One of my close friends has been giving me grief about finishing my Olympic blog. i didn't realize it until now, but I left it in a cliff hanger. So here are my thoughts in retrospect of the 2008 Olympic Games, my experience and the experiences that lay before me.
The night of the final was just another day playing Javelin. I was so relaxed and ment to be there. In warming up, I was continuing to have difficulties with both my knees. I knew that my best chance of throwing far would have to be early in the competition. I opened the Olympic final with a throw of 80.90m. I improved my mark from the qualifying round by almost 50cm. My knees felt like they were going to blow. However, I wanted more than just making the final. I ran a little harder on my second attempt and came up short (78m). At this point I questioned whether I had one more throw in my knees. I was currently sitting in 8th place going into the third round, but was passed up coming into my last throw (top 8 places get three more throws). I came down the runway with doubt in my head. I tried to block it out, but my knees were killing me. I planted my left leg to throw and it gave out. I hobbled thru the end of the runway and put my head down in shame.
I was passed by one more thrower in the third round, to finish 10th. Looking back at what I did at the Olympic Games, I am extremely shocked, pleased and excited to the potential of the future. 
Firstly, I'm shocked because I would have never thought back in fourth grade (when I first heard about the olympics) that I would not only be competing in the olympics, but be one of the top competitors. In an earlier post I discussed injuring my right knee (chipped piece of cartilage in May). At the time it occured, I thought my chances of making an Olympic Team would have to wait another four years. Luckily, I found my technical form and had a few injections of Hylagan (Rooster Comb) into my knee to have it feel good enough to make the standard.
Secondly, I am extremely pleased. How could I not be. I have accomplished a major life goal. I have put life on hold for so long to achieve this goal and now it is complete, or is it. To finish 10th in the world.... be the 10th best javelin thrower in the Olympic Games... WOW! It's extremely pleasing to compete well at major championships. I have been to other world championships and have not competed well and it is extremely disappointing. A majority of people don't understand the sacrifices and time that is put into making it to The Games. Some athletes seem to make it look easy. They excelled in high school, University and then go into the pros. Not only "go pro", but win at the professional level. My path hasn't been the smoothest to get to this point, but all the hours and sacrifices have been worth everyone of the 6 seconds that I came down the runway at the Olympic Games.
Lastly, I am extremely excited about the potential that I have seen in myself at the Olympic Games. Yes, I placed 10th, but my personal best (84.41m) would have placed me 4TH! I have now made the realization, that I should be competing and training for a medal at the 2009 World Championships in Berlin.
It's a long road to Berlin and an even longer road to London, but WHY NOT?
Hidy and Howdy, the '88 official mascots
