Chapter 19: Powerful beyond measure

It feels like someone pressed d fast forward button to this juncture-a wk before the regatta..more than a yr since i've joined d team.

we had our final 2 water trg sessions over the wkends whereby we polished up our starts and executed 300m sets in preparation for the Regatta next wk.

Every race is different because there are new faces, changes in team dynamics, strategy, feelings.

After training ytd, we headed to Golden Mile Complex (aka Beach Rd) to have lunch for a change. We had an agenda- to have our names embroided on the training bag.

Once we have decided on d shop tt we'd eventually leave the bags in d gd hands of, we headed str8 down to food! We were simply famished! Roarz!

Well, well..guess wad I had for lunch?

No prizes if u have guessed..海鲜汤! yes! hahaha its d same old uncle whom i think recognises me even aft 3 yrs. Seems like my diet hasn't changed my either..i'm that boring~

Juz eating at beach rd somehow brought back lotsa memories. As I passed by d claypot rice stall, I clearly recalled how when-yah, in her enthusiasm, broke d claypot after we cheered her on with "7-8-9-10..dig in!". She literally cracked d bottom of the claypot with her aggresive scooping in a desperate search of 锅低饭. We (then branded by our snrs as "c ginnas") laughed and we laughed and yes..we still laughed for gdness knows hw long! wahahaha! till diz very day I cant help but break out in a wide cheeky grin each time I think abt it.

Then, we were totally new to the sport. It was 2004, or was it 2005? Anyway, we were Yr 1s..totally branded by our snrs as "c ginnas" cz we were always giving them a headache due to the silly and lame stuff we did.

The feeling tt I have of right now before Regatta 2010 is like tt of Regatta 2004. It was my very 1st race then. Mind u, I was never in a sport all my life. It was juz 3 mths of trg and then *poof*, it was a decision (by david or capt, i dun rmb) tt there will be 2 teams (team A and team B) sent down to compete.

One of the teams managed to advance into the Plate Finals. David made a decision on d line up which comprised a majority of jnrs down for diz race.

I was filled with apprehension and yet somehow I juz had diz firm belief of our capabilities. Didnt really bother who our competitors were. Ever since d beginning, we were always drilled by our snrs to listen only to the coxwain and focus on your own boat.

It was as simple and magical as that. Nothing else mattered.

In my mind, I only heard boon chin's voice, and my eyes was juz transfixed on our pacers.

We came in first for Plate Finals.

To others it might have be viewed was a small victory, too unworthy even to mention. But to us it felt like everything! We were overjoyed tt we hugged d person beside us. There was so much movement and turbulence as a result of the jubilation, such that the boat rocked until it almost capsized! Thankfully, it didn't.

While we did not underestimate the capabilities of our competitors, we had no fear because we trusted each and everyone to push to our best abilities. We wouldn't have made it if we harboured fear of being inadequate due to lack of rowing experience.

Clearly, we are powerful beyond measure..if we choose to believe in ourselves.

"Our greatest fear is not that we are inadequate; Our greatest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure"