Go for It!

While watching the Olympics the other night, I came across quite a sight. It was not a world record broken, but a show of determination.

The event was swimming and started with only three men on the blocks. For one reason or another, two of them false started so they were disqualified（取消资格）. That left only one to compete. It would have been difficult enough, not having anyone to race against, even though the time on the clock is what's important.

I watched the man dive off the block and knew right away that he was not out for gold. His arms were flailing（乱摆）in an attempt at freestyle. Clearly this man was not a medal competitor.

I listened to the crowd begin to laugh at this poor man who was clearly having a hard time. Finally be made his turn to start back. You could tell he was tired out.

But in those few difficult strokes（划动）, the crowd had changed.

No longer were they laughing, but beginning to cheer. Some even began to stand and shouted things like, "Come on, you can do it!" and "Go for it!" He did.

When this young man finally finished his race, the crowd went wild. You would have thought that he had won the gold, and he should have. Even though he recorded one of the slowest times in Olympic history, this man did his best.

Just a short year ago, he had never even swum, let alone raced. His country had been asked to Sydney as a polite gesture. But this man gave his all; he knew that he had no chance, but he competed because of the spirit of the game.

The man did his best even if he was aware that he had no chance to win.