pieces | ethma

The Olympian

Maren Dolan

The longest moment of my entire life was when I was sitting with the rest of the US National Women's Gymnastics Team, all of us waiting to hear which five girls were going to the Olympics.

All of us have trained non-stop since we were young, just to be there in this moment.

There were eighteen girls, but only five would make the team. Two more would become alternates to the team, in case someone got injured and needed a replacement.

The rest of them didn't make the Olympic Team.

The room was silent, all of us sitting in the practice gym to hear the results. We had just finished competing at the US Olympic Trials, and they took us to the back gym while our scores were being rounded up.

The top five girls are Olympians. We just haven't seen our final scores. All of us were nervous. Some tapping their feet, some picking at their nails, some keeping their eyes closed.

All of us nearly jumped when our National Coach walked into the room with a clipboard.

"As you know, only five of you are going to the Olympics. I will read off four of those names, and then I will announce the fifth as your team captain."

This was the scariest moment of my life. You want to be called in that fifth spot, but the thoughts running through your head while the other four are being called and none of those names are yours—it's scary. You convince yourself you didn't make it. In some ways you don't want to be called in that fifth spot.

"Your first Olympian this year is Alison Harrington."

Alison broke down into tears, and then she hugged her best friend on the team, Kaley.

"Next is Danielle Warren."

Danielle got up and stood off to the side with Alison, them being the first two members of this Olympic Team.

My heart started beating faster. The first two names were called, and weren't mine. That's okay, right? There's still three names.

"Alena Cordova."

If I wasn't going to make it to the Olympics, Alena is the person I'd root for. She's been my best friend for years, ever since we became Junior Elites.

I gave her a hug before she stood up and walked over to Ali and Dani.

"The fourth gymnast competing at the Olympics is Kaley McCall."

Kaley and Alison both screamed before Kaley ran up to give Alison a hug.

One more name. There's a 1 in 14 chance for me now.

If my name was going to be called, I'd be Captain of the Olympic team. If my name wasn't called, I'd better hope that I made it onto the alternates.

Time seemed to freeze. Everything became slow motion, and I could hear my internal clock ticking. Torturing me as I waited for the final name.

You could hear a pin drop, because everyone was so nervous that they couldn't speak.

It felt like a lifetime was passing by in this moment.

Was Coach Gander doing this on purpose? To build suspense.

Is it going to be me? Is my heart about to be broken? Is my mother going to cry with me tonight, and will they be happy or sad tears?

Who will it be? If not me, I'm hoping one of my closer friends gets picked.

I closed my eyes as my heart started beating faster and faster, waiting for the announcement to be made.