Sunday, July 10, 2011

Jimmy Flowers Classic

The Jimmy Flower Classic, one of the most exiting competitions that I have had the opportunity to participate on. The competition is named after a great coach and amazing person that Paralympic Swimming had the privileged to have and sadly passed away in 2009. This meet honors his life and also is the opportunity to help his beautiful family.
The meet is celebrated in Colorado Springs at the OTC, which makes it very special since our team gets the support of a lot of the employees and athletes at the training center that volunteer to be timers and organizers of the event. This year was very special for me, I started the meet with the 200m BR my favorite race, and to my surprise at the end of it not only I had a good time for my race and ended first; I also had one of my coworkers standing behind my lane. He is an older man with a very kind expression behind his cowboy style, and I can tell you that swimming was defiantly not his sport. He just went to support me, as he said with his Midwest accent. He not only showed to the Saturday session but also the Sunday’s.
Also, the meet marked the beginning of a camp preparing the swim team for the Para Panamerican games that will be celebrated in Guadalajara, Mexico, in November of this year. I have the honor to be part of this team and during the Jimmy Flower Classic I met all of my teammates that will go to these games.
I must tell you how I did in my swimming during the meet but always is important for me to remember the fun parts outside of the pool since those are the motor to go fast in the water. In general all of my events went well I was first on the 100m and 50m BR as well as the 200m BR the 50m FL and the 50m FR, did not go very well but there are more races coming up and I look forward to them.
The next competition is the Speedo CanAm Para-Swimming Championships, celebrated in Gatineau, Quebec, Canada, from July 15th to 17th. I am sure there will be a lot to say about it!


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