Olympic Conquest

Lainey - Victory

My hip is on fire. I came down too far on my outside edge and strained the muscle in my hip – the one that was already weak and giving me periodic pain. Now it's just continuous pain. I refuse to let anyone know how bad it is because I'm not compromising my free skate tomorrow. I'm in fourth place coming out of the short program and I need to just relax and focus for tomorrow.

I take an ice bath when we reach our room and fall asleep with an ice pack on my hip. I've piled on the blankets again but I'm so cold. I try to fall asleep as I tremble with anxiety over my hip and my program tomorrow.

The next day, my hip has loosened a bit and I feel much more capable of competing. Journalists are hounding us but I refuse to do any interviews today. Instead, I listen to music for most of the day and relax by the fire in our room. I have done everything in my power to prepare for this event. I have to just let my body perform.

My mom finally tells me we need to pack up and leave for the rink. I've decided to change at the rink because the dress is very fragile and I don't want to damage it on the way to the arena.

We arrive at the venue and everything suddenly feels so surreal. I am at the Olympic Games. I'm a gold medal Olympian and about to perform for what I hope will be my second gold of the Games. I have some tough competition and I am in fourth place. I know it's not impossible but I will have to skate a perfect performance in order to have a shot at a second gold.

I float through practice and try to make it feel like any practice at any competition. I need to ease any pressure I may be feeling. I want to be light on the ice. I take it easy during practice so I can save my hip for the performance.

When I exit the ice, Sharon takes me aside. "Lainey, I want to make sure we're on the same page. You're doing a double axel tonight. Not the triple. You need to skate perfectly tonight in order to medal. We can't afford any mistakes or more falls."

"I know what I need to do."

"Okay good. You know I have your best interest at heart, right?"

"I can feel that. Thanks Sharon."

The competition begins. When my turn arrives and my name is announced, I walk up to the entrance of the ice rink. I reach down and touch the ice with my hand, wanting to feel it beneath my fingers, telling it to help carry me through. I stand up and step out onto the ice. The spectators clap upon my arrival. I smile as the performer inside me surfaces.

I take my starting position. There's a sound of a familiar clapping that lingers beyond everyone else's. I turn to see where it's coming from and that's when I see him. Cory is standing on crutches half way up the stadium clapping. I close my eyes wondering if they are deceiving me. I open them again and he's still there. And John and his girlfriend sit next to him waving at me.

I can't help but smile as I reposition and start my program. As I settle into my routine, I think about my first jump and the fact that all day I've been wondering if I should try the triple axel again. I pick up speed and the crowd quiets in anticipation. Should I do it again? Go against my coach's wishes and risk my free skate and any chances at gold?

I've never been this rebellious but I feel like this is my last chance to show the world what I've worked so hard to achieve. And I've never backed away from a challenge in my life. I'm not about to start now. I go as fast as I can, turn and jump up and as I make each revolution, I think of how important it is to believe in myself – even when everyone around me may not. I land the jump perfectly and my hip twinges slightly but holds for me, knowing this is an important victory for me.

I skate my heart out. And I have fun doing it. I smile and laugh and enjoy every second and I hope it shows. It's probably the best performance of my life and I want to remember every second.

As I finish my final spin – an old school scratch spin – something I've loved doing since I was a kid for its speed and dramatic finish, I think about being so incredibly happy in this moment. I've spent the last seventeen years of my life skating every day for hours and hours. It's been my life. Tonight, this performance is the culmination of those many years on the ice.

I finish my spin and pick the ice with a feeling of such accomplishment and gratitude for those who have supported me all along the way. I put my hands to my face and I can't help but cry tears of joy.

I look over to where Cory was standing. He's not there anymore. Instead he's standing at the entrance to the ice. He's clapping and cheering, leaning on his crutches.

He steps out onto the ice and starts to make his way to me. I fear for his safety and start to skate toward him – only my hip cries out in sheer pain and I fall to my knees. The crowd gasps. I apply pressure to the pain, tears coming to my eyes.

And like a miracle, Cory stands up straighter, looking more powerful than ever. He moves as quickly as he can on his crutches across the ice and finally reaches me. He holds his hands out to me and helps me up.

"Are you okay?" he asks.

"I will be now," I smile.

We both lean on his crutches. He pulls out a bouquet of flowers from his jacket. The crowd is going nuts.

"They're real this time," he says. That does it. I burst into tears again. He hugs me in spite of his crutches.

"I love you Lainey."

I squeeze him tighter. "I know. And I love you too."

The crowd jumps to their feet, hollering and clapping. Even my mom is smiling at us. The fans are throwing everything they have – flowers, stuffed animals, shoes, gloves, hats, everything. The rink is filling up with so many gifts. The young skaters can't keep up as they collect them from the rink.

The announcers soon realize it's Cory – the gold medal Olympic skier who had to leave the competition due to an injury of both body and spirit – who's now standing next to me – the underdog who skated her heart out for gold. It's an Olympic love story the media dreams of discovering – for us, it's our love story.

We take each other's hand and we bow together to our audience who shares in our victory. We are a boy who is victorious over his demons – and a girl who is victorious by believing in herself. And a couple whose victory is accepting and cherishing the love each has to give.