It all started for me when one of my all time Paralympic heroes Brendan Burkett (now sport scientist for the team) tracked me down in a hallway (coming out of the toilets of all places!) to say "It's official you're going. Now you need to go over to that hallway on the far side of the diving pool to get ready for the announcement" From there it was a flurry of activity, camera flashes and hugs and we scrambled to get into the matching white Addidas t-shirts we would wear for our big moment.
Then we had to line up alphabetically with girls on one side of the room and boys on the other. Just as we were lined up one swimmer whom I thought had missed out, Kat Lewis Athens Paralympian, walked in and I was so happy for her. She had been sick and hadn't swum as well as she'd hoped. I'd actually heard she retired. Then again, there seems to be a rumour going around that I retired too. When I arrived on the first day most of the swimmers said "hi Marayke, are you here commentating?"!
Once is line, we proceeded down the same long hallway where I learnt that I was going to Athens 4 years ago. Here we waited single file, chatting amongst ourselves and with the inevitable fits of giggles rippling through the girls' line whenever we were told to be quiet.
One by one our names were announced to the crowd (pretty much an empty grandstand spare about 30 family and friends, which was probably one of the only downsides to the night). When my name was called it was my turn to walk out across the end of the pool past an honour guard of past Paralympians ( Many my past team mates: Alistair Smales, Megan Grant, Alicia Jenkins, Jessica Smith, Brendan Burkett). Then it was on to shake hands with Darren Peters, CEO of the Australian Paralympic Committee and finally our headcoach Brendan Keogh ( by then I was so excited I thought a hug was far more suitable than a handshake). We all assembled in rows in front of the media banner for photos with lots of jostling and discussion about who was taller/shorter etc. Just when we had it perfect the photographer announced he actually wanted a picture with the pool behind us so we all had to move down the other end! We did and eventually we got a lovely arial photo with the photographer standing up in the grandstand looking down on us. We got one of just the Queenslanders too, for Swimming QLD.
I had the most amazing suprise after that, a blast from the past as some would call it. Way back in 1994 when I was 14 years old in hospital having a spinal fusion operation and stuck lying down in bed for months I shared a room with a little boy I will never forget. His name way Eliah and he had been involved in a terrible accident with a tiger in a circus across the road from the hospital. Eliah had lost his arms. I remember very little of my time in hospital but I remember his family frantically calling relatives trying to let them know before they heard the news on a tv.I remember the extraordinary grief of a father whose tigon (cross between a lion and a tiger), like a baby to him, had mauled his own son. And I remember the cheek of the media..... camping outside emergency trying to get in. I could see them out my window.One day Eliah and I were alone in our private room when a man walked in with a bunch of flowers. The nurses must have thought he was a relative, but he turned out to be a journalist trying to sneak in and get an interview. No unknown visitors were allowed after that. It certainly made me think about ethics, and when I studied journalism at uni I sure knew what sort of journalist I DIDN'T want to be. I really admired Eliah for being so brave and adorable and felt for his family. Four days later he was transferred to another hospital and though I never expected to see him again the memory of those days has never left me. So standing in line waiting to have my photo taken with the team no one could have beenn more suprised than me when Eliah walked past! He has just started swimming and was racing at his first National titles. GO ELIAH!!! Goodluck I hope to see you swim at the Paralympics in London!!!!
I hardly had time to say hi and introduce myself to Eliah (he, of course didn't remember me) before I was being hustled away to the official team meeting for members of the Australian Paralympic Swim Team. We gathered back in the room this time to sit down and hear from BK. He read out all the people making their third, second and first paralympic team. I was amazed to be the only female going to my third Games. After a while the clapping was dragging on so a 2 clap rule was brought in...leading to a rather funny rhythmic accompaniment as each name was read out.This team is filled with the most amazing people, even something like a formal meeting is fun.Then we heard from swimming Australia CEO Glenn Tasker, our sport psychologist and retired swimmer Alistair Smales. Suddenly the lights dimmed and we watched a slide show of team members in Athens and at World Champs. BK then spoke about the road that has got us to this point and what we need to do in the future. He told us about the Australian coat of arms ( which we were all wearing on our t-shirts). Did you know the kangaroo and the Emu are the only two animals in the world who can't walk backwards? We all need to be kangaroos in our preparation to Beijing......take no backwards steps and make decisions that will have a positive impact on our performance.
Then with that it was over bar getting a handout with important dates etc for the next few months.
By the time the meeting ended the pool was closing, so everyone headed to the Novotel bar with their families and we has a great time. I caught a cab and finally got home at 2am.
Relief is definitely the emotion that sums today up best for me.
I had expected to cry when I found out I made the team, but there was never really a wow moment. When Brendan Burkett first told me he was really just in a rush to cross names off his list and get us all organised. So it wasn't really a huge celebratory moment.
Plus I had an inkling I was going after I raced, seing as BK was so happy with my time.
Then at about 3pm I got a text message from BK saying
"Hi swimmers please bring your white APC t-shirt tonight.
Meet at the end of the pool when swimming finished.Thanks, BK"
Well back in 2004 at the Athens trials we all got a letter saying meet at the end of the pool for the announcement. My roomate Brooke Stockham and I really hoped it meant something, we carried it around and practically slept with it. But we didn't know for sure if it meant we made it on the team until the announcement. I thought everyone got it but it turned out those who didn't make the team didn't get the letter.So this time when I got a text about what to wear and where to meet and some other swimmers didn't I was pretty sure that meant I had a seat on the plane! At least it spared me the sick in the stomach feeling some people had when we arrived at the pool.
It was a great end to a long day. I was up at 6.30am to leave for the pool. Apparently there is meant to be bad traffic and the 10 minute drive to the pool can take 1 1/2 hours. But I was in luck- no traffic - so I got to the pool 3 hours early for my 50m breaststroke! After the race I jumped into the warm spa which really seemed to stop me getting sore. Must remember that trick. Then I went back to the hotel and started this blog to keep everyone up to date. I feel like I made two great achievements today, making the team and FINALLY working out how to get online in this hotel room (took many phonecalls to reception!)
Now trials are over and it is time to start the hard training
161 days to go (I'm not counting or anything!)
take care
xoxooxoox marayke xooxooxox
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