By now energy levels were starting to dwindle. After the hype of the relay we left the presentation area to prepare for the flags. I felt like I should be getting into my pyjamas and hoping into bed. Instead I was practicing beach flags ready to contest the quarterfinals. Flags are very much a mental sport. Being in the right state of mind is critical. Getting into the right mindset wasn’t too difficult. The key is to be relaxed and clam. The difficulty today was pushing the nerves aside. Today I knew 100% that at the end of the day there would be a final of eight. This seemed like a scary thought at first. Until I kept reminding myself that there would be a place for me in that final eight. At the end of the day someone has to take them!
The quarterfinals were a good warm up. Thankfully I was on the ball from the start. The best thing was that Claire and Hayley had qualified for the semis too. Claire was in the other and Hayley was in mine.
Down we went onto the line. My first turn was sharp and I lined up for a flag. Taking the dive I stretched out my hands opened around the flag. Bang! Someone had come from nowhere. Knocking the living daylights out of me. Instantly shocked my hands mustn’t have had time to clamp down on the flag and it was gone. Where was it? I came up without the flag, realising that it was Hayley that knocked me. But none of us had the flag. I was underneath and knew the flag was there somewhere. Remaining calm I quickly put my hand in for the search. Where was it? After a few seconds of scrambling I felt the hose, clenched it tight and pulled it out! Few! That was a close one!
The blow from Hayley had been hard and I didn’t feel quite right when I stood up. So I took my time getting back for the next run off. I was second from the end this time. Feeling happy with the line up, I got down on the sand again. Whistle blasting, it was another good turn. This time coming across to line up the end flag. Devina, a long-standing great flagger was on my left. I was about to take her flag. She used her body well against me. But I muscled through and as I took my dive her feet clipped mine. I plummeted into the sand headfirst with arms outstretched. The flag was secure but I came up with a face full of sand. I had taken another bashing. I took some breaths before facing the next run.
The cheer squad was awesome. Spotting Crib, Nai and Dys on the sidelines lifted my moral. The next run off I was clear, grabbing a flags no problems. Now it was the run off for the finals. I drew lane one. In my mind I was already there, but physically I needed to get there. My turn could have been better and Michelle on my left started to come over. I couldn’t go for my end flag. Some quick thinking and I switched directions, weaving behind Michelle for the other flag. Someone else was lining up for this one too. Not today, I had worked too hard to let this one go. In the contested dive I came up with the flag. The flag to the final! A magical feeling, I had made it!
No comments:
Post a Comment