Today was a good day and a bad day at the same time.Today,23 of January,1.30pm at Bedok Reservoir,the Victoria cross country team assembled at some benches in the park.It was the day of the SAA(Singapore Athletics Association) annual cross country competition.Everyone was nervous and yet also a bit excited at the same time.We were nervous as this was our first competition in a long time.We were excited as this competition was a gauge for us to see how much we have improved since the last competition and also lets us see how we fare against the other schools in Singapore.I was quite scared myself as I had fallen sick not too long ago and I have not gotten my 'form' back yet entirely.
Soon the first race began,which was the woman's category.When it started,we started to warm up as our race was immediately after theirs.Soon,the time of doom was upon us and we trudged wearily to the starting line,dreading what would happen next.
At last we lined up at the line.Everyone was perspiring buckets and people were jostling about.We tried our best to push the sec one guys,easily the smallest people there,in front so they would not be stuck at the back.We could not see much as there were like so many hulking Junior College and University boys there and then,without any warning,the race started after a single foghorn blast.Immediately the entire crowd surged forward and tried to secure a good position.
What happened after wards was a blur.I remembered the rapid beating of my heart,the ragged gasps I made,the sound of gravel crunching underfoot.I remember surging forward to overtake other boys,only to be overtaken back.I remembered the desperate struggles to continue onward,the despair on those who had given up for good and were walking slowly at the side of the path.I remembered the cries of the Victoria supporters,the burning lungs and muscles as I sprinted towards the finishing line,the sound of blood rushing through my ears as I overtook at least three people,the relief as I crossed the line.
After that race,I stood by the side and supported others who have not finished.Soon everyone finished and after a brief spell of half an hour the results were out and the prize giving begun.However.my group and I were in for a surprise as surprisingly ,we had won the third placing in the team category for the under sixteen boys.We were stunned and slowly it turned into delight.However we should have known it was not to last.
Soon it was the prize giving.My team was team A.The other team,team C were first.Then it happened.First they announced wrongly that Team C got third.My team looked about in confusion but still walked up to get the bronze award.Then suddenly a few minutes later they changed the entire thing and it became that Team C were the champions and that Sports School's team got third.All of us were dumbstruck as it was supposed to be VICTORIA to get that award for third place.It was like my team and I never existed.We were disgusted with the organization of the staff and wanted to leave but Miss Sheika stopped us.She said that even though the SAA staff screwed the results up and that even though we did not receive the prize we should still respect the remaining prize recipients.She also said that even though we do not have medals to show it,in our hearts,we know what we achieved and that was enough so for those who did well should feel proud of ourselves.So even though it was a good day for me as I did well,it was also a bad day as my team and I did not receive anything for our efforts.Personally I am still angry at the SAA staff.They should have better organization than this.How can they attract runners with this unsatisfying performance by the staff?They should work on this and hopefully they will not screw things up next year.
No comments:
Post a Comment