(THIS PROJECT IS BASED ON MY LIFE EXPERIENCES IN A WRITTEN PARAGRAPH THAT I EVENTUALLY TURNED INTO A SWAY PRESENTATION)
I stood there shaking, The wind harshly collides against me bringing the cold sensation with it. I stood there watching as each one of my teammates swam through the once crystal water like their life depended on it. My gaze drifted away from the white churning waves of the pool and into the stands. Colors ranging from blue, green and even pink danced across my eyes. The sounds of the cheers filled my head blanketing me in a nervous shell. The shaking grew more as the time passed by, I walked up the rock filled tan colored block, feeling the tiny pebbles pushing against my feet. I looked at the crystal water slowly turning white, My nervousness grew more as I saw my reflection my face covered by black goggles with a sleek reflective design even then I could still see the doubt, anxiety and…..determination. My eyes sharpened as I saw my teammate closing in my feet curling against the edge the rocks pushed harder against my feet but I ignored it the only thing that I felt was the sheer determination to succeed. My knees bending ready to spring like a coil. BAM! I jumped with as much force as I could manage to feel the rocks start to break against my skin for a split second then it was gone. I was in the air feeling the cool breeze of the wind brushing against me like I was a canvas. My head tucked between my arms, my body stiffens to prepare for the entry. SPLASH The deafening sound was reduced to a distorted low sounding pitch. The water pushing against me as I whipped my short legs like a gray young dolphin, I slowly ascend my eyes never leaving the rough blue pool floor. Once I felt the wind against my back my legs left the rectangular shape and went to a parallel form kicking against the surface of the water, my arms entering in and out of the white waves of the water. I hear the sound of my teammates shouting words of encouragement. All I could see are colorful blurs as my head rises up and down after every 3 strokes of my arms entering in and out trying to catch air, my mouth wide open like a fish out of water. The water was trying to slow me down but I couldn’t allow it too I pushed myself harder than I have ever had before. This was the finals! and I won’t lose it for my team. I saw the wall closing in rapidly. I tucked my head in like a turtle hiding in its shell and before my body collided harshly with the wall I somersaulted feeling nauseous I get ready to push off with the might of a great whites bite. My legs against my body ready to spring. The feeling of my legs pressing against me left as I pushed off…But due to the nauseousness I was only able to barely pushed against the wall. My eyes snapped open so fast It felt like they weren’t closed at all. If you were looking at them through the reflective glass of the goggles you would see the fear in my eyes. Without me pushing against the wall, I wouldn’t get enough momentum and without momentum, I’m as slow as a snail before slowly accelerating. I pushed my body into overdrive trying to gain the lost time. A flurry of bubbles covered my face like it was hugging it. I kept screaming to push my body further slowly passing the competitors one after another. Hope started to fill me again. I felt weightless like a feather in the air. BAM! I hit my hand rather forcefully against the wall. I was so busy drowning in my thoughts I didn’t notice how close I was to the wall. My head rocketed out of the water bringing the water with it. I looked around frantically before finally setting my eyes on the black rectangular board where we would see our placements. My blood froze as I started shaking uncontrollably, My eyes brimming with tears. I looked up again managing to hold the tears in ‘4th’ it says on the board next to my team names. From 1st to 4th all because I messed up, All because of me my teammate lost their dreams gone because of me. Somehow like a miracle I didn’t shed any tears, hysteria filling me. I climbed slowly above the pool heading towards my team at that moment no sounds were heard inside my head it was silent like the emptiness of the void. They tried cheering me up saying that “It wasn’t your fault”. “Just bad luck dude”, “We can try again next time” They tried telling me they were okay but I knew better, behind those worried faces were looks filled of disappointment and slight anger. I nodded walking away feeling horrible, I could feel my worries crawling on my back. I made a silent promise to myself that day without knowing it…I’m never going to swim competitively