Oh. My. Gosh. What a weekend!!!
We just got back from Finals in Mankato. We're exhausted, stinky, sweaty, tired and totally thrilled! This was Will & Maddie's last chance this season to get qualifying times for the State Championship meet next weekend. They've been sooooo close for the past couple months, but just haven't been able to get over that proverbial hump.
I'm not sure if it was their swim taper, the outrageous amount of money I spent on their suits, or just their sheer determination and will power that pushed them to the point of success...but this was definitely their weekend to shine!
Just a little background so you can "appreciate" the videos (and so one day I can look back and relive great memories): Saturday morning, the kids both swam their 50 Freestyles; going into their races super-close to state-cuts. They both shaved some time, but in the end, each came out empty-handed. Their coaches were able to enter them into a "time-trial" at the end of the meet session. A time-trial is a special "second-chance" they give to swimmers who are really close to meeting a standard at a finals-type meet.
Time-trials are often mixed heats. This means that there is a combination of gender, age, and even events during the same heat. Well, chance would have it that Will & Maddie ended up in the same heat. Crazy - - I know! They've never really "raced" each other before, outside of practice. Needless to say, they were both entirely thrilled by the prospect of beating each other. In the video below, he is in Lane 1 (far left at the start) and needed a 32.59 for his Champ time. She is in Lane 4 (middle of the pool, far right at the start) and needed a 32.39 for hers.
It almost looks like he was winning. But in the end, she totally SMOKED her time (and her brother) and ended up with a 31.80!!!
Poor Will...he was pretty bummed.
But don't worry, aside from a little case of injured-male-pride, it all turns out happy in the end!
This is Maddie's "historic" moment:
It's too bad we didn't get the end celebration on film. It was awesome! I can't even describe how proud I am of her. This is the first Champ time she's ever earned. She's been incredibly close, but just never made it before. What a great demonstration of how hard work and dedication pay off. Way to go, Maddie!!!
OK. So onto Part 2 of the exciting weekend. On Sunday morning, Will just barely missed his state qualifying times in the 100 Free (by 1.15 seconds) and the 200 Free (by .83 seconds). Definitely heartbreaking. (Especially after still feeling the burn of his loss to Maddie the day before!) At the end of the meet, he was lucky enough to be able to get into the time-trial again for another shot at that elusive 50 Free. Again, the magic numbers were 32.59.
He swam like a crazy-man and ended with a 32.24.
Here is Will's shining moment:
Wow! I'm so proud of you, Will...way to go!!!!!!!!
And as a side note, pay no attention to that crazy screaming mom that you hear in the background. I have no idea who she is... :)
So, tonight we'll all sleep well. Then this week holds a few more practices, a fun State-Team Party and then finally the State Championship Meet at the University of Minnesota on Thursday through Sunday. They'll each swim in 4 relays throughout the weekend and their 50 Freestyle events will be on Friday afternoon.
...and then we'll all enjoy a little time off, anticipating the rest and relaxation in the remaining summer days!
