"A Race Against Time!"

This week in literacy, for writing with our teacher Mr Wiseman, we have been learning about how to write a recount. We are practising for a writing test coming up soon in term 4 and here is a recount writing about what can you see from another person's perspective- (point of view) and I have chosen to write about the red and white runner coming in second place. The writing is below enjoy! :)

"A Race Against Time"

by Vaifoa Lam Sam

Trudging towards the stadium gateway with my coach on the side of me, giving me tips of how to keep running even though my head tells me to stop. “Chin up, elbows up and eyes looking towards the finishing line,” he said as he squirted water on my head.

When we entered the stadium, photographers took photos of us. The flashes of their cameras wounded my eyes and I tried rummaging through them as police officers pushed them away.

As I walked calmly onto the rugged edge of the  starting line with the other five competitors, I could hear an excited young man yelling out my name from the crowd. I peaked to the left and witnessed him standing right there on the first row with his hand waving left to right. I felt nervous that I was going to come in last place of the race and disappoint my fans.

Then the commentator finally yelled through the loudspeaker,“On your marks... get set”. We waited until he pulled the trigger of the gun.......... Boom! As the gun bullet flew out with a high shrieking sound, I began sprinting towards the five metre mark with the others beside me.

We finally reached the thirty metre mark and just then the English competitor on the eighth lane accidentally slipped, I felt uncomfortable that I was going to do the same. I glared to the left and something caught the tip of my eye. It was the same young man waving both of his hands in the air. I couldn't believe how excited he was about this race.

Forty metres left until the race is over. I could see that from Usain Bolt’s point of view, he knows that he is going to easily win this match. I was at the back of the other Jamaican competitor just by three centimetres.

For the first time in my career, I felt like I was going to give up. I could feel the pain in my calves but I couldn't let my family, coach and fans down. So therefore, I started sprinting my heart out. A sound echoed in my head, repeatedly saying you can never past the finishing line!  The Jamaican competitor was right beside me knowing that I have slowed down a bit until I decided to speed up.

*Beeeep* as the air horn finally shattered out a flat screech sound as I finished the race in second place and Usain Bolt in first. As I passed the finish line, I could smell body odour from the competitors beside me. In all my days of hard work, it has all worked off but I have made it to the finals and now I will have to work even harder to achieve my goals.

Throughout the overall experience, it has been a really fun race with all the competitors, and I have learnt... that if I would of have listened to my head, I would probably lose my chance of getting into the finals.