25 September 2008

Hi

Since I last wrote, its all happened and the Games are over. I’ll pick up from when I walked out into the Bird’s Nest for the first time.

Well, the atmosphere was really good; I didn’t think that many people would show up! I was really pleased with performance, got PB in the first round of my 100m and then the semi again. I could hear people shouting for me, which was amazing.

100m Final

I was really excited about making the final of the 100m, so didn’t really get nervous. I just wasn’t worried, so pleased to get there.

I thought I’d come fourth in the final when I crossed the line, didn’t realise I was second, Lincoln didn’t say anything! I didn’t know for a while, Nathan Stephens actually told me, he was next to Phil Jones by BBC after his shot put competition. I was so chuffed when I realised I had got Silver, and then I did my interview with the BBC.

Standing on the podium was really cool, but quite scary. Lincoln didn’t want to come out with me, but I persuaded him to come that far, he wouldn’t stand on the podium though! It was amazing to see the Union jack go up, heard some British support in the crowd. I didn’t know what the medals were like, until I had my Silver medal, had a good look. I loved the flowers, gave them to my Mum!

Meeting up with my family

Afterwards, I went to meet my Mum and rest of my family, at the GB lodge. It was great to see them, first time that I had seen them properly in Beijing. Then I got the bus back to the Village and showed my friends my medal. It was a bit strange as most people were still competing, so they were focussing on their own competition. It didn’t really hit me until end of the Games that I had a medal.

I didn’t manage to watch anyone else at the stadium, as I still had the 200m to go. But I made sure I watched Tracey, Katrina and Neil race on the TV in the apartment.

A few days later, I had the heats of the 200m. I was really pleased with how I raced, as I’d only done one 200m earlier in season. The 200m went well, but I was pleased to finish on Tuesday. Later that day I went shopping to the Silk market and bought some handbags!

Wednesday was our last day, so I finished packing and got ready for the closing ceremony. I obviously can’t see that well, but would I could see, was pretty exciting. It was great to be with the rest of the team.

I enjoyed the London handover party after the ceremony, there was a great atmosphere. We left at 1am to get the team bus back to the village. It was a bit mad getting up on Thursday morning, the girls were jumping on me to get up as I was so tired! Some athletes were late getting back around 6.30am, but everybody managed to get there just in time, before we left for the airport!

Flight back home

It was pretty cool being on the gold nosed plane. It was hot though, so I didn’t get much sleep. Then I had to wait 6 hours at Heathrow, for my internal flight at 9pm. Waited in the BA lounge, food was nice, had a sleep with all really posh business people around! There were quite a few of us waiting there.

When I eventually arrived home, my village, Newcastleton put on a party for me! They had decorated all the houses, when I arrived home at 12.45am. Then on Friday night, all the village got together, Borders TV were there. It was really nice of them to go to such much effort. It’s a tiny village, so word gets round quick.

Since then, I’ve been sleeping lots, getting back into swing of things. I’m waiting for my boyfriend Simon to come home, about 2-3 weeks. He rang the night I won the medal, he knew I was racing, cos I gave him all the dates in a letter. Can’t wait to see him and then hopefully go on holiday.

Lots of people are now asking me about London 2012, it seems a long way off but I know it’s not really that long!

Libby