Nervous

“Are you sure you’re up this?”The man asked me. I nodded my head I couldn’t back out now. He attached the ropes to my big waist and said”Whenever your ready just fall back and enjoy the amazing experience of bungee jumping in New Zealand!” I closed my eyes prayed and whispered “Thank you”. When I opened my eyes I was upside down looking at trees and dirt below me. I pulled the rope so I could get back on the platform, but pulling the rope was a bad idea and it just made the rope looser. I ended up having to get a firetruck taking me down with a massive ladder because I was too nervous to get pulled up by the man and his own bare hands. The firetruck men were whispering to each other stuff like “We’ve got another fatty on our hands,” or  “I  wish people would have common sense.” I couldn’t blame them, after all they were only saying the truth.

When I came home I decided that for my next sport I should try something less nerve-racking, tennis. The next morning I put on a white T-shirt and some shorts, I wanted to look good for another activity. When I hit the courts I met my personal trainer. He told me everything I needed to know about technique. After a half hour I finally got to play a game. It was him who was serving because I still didn’t get the hang of that. He served, I received, he hit it back, I slipped on the net. “I’m so sorry.”I told him, but he wasn’t even looking at me he was just staring into outer space. I was too nervous to say the wrong thing so I just backed away, leaving him in complete self-doubt. I decided tennis wasn’t my thing.

I had a long hard thought about what sport I should try and then it all came to me. I should try ping-pong! It was perfect for me not too much running, quick reflexes and best of all I can buy one to practise on! I told my personal trainer and he agreed too. He took me to his house where he apparently had a ping-pong table. On the outside of his house  it looked like a normal flat but on the inside it looked like a place where trophies and medals and ribbons and plaques are held. I couldn’t believe it I have never seen so many awards in my whole life! Regarding that I only have one ribbon. ‘Basketball honour’, ‘Champion footballer’ Then I was surprised he didn’t get into the Olympics but I was wrong. He won the tennis, water polo and individual rowing! After all my ooh’s and aah’s. He showed me his ping-pong table. I was nervous but it couldn’t get too hard, right? For the next couple of weeks I was gradually getting better and better and fitter and stronger. In one month I shaved off 7kilos!

For four years I had accomplished some challenges that I never imagined I would. ‘Wellington table tennis champ’, ‘North island table tennis winner’ and ‘New Zealand table tennis champion.’ I was asked to play for the Olympics. Before I even thought about the serious training and the competition, I said yes.

It was so serious I had too move to a ping-pong practise camp along with four other kiwis. I also made those four  kiwis my buddies. We all slept in the same cabin and it was extremely uncomfortable, sweaty, stinky and cramped. Even though it was terrible we all had fun with each others company. My closest friend was called Dean he had a sense of humour an tended to let out some air during the night. The other boys were called Tyler, James and Ross, I liked them but none of them were as nice as Dean.

It was finally the day when we travelled to Beijing for the Olympics, I was so nervous that  if someone asked me to stand still, I would be trembling. The order was Tyler then James then Ross then me and Dean was going last. When we got to walk around the stadium representing New Zealand I wasn’t smiling at the camera, I was hiding behind the basketball players. The opening day had arrived but our real open day was 4 days later. When we were waiting me and Dean usually played cards. Of course we cheered and supported the kiwis all the time. On the night before the big day all of the boys including me held hands and told each other that it doesn’t matter if we loose we made it here and that’s good. The next Tyler won James lost and Ross won. So if me and Dean win we get into the finals. I walked on the platform ignoring all the cameras and screaming babies. This was my turn to show people that I can be a champion not a nervous wreck. The game was extremely long it lasted for hours. I didn’t even know my oppositions name! The last point was up to me if I won the point then I would win the game. I served, he it back, I didn’t fall over and smashed it. Everything was silent. Then a round of applause rose from the crowd. I won it I couldn’t believe it. The night after that we all did the same thing as the night before the match. When we turned up at the stadium at 12pm sharp no one was there. We looked everywhere we were all extremely confused. I turned out that the other team had to forfeit due to broken wrists. It only took us seconds to realise what happened, we won! The first New Zealand team to win table tennis ever.

A couple of years later a man named Sebastian Walker (ex ping-pong champion) was sitting in his lounge room. He was perfectly happy he had two children and a beautiful wife, but there was something missing. Then it came to him he should write a book about his adventure! And that’s the book you just finished reading.