One.Final.Race.
Everything was the same- Mac Ritchie, paddles, boat, etc. Only things that's different were being part of combined schools (with the singlet!) and more importantly a revelation, an epilogue and a conclusions.
Poof and there just went NCC. First race at 9, finals ended at 1pm. We were like wth, cos everything was all too fast (except our boat that's yet to oust the rest and be the best)
Heats were bad for us. For one a half years and this being the 5th sprint race, never once had I ever rowed in the first event of the day before, we had insuff warm up and, hell, the timing was bad. Lost to NUS (senior natl team) and the Junior Natl Team ppl. Basket.
So that left us to be 3rd, missing the straight finals chance. Had to race in semis.
But then again, going into semis was a good thing cos it gave us time to get things back in shape. And the rundown was perfect, wonderful feeling, one of the best we ever felt. Jonny was setting the pace for us to conserve. Everytime the 2nd boat came up, he just commands to power up. Kinda like we're racing their race.
Then came finals. Again, all out, 100%, 120%, 150%, everything. Felt great for the race but still, came in 3rd, aft both national team K4s. Tho it was only a nose behind the senior natl team boat, that didn't matter to me, or maybe even so, us. The feeling was tremendous
So then, what revelation? Aft the race I kinda realised, smth which coach mentioned before, something that i'm sure the K4 guys, could easily relate too. "It is only fun when you race with better people." Yeap, his idea. Tho when i first heard it, i thought that's being crazy, but now I'd give honour to those few words.
At that moment in time, pass the finishing line, tho it was the same old medal colour, which I hated a lot and promised to myself never to get it again and to make the next one a shinier one, that piece of metal and it's colour didn't matter to me. What mattered more, was the revelation of where my K4 stands, our K4 stands on this level of playing field, national canoeing champs. No doubt it was Gold Medal at A Divs, and that we were all very happy, having to achieve the goal set out right from more than a year ago, I had this feeling inside me which i couldn explain back aft natls. Happy, surely i was extremely- it was GOLD. But smth just compromised on that happiness, it being not extremely genuine.
Only until now, right after NCC, did i realise, what that thing was. The K4, though fastest among schools, wasn't the best one in Singapore. The inability to say that 'we were really the best' after the A divs compromised on my exuberance, that maximal joy, that anyone was supposed to feel. The results today at NCC, simply show why.
So what if it was Gold? The result stares at you in the face. Stark reality. You're 3rd.
Whatever the hype, whatever the excuses, we're battling it out with people who are the best in the Nation. So what if they rowed 6 years or more and we've rowed 1.5 year? Who cares if it was a nose or a millimetre?
We were behind them and they're better.
But having to come thus far, and achieving such a result really made me satisfied. We're still 3rd only. Yet to reach the top. This feeling would easily ignite some motivation in me to go get it on and continue to strive, with even more fervour and focus. But oh? then came the reminder, NCC is the last race already. Haha.
So here's how it ends, and does it get any better in time to come? (: What an interesting thought to ponder over, my fellow alumnus.
After all, it isn't the gold. It is still about being the best and knowing it genuinely.
Nevertheless, 3rd is still heartening (:
Medals are still metals that mean nothing in 10, 20, 30 years time, they just tell you how you fared in your time. Coach threw away his medals when he shifted his house.(lol)
Most most most most most most most of all it's still you, my beloved team and all the experiences that i love most and will never forget! (:
p.s
i actually spent time on this post cos it'd serve as great memory in time to come when i read it back (:
Today's the last day that sees me as captain. The torch will be passed on tmrw...
How beautiful this all ends... how beautiful (:
random!:
the seniors came down for k4 200m also, really funny. We were at shore when 2 ppl carrying a k2 coincidentally walked pass and blocked us when their horn blew. The next moment when the k2 moved pass, their boat was like slanted almost 50 degrees to one side! Hahaha. But still, they caught up and got 3rd for their semis :D
anw, ncc's atmosphere is damn dead, no one cheers. The first cheer i heard was from the sec sch team ppl only aft 1pm. bleah.
k then jon and jack were talking about the big eye girl. errhmm. S^2. lol and jon couldn find a way to talk to her despite the want to. awwwh man.
cjc coach said smth about our girls k2, rather bad and unjust, shows of his sheer jealousy and bad-loser spirit.
during prize pres, jack saw smth and immediately told me. lol he saw clarence and GPS downing some Heineken. haha
random pic post!
finally this came only after many many many many tries.
STONE. STONE. STONE. DRUNK.
(someone's gonna like this photo very much. don't ask me why. but i'm just gonna say that jonny looks like he's gonna kiss the camera. HAHA)
More National Pictures!
