Fifty Back Finals

I was in the water, ready for action. All I could see while I was in the frigid water was the diving block in front of my face. I was thinking, “Will I get first? Will I get last? Will I drop time?” Then, cutting short my daydreaming, the official sounded the buzzer on the loudspeaker and the other competitors and I charged through the water. This event was only 50 yards, so if I started last, I ended last. Time was racing, and I was dying of exhaustion. I was kicking and throwing my arms in and out of the water like a madman. I was trying 125%. In my mind I was thinking, “Before the race I was fresh as a daisy. Now I feel like I’m slowly dying of tiredness.” Just when I thought my lungs would collapse I touched the wall and I finished. My goggles were filled with water. I took them off and I looked at the scoreboard. I got fifth and dropped 1½ seconds.

Once I got out of the pool I could barely walk. My cheeks were red and my legs were sore. My arms felt like broken machinery that needed to be repaired. I slowly walked to my coach.

“Good job Ben, you got second.”

“Huh??????????”

“You got second in 50 backstroke.”

He was right because when had I checked the scoreboard, my eyes were blurry from the water. I felt very proud of myself looking back at it. It was a great experience overall but next time I should be more prepared. I can’t wait for next year.