The Redeemer

First of all its been a while since I was active so I apologize I'm back now and I will hopefully have new chapters for KAC and mores stories up soonish. Once I get through the homework I'm drowning in.

Also I wrote this story for English and wanted to see what people thought of it

Lastly this is a work of pure fiction I'm not British, I'm not an arm amputee and I don't really know jonnie peacock

Now I've gotten through all that lets begin Enjoy :)

I was on the plane, looking out of the window when I first saw it: Christ the Redeemer,While this was the first time I had actually seen The Redeemer this was not the first time I had thought of it, you could even say for me the Redeemer held a lot of significance for what I was about to do.

Seeing The Redeemer for the first time though was different. This signified that I had made it. I was on my way to redeeming myself, making amends after the pain and anguish of last time. Memories of London 2012 in my home country when I Agitos Craven Son of the famous and current IPC chairman Sir Phillip Craven was on the start line for the Men’s T46 classification for arm amputees 800m , trying to step out of my adopted father’s shadow and make my own legacy.

The gun went off I started running hard like I usually did, trying to burn off as many competitors as I could in the first 200m of the race. After that I slowed but only a little so I could keep form and establish a rhythm which I hoped would win me the title. With 400mdown and 400m to go I was leading .I had split the first 400m in 54 seconds and felt good I reminded myself to maintain form and keep going. I was now firing around the bend for the last time and I perceived from my view across the track that I had about 150m on the rest of the field. 100m left and I would be crowned the Paralympic champion. I would etch my own name into the history book.

But it was not to be. The memory sped up to the point of me striding to the line. I had lunged I didn’t have to but I wanted the best time possible. Big mistake as I felt the hamstring go as I lunged. I had 2 metres to go, I told myself just a little further and THUD! I hit the track floor only metres from the line. SMASH! I felt my prosthetic arm on my bad side go, leaving me with only effectively one arm. I tried to pull myself up but it was no use. I was stranded a metre out from the line. Tears streamed from my eyes as I saw in my blurring vision the rest of the field go over the line. More tears fell as the medics came and helped me up and carried me off the track. The only thought I had as I was carried off the track was redemption in four years’ time. I wanted redemption in Rio.

People say I have already got redemption after winning the last two world and European championships but for me it didn’t mean much. I was still so hungry for the ultimate prize: A Paralympic gold medal.

The village atmosphere was electric but I kept composed as I had a job to do. A day before my event I took a car journey up to see The Redeemer. For me it was hard to believe I was here now. I’m not religious or anything but while I was there I prayed to The Redeemer. I prayed to him for redemption I ask him to give me the power in my legs to win the gold medal.

Now everyone reading might think I had a pretty cruisey time since London. Everything had seemed to go my way I was now a double world and European champion but all this happening this year had all hung on a last minute call up by the BPC who originally didn’t select me because I had quite a poor season and was hampered quite a bit by injury. I was only in the team because Jonnie Peacock made a late call to have surgery in order to be at his best for the World Championships in London next year., Jonnie and I were fairly good mates and it was only because of his recommendation that I replace him that was why I was in the team. I was determined to repay the BPC and Jonnie’s faith in me by winning the gold.

The next day went so quick. The next memory I have was standing on the start line. The race was about to begin and I was so nervous as I took one last look at The Redeemer in the distance, took a deep breath and took my spot on a start line.

The guns fired and we were off in a similar fashion to London. I accelerated away and tried to burn off the rest of the field again. I was a good 100m in front after the first lap with 400m to go.

The second 400m however didn’t go to plan as I started to tire and with 100m to go I could hear the crowd shouting. At first I thought it was for me but then I saw the Brazilian coming closer to me. With 50m to go we were now running side by side I tried to kick one more time to beat him but it didn’t work. With 10m to go we were still side by side but then I stumbled I felt myself going forward and I had to slow down a bit to catch myself .He broke into the lead. 5m to go I was now just trying to make the finish for the silver that was now in my eyes the goal and my aim. 2m to go I saw him stumble and almost fall, I strode towards him. I’m was about to see him collapse on the ground when I did the unthinkable. Using my good arm I manage to snag a bit of his shirt it was enough to help him regain his balance we both stumbled to the finish and fall over the line side by side.

No one knew who had won. The screen originally flashes with me finishing first but then it changes to the Brazilian finishing first. We were all escorted to the post-race room, still no one knows won.

After an hour and a half in the room the officials collected us, they told us that there was no way to tell who won and because of this we are both getting a gold medal. Redemption is complete. As I stand on the podium with my Brazilian counterpart, he tells me I should have let him fall and taken gold for myself I tell him I would have rather finished second than see another person go through the same experience I went through 4 years earlier. I hear God Save the Queen play in the background and I look up at the redeemer in the distance.

Thank you Christ, I whisper, the tears racing down my eyes in triumph.