Athlete Revisited

What is it about sport that makes a human being super-human? The struggle, the progress, the achievement, the victory. The applause, the recognition.

More than anything, it seems to be the pushing of oneself to the limit. And then pushing some more, to extend the limit ... and then some and then some.

What limit?

Physical. Intellectual. Emotional.

Like when Pete Sampras heard his beloved coach had been diagnosed with a brain tumor. And he was out there, pitted against Jim Courier in the quarter-final.

Two sets to love down, he was, and in tears for the man he revered who was now ill.

Crying, wiping his face on his towel. Crying, unable to take his stance to serve.

"Do it for your coach!" came a cry from the crowd.

And Jim Courier asked if he was okay, or did he want to do this the next day.

And he was okay. He took his stance, her served.

An ace, followed by another.

He won the match to a standing ovation.

Human victory over adversity, for Pete. The victory of the sporting spirit over the competitive spirit, for his opponent. The victory of what is highest in human nature over any lesser instinct.

Those two were the ultimate heroes that day.

Prompt and link to earlier item ▼

Go to your port - to the Trophy Room (you'll find that under the tab community), and find the oldest award (ribbon or plaque), that was awarded for your poem or story. The date under the ribbon or plaque is what counts - for example: my first ribbon is from March 2005.

Find the poem or story. Read it.

Now rewrite it - if your awarded item was a poem - you now write a story, and if your awarded item was a story you now write a poem.

(This is the item)

Athlete  (E) For the Monthly Acrostic Poetry Contest #1292357 by THANKFUL SONALI RIP BIKERIDER