Last competition Day - Uni games

It was exciting for the girls today with the final of the 800m on this morning, they were all feeling a little nervous! The funny thing about uni games is there is a whole spectrum of athletes, those who are profession and wanting to go to the world university games, those who are good, those who are average, the injured and those just going along for a bit of fun and experience. But the finals are usually quite serious for most! The guys 5km race was first up and we got to the track in time to watch them all, there were a few PBs which was great to see but no one could catch the guy out in front who holds the current record and has been to the world uni games!

Soon the girls were all warmed up and ready to go and before you could say go they were off! It was a great race to watch, some people thought Moni was the one to win but there was a younger girl who was so fast and blitz everyone from the begining and got a uni games record of 2.06min!! It was so good to see. Although our UWA girls didn't medal they all ran so well :)

UWA 800m girls final 

We watched our Triple jumper fly through the air, she had to pull out with a sore ankle but still did a few good jumps! Next year with uni games in mind for the Gold Coast i am going to do Long jump :)

Triple Jump 

 Then it was time for more relays! The guys had their 4x400m relay and once again with long-distance runners were not the favourites to win but had a good run all the same and experienced the dreaded 400m lactic!!

Gangnam style dance before starting... because you can :P

Post relay

 Then it was our turn, i joined in the 4x100m relay and the Medley relay running the 200m. I was nervous again, could i sprint?? But so excited as i love relays!! My hands were sweaty i hoped i could hold the baton! We had the power of the green head bands and a few 'rigs' drawn on for luck. I was running second which i'm not sure was the wisest move being the longest leg apparently but at least my change over was sheltered by the hammer throw net :P The first gun went for a false start as the girls next to us from Melbourne false started, but with the second gun they were off! It was daunting see the fast sprinter Amy come towards me so fast, when should i take off? will she run into me?? but we changed successfully and now all i had to do was sprint as fast as my legs could let me! It was hard to tell where we were coming but i think i held our spot and passed to our triple jumper Janay who took such as strong bend and passed it to our last runner Rachel... and we were coming third!! She held on the rest of the way and we crossed the line to get the bronze, YAYYYYYYYYYYY!!!!! i was so excited! i was jumping across the field to meet the others and celebrate! I may have been too excited but i didn't care, with only one main sprinter on the team we did so well! :)

4x100m relay team

4x100m relay Bronze :) 

Not even 20 minutes later was the women's Medley relay final. It is an 800m run, 400m and 2x 200m runs. There were more than 7 teams so they started off with the 800m run first. Keeley started us off and ran so so well even faster than her 800m run in the final this morning!! She put us into third place!! Rachel was next with the 400m run and gave a strong race, we were still third!! Then i was next for a 200m (gulp!) I kept telling myself all i had to do was sprint twice as far as i just did and i would be right!! We had a little clumsy moment with the baton and my heart skipped a beat but we didn't drop it and i was off!! I don't think i could have made my legs go any faster they were hurting by then end, i was excited to be slowly catching the girl in second place but the girl behind me came up and was right on my tail! I handed the baton to our last and fastest runner Amy in a close 3rd/4th position, but once she was off the other runner in 4th could not catch her... and we won another bronze!!!! I was so relieved i didn't let them down with my sprint especially after the others ran so well in their almost pet events! It was a wonderful way to end the week and although i was hobbling across the oval this time after my foot gave way after the sprints (i know i gave it my all!) we were all so excited to win the bronze again!!

Medley relay team

Podium for our second bronze! Go girls :)

The day was not finished without a few group shots at the track...

Full of smiles

And celebration that we came 5th overall out of about 38 universities doing athletics! Not bad for a team of 12!

Bolt and Bear aware... no other way!

Me and Jun (Pole vaulter)

UWA all the way! 

And we made our way back to the bus with a stop through the city. A quick stop at the Reject shop to get some costumes for celebrations tonight, a demo by a budding magician and a lovely walk from the city to our apartments.

Magician in the streets

City fun

Rundle mall in Adelaide city

Enjoying the sunset crossing the river on the walk home (medal around neck!)

With the competition and more serious part over, i felt sad to leave Santos stadium. I was nearly going to pull out of uni games but was so glad i still went, the experience and the people i met are amazing, it has been so much fun. Next time i am at Santos stadium i will be faster whenever that may be. But one thing i do know is that my love for running on the track has not gone and i am more determined to get back to a good levels of fitness and speed again and race to my hearts content! I can't wait for the summer season of athletics to come with new goals in sight and challenges to try. No matter what the training brings injuries and all i will try my best an who know what the next athletics season will bring. For now i have 2 days of celebrations and time to let my hair down a little and have a bit of fun! I think i deserve it :)