Last race

The IASAS swimming tournament in Manila can be summed up in one word: epic. The privilege of competing in IASAS is not something that one can gets automatically just by being a member of the Varsity team – only those who are deemed to have earned their spot are selected. I had my last race ever last Saturday. It wasn’t an individual event – it was a relay (400m freestyle). For this race, there were four people in each relay team, and each person in a relay team had to swim 4 laps (100m) each. My individual time for 100m freestyle was around 1:09 (I think, I have to check this up). Not only was it my last race, but it was the last race of the entire three-day tournament.

We were pumped up like crazy. It was amazing – all I had in my mind was doing well in the relay. What happened the previous two days of the tournament were irrelevant – we (the relay team) had to focus ourselves on what was happening there and then – in the present. We had a few minutes to get ourselves ready because the girls 400m free relay went before us. I wanted to cheer for our girls relay team, but both I and my relay teammates were just too busy getting ready for our race. The other five teams were also there behind the timers and the diving blocks, stretching, watching the progression of the girls’ relay and performing their personal pre-race rituals.

At the conclusion of the girls’ relay (I don’t remember what place our girls finished), I got together with my relay teammates. We needed to do well in this race – relays were were double the points one could earn in an individual race, and the points were desperately needed by the whole team. Before the race started, other members of the swim team who weren’t in the relay began cheering. Though it wasn’t enough to get my nerves down, it got me ready for the race and made me feel energetic.

I wasn’t the first/starting swimmer for the relay – I was swimmer number three. The first relay swimmers stood by the diving blocks awaiting the starter’s whistle. But before that happened, the announcer introduced each relay team to the crowd of watching swimmers and spectators. When we were introduced, the cheers for us were louder than the rest (I swear it was). Afterwards, everything became silent. The starter blew the three whistles, indicating that the first swimmers should step on the blocks. Then yelled out through the speakers, “take your mark,” and then a beep signaled the start of the race. Suddenly you could hear the deafening cheers from spectators sitting at the bleachers and at the other end of the pool.

I continued my pre-race ritual of swinging my arms and stretching as the first swimmer completed his leg of the race. He kept up with the others. As he neared the completion of his fourth lap, the second swimmer stepped onto the blocks and began his relay start, which consisted of following the approaching swimmer with his hands outstretched, with his hands getting closer to his feet as the approaching swimmer approached (for lack of a better word). As the swimmer was an arm’s length away from the wall, the second swimmer swung his arms forward allowing him to gain maximum distance on his dive, and began the second 100m of the race.

I was up next. The anchor (the fourth and last swimmer) reminded me of the importance of this race: we needed to do well, the team needed the points. As the second swimmer neared the completion of his leg of the race, I stepped up on the block, and began the motions of the relay start. And off I went.

I’m a mid-distance swimmer, so I can swim 50-200m events. As I was swimming 100m, I had to sprint all-out. I had to maintain a fast stroke, yet at the same time ensure that my pull could get me far enough, and that my legs remained kicking. It was tempting to look at the other lanes underwater and see how they were faring, but I didn’t. If I turned my head and looked at the other lanes, I would have been slower. In contrast to being above water, all I could hear as I sprinted were the splashes of my stroke and the breaths I took. I’m the kind of person who thinks about everything at once. All I had in my head was finishing that race, and finishing it well. I didn’t worry about what would happen the next day, or regret my poor performance in two of my individual events the previous day. For the first time ever, my mind was in the present.

Everything went smoothly: my stroke was long but fast, my legs continued kicking, and my turns were in good order. My heart beat faster and faster as I completed my last lap. In order to go as fast as possible, I had to keep myself from breathing. When I touched the wall, the anchoring swimmer dove off, and I climbed out through the right side of the pool. When the race was done, the coach told me that I broke my 100m free time, from 1:09 (I have to check this) to 1:02.

We finished third, and got a bronze medal for the race. My last race ever.

Perseverance

“Pain is temporary. Pride is forever.”

The second semester will begin on Monday. I’m nearly done with the homework I had to do for English class. I’m also nearly done with the Extended Essay – I just need to deal with grammatical errors and typos. College apps are a different story, but I still have time. I’m not looking forward to anything academic, but I am looking forward to the extracurricular and social sides of school. Next weekend I’ll be traveling to Singapore for a swimming exchange (its basically a swim meet with a school in Singapore, and a school in KL). It’s gonna be awesome.

And then two weeks later I’ll be heading off to Manila, to participate in the I.A.S.A.,S. swimming tournament – its basically a regional tournament with teams from my school in Jakarta, along with international schools in Singapore, KL, Taipei, Bangkok and of course Manila. This tournament finishes the swimming season, and is viewed by many as the highlight of high school swimming. During my sophomore and junior years, I not picked to participate in the tournament, which, frankly, made me feel bitter. After being rejected for the second time last year, I seriously considered quitting swimming. I’m not a year-round swimmer, but I do dedicate myself to training when I need to. I’m glad I didn’t drop swimming. I don’t know if I’m gonna win any medals, hopefully I do, but we’ll see.

I know a few people who dropped out of swimming, and many other sports at school, mainly because they didn’t make I.A.S.,A.S. I’m glad I persevered. What a great way to end my high school swimming career. All those grueling hours of training have finally paid off.

 

PS yeah i changed the custom image header (the pic at the top). i didn’t have time to steal pictures from the internet, so i’m stuck with “i bumped my head on the wall, now i got a bukol.” i’m trying to be funny here.

Apps

Sleeping late, waking up late, eating brunch, swim practice, and then doing schoolwork/college apps the rest of the day: my routine since last week.

Anyway, earlier today I checked my e-mail, and found that I had been accepted to Acadia University, in Wolfville, Nova Scotia. I’m thrilled – at least now the possibility of me not being accepted by any of the schools I applied to will be laid to rest. Acadia was ranked top undergraduate school last year, either by Maclean’s or by Globe and Mail, so it is a serious choice. The only negative is the weather – its freezing in Nova Scotia. Last year I was joking with a few friends of mine, telling them how I’m thinking of applying to janitor school so I can get a Bachelor of Janitorship. Thank God it will remain just a joke. At least I have one definite place to go to if – God forbid – all the other unis reject me.

Speaking of college, my other college apps aren’t doing well – they’re not done. I’ve already applied to all the schools I wanted to apply to, it’s just that four of these schools require “Supplemental Applications” – Canadian euphemisms for “college application essays”. I’m good at writing essays, except for English. The questions looked easy, but when I tried to write… well that was a different story.

Admissions committees look at my grades and letters of recommendation from my teachers. The Supplemental Application/whatever form is the only component of the application that I have complete control over. The essays in them are the only way I can make a connection with the admissions officer considering my application out of hundreds, or thousands that he/she has had to look at. In other words, this is super important. In all honesty, my grades suck and I need to catch their attention with my stunning writing skills. Yeah right.

• “What qualities do you have that would make you successful in the Arts program?” (200 words, UBC)
  • I’m empathetic? But what evidence do I have for empathy? I have to elaborate
  • I’m an adaptable learner? Uh my grades don’t reflect that
  • I’m curious/inquisitive/questioning? – elaborate
  • I like current events?
• “Describe and evaluate one experience that significantly influenced your academic goals.” (200 words, UBC)
  • Watching the news following 9/11? That could work.
  • How I’m following the US elections every day? I don’t know…
• “Please tell us about your educational goals, your interest in your chosen program(s) and your reasons for applying to the University of Waterloo.” (500 words)
  • Well this question is the same as UBC’s, sort of?
• “In 250 words or less, describe how your interests, experiences and capabilities will allow you to participate in and contribute to the Queen’s community.”
  • Service and swimming? in 250 words?
  • Or maybe just talk about swimming? No that wouldn’t work. Swimming laps wouldn’t necessarily contribute to the community
  • Or maybe talk about just service? Maybe .. and then elaborate on my ‘leadership’ skills . lol
  • How about YFC? That might work, but that’s risky. But again, this could link back to ‘leadership’ skills
  • My stunning sex appeal? I wish…

I made “semi-drafts” for these questions already, but they’re kinda crap. Sometimes I blog my problems out in the hope of finding a solution while typing – sometimes it helps, sometimes it doesn’t.

Shit