1, 2, 3, breathe. 1, 2, 3, breathe. Focus. Speed. Strength. I can feel the cheer of the other teammates in the air, people talking around me, and the indifference of a few kids sitting next to me on the wooden bench. But I can’t see nor hear anything. I’m here, next to the pool, waiting for my turn to dive in and show the rival team what qualities I’ve got. I’m sitting, my arms are on my knees, my hands are joined, and I’m staring into the water. I’m hypnotized. The loud and strong beat of the latest Hip Hop song is leading the beat of my heart. I can feel the adrenalin coming in my entire body as the time is passing by, making me want to jump into the water and leave out all the energy. But I can’t, not yet. My imagination is flying. I can clearly see myself swimming stroke after stroke to the sound of the powerful beat of the song I’m listening to. Focus. Speed. Strength. Those are the three words I keep thinking. I haven’t moved since the team cheered up. I can feel tension in the air while other swimmers are getting ready to dive in, but I ‘m trying not to receive that sensation. I have to stay calm, otherwise I will start too fast and after 50 yards I will be too tired to continue. 1, 2, 3, breathe. 1, 2, 3, breathe. I keep filling my lungs of air and then empty them out with my mouth not to make my heart run too fast. Thump, thump, thump. The beat of the song, of my heart, and of the stroke are all of a sudden in one. I’m completely concentrated. All of a sudden I feel a pat on my shoulder. I can feel all my body sucked into the real world. My eyes start to blink again and my head shakes twice before I realize again what is going on. I turn around. There is my coach waiting to tell me something. Now the only thing I can feel, hear and see is his patience, his hope, and the excitement in his stare and in his smile. I take off my headphones. “It’s your turn! Good luck!” I nod and smile back at him. I can do it! I put mi ipod away, take off my sweat suit and start warming up first my neck, then my arms, and my legs for last. My heart is still running with the beat of the song. I walk calmly to my lane. My teammates are wishing me good luck, and I simply smile back at them. Now silence is filling up the big room. I keep warming up. My stare is in the water again. Focus. Speed. Strength. “Swimmers…” I step up on the diving board. I look around to see who I’m competing against. In lane three there is my teammate. Our eyes meet, we smile, and wish ourselves good luck in our mind. Now our gaze is back to our own lane. I push my goggles as hard as I can on my eyes, even if they hurt really bad, so that they won’t fall off when I crash into the water. “On your marks…” We all get in position to dive in. Now I can feel more tension in the air. I try to ignore it, but it’s almost impossible. The adrenalin possesses my entire body now, and I can’t wait any longer, I have to swim. Beep!” The whistle blows and there I am, diving off the diving board, ready to emit all the energy I have store up in my body.
Camilla Bianco (4E) – Corrispondente dagli USA