Today....I am an United States Olympian...That feels really great to say! For the better part of 6 years I have been making emotional and physical deposits into the worst possible bank account you could think to open, the kind of account that yields hardly any interest and moderate to no return on your investment whatsoever...Well finally, after 6 years of putting in and not getting any out...I am making one huge massive withdrawal! However, I cannot make that withdrawal until 19:30 UTC +8, August 23, 2008.
In what was an emotional roller-coaster of a week, it all culminated in a bitter sweet 2nd place at our Olympic Team Trials in Eugene, Oregon. “Track Town USA”, aka Eugene, was amazing in every way...except the weather for the final on Sunday July 6. We threw in a mild headwind in our qualifying rounds, that was very typical Eugene...but then had to throw in winds in Sundays Final that resembled hurricane Catrina. Wind gusts were measured at 25 mph at the local weather station, and were consistently between 10-15 mph straight in our faces. It was a difficult day for me because the wind conditions required very precise flights of the
javelins. Any one that knows my throw knows that is an area that I must address before I head off to Beijing. In a strange twist, the wind conditions actually favored throwers with less power and lower personal bests. I finished 2nd place with 75.76m, which was good enough for me to secure my spot on the Olympic Team but my performance was also my worst of the season thus far. In the 3rd round, my ribs that were bothering me since Berlin were re-injured. As a result of this, my managers and coach have decided to pull me out of the remaining Super Grand Prix's before Beijing in order to reduce the chance of injuring them any further.So...what a huge relief and honor it is to be able to represent the United States on the worlds biggest stage, the games of the 29th Olympiad in Beijing. However, I return to San Diego with a small chip on my shoulder for not representing the United States as the reigning National Champion...bitter sweet it is!
A huge shout-out to Amory Rowe and In The Arena for making a similar emotional (and financial) investment in March of 2007. Without the support and encouragement of Amory and ITA. In a sport, and event, that seems to be a financial black hole, Amory and ITA has given my family and I a chance to "live the dream" and for that no amount of thanks will ever be enough!
M++
