The summer swim season officially ended (at least for the 8 and under crowd) yesterday at the conclusion of City Meet. Thomas was a bit nervous as we made our way for his 8:30 am arrival, but everyone in the tent said they didn’t notice his nerves. He was content to have some time to play on the iPad. I think that’s what they love most about swimming!
I think I was far more nervous than he was by the time it was his turn to swim. My hand was trembling and I could hardly hold the phone to video. I said a prayer that he would do his best…that’s all I wanted for him. I knew he wasn’t going to finish first overall, but I just wanted him to do his best. And he did! Thomas is in lane three (they start their lane count from the top…):
His “seed” time (what he was expected to swim based on previous competitions) was 26.44 seconds. He swam in 23.64 seconds (according to his official time…I time him a few tenths faster). His coach was SHOCKED at how well he swam. I love my son, but his form has not always been perfect and there was some concern that he could get his arms going properly…but he did.
His teammate won the heat, so it was great that they finished together and SO CLOSE. In the end, his teammate finished 23rd overall and Thomas was 27th (that shows you how close all the times are!). That is out of 44 swimmers total.
Next up, after a little rest, was his turn for breaststroke. He was apparently seeded slightly higher, so perhaps the competition was a little tougher. And he was placed in lane 1, which for one reason or another, is not the ideal lane. Anyway, here he goes in lane 1 (the top lane):
I think he finished last in this heat. It wasn’t his best swim, but it wasn’t his worst! :) Most importantly he didn’t DQ and I think as long as he finished in the top 30, he earned points for his team. He finished 30th (of 43 total…and there were six disqualifications. It was by far the most DQ’d stroke.). His seed time was 29.44 seconds and his actual time was 31.26.
In the end, the most important and best thing about the whole experience is how proud he was of himself. He said several times, “I’m so proud of myself too!” When I told him he finished 27th and 30th, he said, “Not bad!”
Even though sometimes I wish he’d be a little more competitive, I’m thankful that he doesn’t take himself too seriously and that he’s able to see the big picture. He should be proud of himself and I am too!
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