January, 2004 we had a weekend in Louisville, KY. at our training clinic. We had to spend an extra night there because of snow. All the USA fencers were there. It was good to get home after wheeling in one inch of sleet and snow.
I had a few weeks to prepare
for Spain. We left on March 2, 2004. This was the first time
I competed in Madrid. There were 120 fencers. I met some fencers
from countries that I had never seen compete before, like Israel
and Iraq. I learned that Iraq
has two women on their team
but were not good enough to come to Spain. I fenced a girl from Israel
for the first time.
I set smaller goals for myself
for this cup. I wanted to do better in pools and qualify for the
direct elimination bouts. I feel that I accomplished most of what
I intended to do. I moved from 18th to 16th in foil and 19th to 18th
in epee. Other
teammates did very well and
we all seemed to have improved our rankings.
I have a very busy schedule for
the next five months. We are preparing now for the US National Championship
North American Cup II in Atlanta the end of April. Just before this,
I am going back to Edison, NJ. to work the Abilities Expo as I
did last year. However,
this year my sponsor, Rusch, is sending me. Besides doing fencing
demos with my teammate Carol, I will be working Rusch's booth. I
plan on seeing some of my family while there.
We are already making plans for
Lonato, Italy for May. I will have to miss the July 4th Peachtree
Road Race in Atlanta this year because our Summer Nationals are July
3rd to July 5th in Charlotte, NC. I'll have to keep my tradition
of giving
American flags to the patients
at Shepherd by delivering them before I leave.
In August, we plan on going to
Louisville, KY again to prepare for the best competition ever, the 2004
Athens, Greece Paralympic Games. Yes, I made the USA
team!!! The US was granted five men slots and
three women slots after the results of
our Madrid World Cup.
I am overwhelmed, excited and very proud that my dream from three and half years ago will be coming true. I'm not there yet, but I am going to the Paralympics one week after my 54th birthday.
My picture has been featured in the March 2004 issue of New Mobility magazine as well as the back cover of Sports and Spokes and the Wheelin Sportsman by my sponsor, Rusch.
I hope I inspire others to set goals, to challenge themselves and to go for the gold.
More to come....