Spotlight: The Dream Race
By Marisa N., Blue Team

“Beep, Beep, Beep!” My hand slaps the alarm clock. I peer over. The clock reads 5:15 a.m. Ugghhh! Two long, black hairy legs dangle over the cliff of the bed. Now my legs magically do the same thing.

“Come on, Maisy!” comes out of my mouth. I walk to my white antique amour and open the bottom draw. Inside are forty-three different bathing suits. I grab the familiar Blue Wave suit. Today I will be swimming for myself and eventually, I hope, my country. My dream, ever since I swam that first race, had been to become an Olympic Swimmer. Today, I pray to God, will be the 24-hour period, that my dream will come true. The U.S.A. Olympic Trials are in four and a half hours. I will swim all the women's breastroke and freestyle events, plus two relays; one at the beginning and one at the end. Then at the end of the meet they will announce the team.

***

“Pump it! Louder, come on! Don't stop! Let's get into it! Come on baby do it!” “Pump It” by the Black Eyed Peas, runs through my head from my headphones.

This is my last race of the meet. My three other teamates include Natalie Coughlin, Amanda Beard, and Laura Power. I have always dreamed of racing with Natalie and Amanda. Laura however I haven't heard much about except that this is her second year on the team if she makes it again (she probably will because she is so fast). Anyway, I have gotten 1 st and 2 nd in every single race so far. My relay shall be the icing on the cake. I am the anchor on a team of four women in a 4 x 200 freestyle relay (four people, each swimming 200 meters).

Freestyle is my second stroke, and this is one of my better events.

“Take your mark, BEEEPPP!” Natalie powerfully dives in. She has the best stroke I have ever seen (I've seen a lot of strokes).

I am so nervous. If we don't win this race, I won't make the team! Natalie's head pops out of the water as Amanda's disappears. We are currently beating the #2 team by three seconds. I am going to win. I am going to own.

Amanda's arm hits the wall, but Laura's have already started to circle and dive. Perfect! I place my goggles over my eyes and push hard. We are now leading by four seconds. I'm going to win. I am going to own.

Laura is on her last lap. I step up onto the block and point my hands out, after pushing on my goggles for the final time. Follow her body in and Bam! I see her touch the wall and disappear as my hands slap the water and I start swimming after some short kicking. Everything has left my mind, but one thing; the courage and stamina to get to the wall first. I am almost there. My fingers buckle in as they hit the time pad. I turn around to cheering and my eyes stare at the shot clock.

I read:

1st – Lane 4 – Coughlin, Beard, Power, Smith

I rip off my pink goggles and cry. Tears of sorrow have never meant more to me than those of joy.