talked about stuff that was different in Sweden from the U.S. All of them spoke perfect English (all Swedish people do) so we talked to them a lot more than the Italian team. Despite this, it was really special to meet all of them; it felt like we were uniting our countries or something. We gave them pins with Italian and American and Swedish and American flags and I gave some of them t-shirts from my high school. We waved good bye and said good luck, wondering if we would ever see them again. Who knows?

Anyway, after the lunch we rested at our hotel and got ready to go to the DN Galan meet which I was soo excited for. I think this was the first huge meet I have been a spectator for and it was awesome. David Oliver, Jesse Williams, Usain Bolt, Carmelita Jeter, Jennifer Suhr, Yelena Isinbayeva, just to name a few, were amazing to watch (they're amazing obviously). When Bolt came out the crowd went wild. Everyone was saying how cocky he was acting, but no one cared, he sailed through the finish line effortlessly, first place. The cameras flooded around him; what. a. superstar. I can't believe were running there tomorrow. Its tomorrow people!! Must get some sleep, I must run fast. Wish me luck! ♦