Champs at Last (Gratitude Blog)

It's 1:30 am and even though I am sleepy and tired, I decided to write in my blog first. My body is out of sync already but my heart is still pounding from the excitement of the last 6 hours. After 18 tournaments and over 2 years of playing badminton, I finally won my first ever championship trophy. Taryn and I scored a victory over the "pretty/tall" ladies in a thrilling game at Smashroom Badminton tonight. The score was tight all throughout the game and we fought with power. Each time fought headstrong and in the end when we finally scored that winning point, it took several seconds for it to sink in. I screamed my heart out when I finally realized that we actually did it-- won the championship of ladies doubles level D. I still can't believe that it actually happened until now. I waited my whole life for this moment. And it felt like an icing on a cake of wonderful memories. August used to be a month I dread because I always end up getting heartbroken in august. But this year, it was different. Aug will now be imortalized as the month when I finally went off Imuran and the month I finally came home a champ.

But tonight would not be possible if not for several angels in my life. Words are not enough to thank them
1. Partner Taryn for inviting me in the first place. We actually met during a tournament where we were opponents. And we ended up as friends.
2. Peter- who not only was there to be my morale booster/cheerer/gatorade supplier/alalay/photographer rolled into one, but was also the one who lent me his racket when mine was stolen last sunday. Kung wala si peter, wala kaming championship. He kept me sane during the entire championship match.
3. Lorelei- sige na nga si lory na lang. Parang si Peter, isa pang dakilang cheerleader.
4. Our opponents-- who gave us a good fight and taught us how to fight back.
5. Len-- you are truly a coach. kahit ano pa ang sabihin ni kupal. Len helped raise me from the depths of patheticness to being able to play at a decent level.
6. Karen, Macre, Mike, Pamilya Badminton, Binky, Mike Liit, Emerson, Marie, and all the rest of the SB barkada who were cheerleaders in spirit.
7. Sa lahat ng beses na umuwi akong luhaan dahil natalo ako sa tournament, salamat dahil nabigyan ako ng lakas nito na lumaban. My Day finally came
8. Addictus & Weebird, dahil inaaliw nila ako and for playing with me when I was still so pathetic in badminton.
9. Mommy, Ves and Ella
10. The Lord

I finally had my one moment in time this evening. Finally a champion. At the end of it all, I realized that no matter how big the trophy I got and how beautiful the racket I won, this championship would not have mattered if not for the wonderful angels in my life. Thanks Guys! This one's for you!
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Salamat.