Bitter sweet...

Second day of races at the Belgian Championships (small boats) and today Abbie raced in the single scull. On the photo you see her with het coach Christel, about to set off for the start line.
Unfortunately Abbie caught 'a big crab' just after the start (for the non-rowers: she lost control of one blade, which got stuck in the water and caused her to completely stop the boat to get her blade back... see the women's boat race this year where a rower in the Oxford caught a crab at the start). Christel even thought Abbie would fall out of the boat in the water, but Abbie managed to hold on. So the whole field of her heat left her behind (even the judges boat passed her) and she had to fight her way back. At the finish line she had passed not just the judges boat, but all but one of her competitors as well! 
She was in tears though, because she wanted to do so well and was so disappointed to miss her start as she did... However, a few minutes after her race it was announced she still managed to row into the medals. She finished 3rd just 4 hundreds of a second behind her double partner who got a silver medal. The girl that won in Abbie's heat was first overall (Isa, Abbie's former class mate in pre-school, it's a small world). By the time Abbie received her medal she was able to smile again (see extra).

I am such a proud mum as Abbie really showed her grit and determination today - she is definitely not the biggest rower, but boy does she have mental strength!