We were in a hurry. I had less than an hour before the race and we were still stuck in Melbourne CBD traffic. Breathe. Sigh. My father tried to get us through the clogged streets surrounding Albert Park. We would have been late. Inhale, exhale. The streets displayed on my phone were all lit red. It wasn't a good sign. I could feel my heart rate getting higher and higher as the minutes passed, still stationary. But for every inch we got closer, there would be at least fifty cars in front of us. At this rate it would take us half an hour to reach the MSAC pool. Our coach Paul was already there, on the pool deck, waiting for us. Luckily I had found a way. It was a long shot, but somehow we managed to get there in time for warm-ups. 30 minutes later I was ready for my swimming race, 100 meter breaststroke. It was my daily bread. Just as I was about to enter the sorting, my father gave me some banana bread and wished me good luck. My coach told me earlier that this was my last chance to qualify for nationals in Sydney. We all knew how important it would be. Inhale, exhale. Now I was on the verge of doing my swimming race. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay The strong but distant signal went out and I swam. But I didn't swim fast enough, because after that I knew I wasn't going to Sydney. All hope seemed lost. About five minutes later my coach told me that there would be a race here at the MSAC next Friday. Another last chance. It was 10am on Friday 6 April, a week later. I had woken up, tired and full of stress about my race tonight. Will I make it? What if I didn't? Do I really want to go to Sydney? I couldn't stop thinking about it and I also felt the need to eat. So I got out of bed, walked across the hall to the living room. But as soon as I entered the open door, a strong, tasty aroma filled the room. I knew it would be a great start to my day. "Morning!" I said cheerfully. “Good morning Anton,” the mother replied. “Ready for your big race today?” “Yes,” I said. “All I have to do now is prepare my equipment, then I'm ready.” "Great! But before you do that, you should eat breakfast. I made your favorite, eggs and bacon." She said excitedly. “Oh! Thanks Mom,” I said. “You're welcome.” Mom was right, my eggs and bacon were my favorite for breakfast. Twenty minutes passed and I had already finished the delicious meal. I could feel my spirits lift as I became more happy and more confident in my race. I brushed my teeth with a smile and started to relax to try to relieve the stress from my head. Finally, after a few episodes on Netflix, I started to prepare my bag and the food for the competition.We left home around 3 to beat the heavy traffic that awaited us this afternoon in Melbourne heading to the MSAC is in the heart of Melbourne. It is an impressive structure located in Albert Park next to a lake that reflects the sunlight during the day and in summer becomes the setting for the Grand Prix. The dome overlooking the outdoor pool and the grandstands facing you really make you realize how small you are in this big world. It can be quite overwhelming if you think about it, as the atmosphere and excitement of the crowd of people can put enormous pressure on you. But you have to face it, because whatever happens, it's not going anywhere. After almost two hours of travel we headed along the "straight" of the park. During the preparation for the Grand Prix the track is still a roadpublic. However, the barriers and overpasses are already in place. It was like driving in the real Grand Prix. I wonder how race car drivers deal with their pressure, fears and hopes. It was time to do my swimming race. I had already warmed up with my club in the crowded lanes of the indoor pool while the other older competitors passed me by with serious looks, thinking about how important this competition was. It might even be their last chance. Before I left for sorting, my coach Paul and I talked about my event. He said: “Look Anton, this is your race, your opportunity. I did my part, now you have to do yours, because you're the one swimming in the race. It's up to you how far you want to go there and I know you'll make the qualifying time. Do you know why?" "Why?" I asked. "Because I believe you can do it." He said. “You've been training hard for the last few weeks. You've come to every session. We've been focusing on your technique and your stroke. You can do it. Now come down and do your best. Believe." Now I was on the pool deck, walking towards the blocks while thinking about what my coach had said. “This is your race, your opportunity,” “you are the person swimming the race,” “believe.” I knew what I had to do. The previous race was still ongoing. I did some stretches and jumps to warm up my muscles. Now I was ready to swim. The long whistle blew. I entered the block of Lane 6, like a cat ready to pounce. The official prepared the signal and said, “Take your votes.” A short pause followed as the arena went silent. "Beep!" And I was out. With each new stroke, I felt more and more adrenaline coursing through my veins. My pace was quickening as I dragged my feet through the penetrating water, kick after kick. I turned around on the second lap, with 50 meters to go. My stroke started to get a little slow towards the end, but I was able to correct it and continued to advance. With half a lap to go, I took a quick look at the pool. I was second or third. My heart rate was uninterrupted. Beyond the flags, I was scared, but I had to keep going, no matter how tired I was, because I had to finish my race. This mattered more. I gave all my strength to the last remaining blows. I was finally done. The time was now displayed on the scoreboard. I looked at the list, looking for my name. There it was, glowing with white LED lights. Anton Risch, 1:16.30, half a second under the national time. I was so happy, because at that moment I knew I had made it. I was going to nationals. THE END. (Word count and reflections are on the next page.) (Word count: 1154) Reflection: My story, Another Last Chance, is based on an image of me ferociously swimming breaststroke in one half while the other half is MSAC, late at night during the competition. I chose this image because it represented this significant moment in my life, qualifying for the Sydney nationals. This image can be interpreted many ways, but, for me, it's how I see myself swimming in that race. Please note: this is just an example. Get a custom paper from our expert writers now. Get a Custom Essay The Reader Should Be I could see how the image inspired me to write a short story full of suspense and emotion in a charming but also whimsical way, shown by my facial expression while running in the image. After selecting my image, I started thinking about the plot and decided to set my story in three different locations because they are important to me in real life. Home, the Grand Prix track and the MSAC. As for gender, I have.