How it Started and How it's going- Journal Entry 1
My name is Cherelle Ashley Franka Thompson, a student-athlete, Olympic qualifier in the sport of swimming and I am inviting you to journey with me through these public journal entries of "my race." As I share reflections on my triumphs and trials along the way, I hope to stir a ripple effect for you to rise to success despite the roadblocks in your own race. A quick recap on where this race started, to get everyone caught up: My race began almost twenty years ago from the Caribbean shores of Trinidad and Tobago. An immediate love for the water and becoming aware of my potential at a young age led me to choose swimming over the many other sports that I enjoyed. For as long as I can remember, I wanted to
represent my country at the Olympics and to medal. Having met and trained alongside TTO Olympians, George Bovell III and Sharntelle McLean as a little girl, I remember the awe I had as they blazed the trail. My race was no straight lane. There were many twists and turns along the way but the shift from being a personal dream to one shared by my
family, local coaches, and friends made all the difference. In my early teenage years, the victories that motivated me were counterbalanced by increasing measurements of adversity. The highlights of breaking national and regional records and representing the red, white and black at Commonwealth, Pan American Games and other international competitions were all precursors to what I had hoped would be my first Olympic race. Shortly after being recognized as the Junior National Athlete of the Year 2010, the plot twist of a debilitating shoulder injury; a torn labrum and detached bicep, meant London 2012 was no longer a possibility. Rio 2016 became
the target. The delay though disappointing, caused the dream to grow
brighter. The
circle of co-dreamers grew from being Trinidad and Tobago-centered, as others
came together with us in making our dream a reality. The race continued in new waters as the University of Tennessee Swimming coaches and teammates
took my dream as theirs. Preparation met opportunity and in 2016 I attained the Olympic B standard. Though I
qualified, a dance with injustice barred me from the Rio 2016 team. The deep disappointment caused me to walk away from
swimming and my dream. What had begun as my dream however, was now one shared
with and owned by too many persons to let me just walk away. My
local coach challenged me and I realized that the dream had not died. I took
a leap of faith. I left my job at a medical center, took a leave of absence from the University of the West Indies where I was scheduled to begin Medical School,
and the purposed work had begun once more; Tokyo 2020 the target. In November
2019 I became the first Trinidad and Tobago female to swim the 50 meter
freestyle (short course) under 25 seconds. That same month I was 0.01 seconds outside of the Tokyo Olympic B Standard. We were within
striking distance!  the Women's 50m freestyle (long course) of 25:39 seconds surpassed the Olympic B standard. It was a big stepping stone to have broken both the long and short course open records set by a legend of my time. Olympian, Sobhian Cropper set the standards almost 2 decades ago and another female had not been able to raise the bar since. The irony- I achieved the Olympic qualification in the very waters that I would have ended my race 4 years earlier. This leg of my race had a double twists as the pandemic of COVID-19 shattered the plans of the entire world. A few months after qualification, the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games were rescheduled Tokyo 202One and critical decisions had to be made........... These were uncharted waters. I left the blocks for the start of my race just over 2 decades ago with many teammates charging ahead; breaking records and claiming titles early on. Though others have changed courses, my race isn't over yet. There were many twists and turns, trials and triumphs leading me to this point and what an incredible race it has been so far! It's 2021 and am in my second semester as a medical student athlete and and one of two female Olympic qualifiers for the Caribbean region. I have begun this leg of my race, set to become the best version of who God created me to be in the pool, in the classroom, in my family and in my community; to be a person that lives passionately aligned with my values and a purposeful servant to my God-given vision. In the coming entries I will highlight some of the lessons learnt throughout my journey and how these experiences have and continue to equip me to forge ahead today. Be sure to subscribe so you don't miss the next release and I would love for you to connect through the comments below. it under subjection so that after I have I myself will not be disqualified for the prize. - 1 Cor 9:25-27 |
Comments
Post a Comment