Faster! Harder! Stronger!

• Sophie Perkins, Grade 7
• Short Story
• 2016

‘Faster, harder, stronger!’
The voice inside my head urged me on, but it was in vain. No matter how hard I tried, no matter how much I hurt, nothing could make me go faster.
I felt like a failure as I saw the look of disappointment etched on my coach’s face. I only caught parts of what he was saying, as I concentrated on holding back my tears.
Why did this have to happen to me? I would never make the Olympics at this rate. I would never succeed.
Training after training, day after day, week after week, nothing seemed to look up.
All it had taken was one shaky step, one hesitation and here I was, still recovering from an injury that seemed to never be getting better.
100 days…. 99…. 75…. 60…. 40…. the days go by as the Australian Olympic trials seem to be creeping up on me.
Now…. One week.
‘Sprint! Faster!’ These are the words I have come to dread. ‘Faster! Harder! Stronger!’

Every day I grow more tired, and cry myself to sleep at night. I dream about the time when I was healthy, strong, and fast.

The night before the National Trials I can’t sleep. I toss and turn, but no matter how hard I try, all I can think about is the race tomorrow. I think of the athletes I will be racing. I think of the people who will be watching. I think of my training. What if it isn’t enough?

I wake up feeling terrible. As I shove breakfast down I try to smile and have a positive mindset but nothing seems to be working. My fear of failure swallows the tiny fragment of hope I have left. As soon as we arrive at the stadium, I start warm up, but all I can think about is the race to come.

As I watch the men run their race my nerves start to build until….
‘Women’s 800m competitors, report to marshalling please.’ Slowly I walk to the start of the race, my heart pounding in my chest.
‘On your marks, get set, go!’ And so the race begins. I start off in 5th place. All I can think of is how much I want to compete in the Olympics. It has been my dream since I was a child, and I can’t believe I am letting it slip through my fingers. I try to go faster, but my legs won’t obey.

200m down – 600m to go and I am already starting to get tired. But I have to do this. I have got this far and how can I stop now? I can’t.
Pushing harder, the back straight puts me in 3rd place. So close, yet so far. At the last bend I am sure the race is over until I hear my family cheering. I go as fast as I can and... YES!!!!
2nd place!

This means... I am an Olympian!!!!