World Championships!

I have spent the last twelve days thinking: "tomorrow I will put my fin on", with common sense kicking in every morning. In fact, I ended up spending three whole days dry after the accident, and then stuck to free immersion like a really good girl. This was mostly due to my freediving bodyguards arriving from Sharm to take care of me (and the other athletes - they have joined the safety team), with evil coach giving me a taste of his sternest voice on a daily basis. It goes something like this:

Me: "I was thinking I might try to put my fin on tomorrow"

Coach: "No."

Me: "But...but...I could..."

Coach: "No."

Me: "But...but...I want my monofiiiiiiiin, I want it I want it I waaaaant it...."

Coach: NO!

photo by Daan Verhoeven

What is a girl to do?? Instead, evil coach pushed me right ahead and made me announce 76m FIM in the Kalamata mini competition we had going on before worlds. This was a little interesting because I knew well the dive time might be on my limit - in the end, it took 3:03 which was certainly long enough, but it was also one of my most beautiful dives with amazing equalization (constant pressure all the way to 76m!) and my 25th German record. I love free immersion, and so on. Did I mention? I want my MONOFIN!

photo by Daan Verhoeven

Since then, I have taken it easy, hanging by the pool and helping my training buddy Liv to figure out a strategy for the no fins world championship competition and going out to coach her. We made a brilliant team as she came up clean and smiling for her first bronze medal! Go Liiiiiv!!

Yesterday I finally managed to break my coach, put my fin on and swam down to 65m. It was not a pleasant experience, and my coach may have had a point as now the wound is worse. But I needed to test myself before announcing my depth for tomorrow's competition day. All that's left to do is cross my fingers, hope for the best and remember the doctor from the hospital:

THERE IS NO PAIN!!!

Easy.