Saturday, August 22, 2009

Qualified!

I’m sure most of you know by now, but I have qualified for the Long Jump Final at the World Championships here in Berlin.

I am elated. Ecstatic. Overjoyed. Thrilled... I could go on and on, but I will save the rest of the adjectives for Sunday because I plan on needing them. This competition was a test of my belief. My belief in myself, the belief I have in my abilities, the belief that I am truly one of the best Long Jumper’s in the World, and most of all, the belief that I have faith in a God who can do all things. Because when I stood on the back of that runway for my third and final jump, with two fouls on my card and wind and rain blowing in my face, I knew that the only way to make it happen was to truly believe. Hope was not enough. Wishing for the best would not make it happen. Desiring for it to go my way would probably leave me a little bit short. So I took a deep breath and simply believed that I would jump a fair jump and it would be the very best I could do at that moment in time.

I don’t want to make the moment seem so fairytale like that it seems as if I’m putting extras on it. If I’d have had it my way, I would have jumped the automatic distance on the first jump and got out of there before the rain even started pouring. But I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again…rarely is our plan, His plan. It doesn’t matter how I got to the final as long as I’m there. I feel like the hardest part of the competition is behind me and now comes the fun part where all I ask of myself is to have fun and give my very best. I believe that the best I give will be something special. I truly believe that.

-My first jump. (Notice how dry I am)




-The weather by the end of our competition. (They suspended all other events until it cleared but I sure did jump in it!)

20 comments:

Aaron B. Brown said...

You're beautiful when you fly Brianna :)

http://twitter.com/AaronBBrown

Roxie said...

I watched you online yesterday! You were and are amazing! I started reading your blog so much because I loved your writing and your personal stories. I eventually fell in love with athlete that you are and am now a HUGE T&F fan! Who would have guessed!?

Congrats and I am so proud to have you represent the USA!!

Jasmine said...

Do you thang, mama, do your thang!!
WE'VE believed in you since high school, so it's nice to know you're finally catching up with us! ;)
xoxo

Beth said...

Being a retired high school track coach and still a T&F fan (mostly because of the life lessons that can be found in it) your blog has encouraged my soul.

I also believe in who God has made you to be....a champion. Before you even jump, your words and actions confirm that belief. May He continue to shine through you.

D said...

Did you notice the little help you received standing there from your father? He is with you and so are we. Enjoy the view from the mountaintop.

Anonymous said...

i'm so stupid proud of you i don't even know a new way to say it. i hope you're not sick of hearing it from me :o) xoxo
-mella

Anonymous said...

This is amazing to witness, knowing that you were going through all kinds of doubts about competing this year, and it turns out to be a great year for you... What a mighty God we serve!
Gotta have that faith!

Bianca said...

Bri, WE are so proud of you! Mom, Dad, and I all sat around and read your blog... and then prayed for you :)

You can DOOOOO it!

Anne said...

Congrats!! You did a good job. Here was I saying be happy not to compete on the hottest day of the year and then it's raining cats and dogs! Hope you'll have better weather tomorrow. I'll cross my fingers!

Good luck!

E.M.H. said...

CONGRATS....you have stayed persistent, worked hard, and kept the faith :-) Good luck in the next round!! Jump far, have lots of fun, and leave it all on the runway and in the sand :-)

Peter said...

GREAT JOB!

Unknown said...

DOES ANYONE KNOW OF A LIVE FEED FOR TOMORROW'S EVENT

Diandra Ann said...

AHHHH!!! I already twittered you (is that even right???) But CONGRATULATIONS! I knew you could do it! I know you'll keep doing it! I'll be praying for you! Keep workin hard and believing... I cant WAIT to see what you'll do next!

Sarah, Goon Squad Sarah said...

That is fantastic news. Congratulations!

j buck said...

ut um. now give credit where credit is due. you can say it. its ok. yep on everything you/I said.

have a good one but if you don't who F'ing cares Miss World Championships Best of the Best forever after and can not be disputed! Oh god, here comes that big head thing! What have I created! Ha! Happy Sunday!

j buck said...

furthermore, your in a very unique and rare position in life where you have nothing else to prove to anyone else....check that one off on your list! Tomorrow (Sunday), will be the best day of your life! I can't even imagine standing in that historic stadium with nothing to prove to anyone!

Please, stand still for a few moments tomorrow and soak it all in. Remember what the air smells like, remember how the sand feels, remember the roar of the crowd, remember how it feels to warm up before the entire worlds eye, remember how Jesse Owens might have felt as a black person performing in this stadium!

Now as you said, its FUN time because now its all about, only fulfilling your own personal goals. And that's easy for us confident, secretly arrogant people as we truly believe in ourselves!

Pretty awesome liberating feeling I'm sure you must be feeling! To never ever have to prove anything to anyone EVER again in your life and have it now only be about what you want it to be and expect!

You now get to walk around forever after knowing that you are one of the rare human beings on earth who have been touched by god as being "special", different from 99.9999999 % of people on earth!

I can't imagine such a wonderful happy feeling. I think you could now, just might win this thing!

Now that you unloaded that 12 lbs monkey off your back! Awesome! Go for it! Nothing to prove to anyone anymore other than yourself! You can do it! And if you don't who cares! You have already done it!

Respect the moment, have fun in the moment, pay respect to those great ones, like yourself, who have come there before you and kick some butt. Its all you.

Respectfully proud of you and happy for you, for you have earned it, jbuck

p.s. don't forget before you leave to go back to "the wall" and chip off a chunk for me. I'm sure they won't mind! Ha!

Anonymous said...

Be the best that you can be !

Get the most out of each jump.

Remember to to lean that body forward, just before hitting the sands !
Try not to leave that ' rear ' impression ' behind '.
Keep that faith ... strong !

Anonymous said...

well brianna here it is you have proven not to everyone else but to yourself that you have arrived--maybe not when you wanted to arrive but when your heart needed it the most!
here is step 1 ur first world championships in ur face right in front of you-enjoy this. show everyone ur "apples" you still have in ur vision the next WC & then the big dance 2012!
You love a good meal this i know so here is ur appetizer & you have ordered well-next up is your entre' & its a big fat steak & after that dessert baby--something that will be sooooo sweeeeeet!
despite popular belief i do believe you have everything to prove--it only takes 1 jump today forget about anyone else's history==make ur own! ur a baller shot caller-the pie of life is in front of you shawty--take ur slice!
joe p. vegas/dc

Nikkie T said...

Bri, we love you SO much and are SO proud of you!! After we found out you made the finals Marcus and I just sat on the couch smiling at each other, all giddy and stuff.
Anyway, we know you will do great in the finals and I personally believe you have the ability to shock the world.
Team Glenn will be rooting for you from Okinawa, all 4.5 of us :).
Love you!!

j buck said...

7.10 Wow! She is da beast for a reason! No biggie. Good job. Its about to come on tv. I wonder if they will cover the long jump.

oh, here is an amazing picture of you that you should blow up and put on your wall of fame. Best picture ever of you!

http://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/090821/59/30q0r.html