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respected role model, Ellie Cole, from Australia. Te gold medalist from Rio in 2016 called my name and swam across the lanes to hug me. Sharing that moment with someone I have looked up to and competed with for years meant the world to me. Te time between finishing my race and walking out onto the podium was a whirlwind. I was walked
energy and life to the event. Tey were always there to wave us goodbye and welcome us home, to wish us luck and congratulate us, to cheer us on no matter how we performed. Teir acts of kindness and positivity always put smiles on our faces and brought us comfort. Before I knew it, before I had even processed what had just happened, there I was, standing in the center
YOU FEEL WEIGHTLESS AND FREE . E V ER Y THING
EL SE AROUND YOU FADES A W A Y, AND YOU REALIZE Y OU’RE LI V ING THE DREAM YOU’ V E P L A Y ED OV ER AND OV ER IN YOUR HEAD .
through lines of journalists, answering questions with the most unfiltered, immediate responses. Down the next hallway, just as tears began filling my eyes again as I thought about my family not being there, the volunteers congratulated me, cheering and clapping. Te people of Japan and the volunteers of the Games filled an otherwise unbearable void and brought
of the podium, watching the flags being prepared, dozens of cameras all pointed at the three of us. I found myself staring into the cameras, feeling my family there with me. I knew they were watching. I waved to my friends in the stands. All of us were in the same boat, there to compete at the highest level without our usual support. Something like that could
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