Alright everyone. It's been a while, but after a good amount of time without a blog post, I need to wrap it all up until my blog is needed once again.
It's time for me to hand over the torch (so to speak) to some of my good friends on their way to the Paralympic Games in London to compete soon! Wish them all luck! (Especially my good friend Jessica Long!) GO USA!!!
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| Me at closing ceremonies! |
Closing was great, it was basically like a big concert! There were performances by so many people, the Spice Girls even made a showing! People broke out into song and dance at random. Unlike the Opening where the athletes walked in as countries and was moved into the center, the closing was literally a free for all. Me and a few other athletes actually momentarily lost the rest of our delegation on the walk from the village to the Stadium! It was a gigantic athlete mosh pit the entire way in and during! Russel Brand also rode in on a 70's like painted bus, which was super entertaining. There was so much going on the entire time I can't even remember it all! Though I do have to say, not really sure what the glow-in-the-dark Gigantic Octopus that came out of that bus had to do with anything haha though it was memorable!
Also probably one of my favorite things, it was before they extinguished the flame, they had opened the torch into a blossom basically, and had a Phoenix (on fire mind you!) over it. With the Olympic rings as it's back ground, another favorite picture moment:
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| Some person's hand/camera got in the way! |
It's so cool looking! Maybe I'm just a sucker for night time photos. And the rings and Phoenix mix both my favorite things. The Olympic Games, and Harry Potter. (goodness I'm a nerd! haha!)
On a slightly different note, after a long journey from Indianapolis to Mentor, Ohio for a friends bridal shower, and then from there to good ol' Oklahoma City I'm finally home. Lots of driving, and LOTS of music on shuffle. I also put Pandora to work and listened to a large amount of comedy acts on my lonesome drive across country. It gave me time to think of all the people that have helped me get to where I am today. A few days ago, my duet partner Mariya sent out a large list of Thank You's, and I felt like it was a great idea. So as much as I know she hates it when I copy her, I'm copying her idea anyway. :)
On a slightly different note, after a long journey from Indianapolis to Mentor, Ohio for a friends bridal shower, and then from there to good ol' Oklahoma City I'm finally home. Lots of driving, and LOTS of music on shuffle. I also put Pandora to work and listened to a large amount of comedy acts on my lonesome drive across country. It gave me time to think of all the people that have helped me get to where I am today. A few days ago, my duet partner Mariya sent out a large list of Thank You's, and I felt like it was a great idea. So as much as I know she hates it when I copy her, I'm copying her idea anyway. :)
THANK YOU!
My Parents - For always believing in me. You've done so much for me and supported me through everything I've ever done!
George - For putting up with my craziness, and being the best shoulder to lean on whenever I needed you
Coach Robert Coleman - My favorite Coach, someone who even though I'm not in the same sport has been one of my biggest supporters through my Olympic Journey
Duke Zielinski - For the amazing amounts of support I've received over the last few years, and thank you for how much you've cared about the girls on the National Teams through your term as President of USASynchro
Karen and Sarah - For showing me around London, and providing amazing insight to the ins and outs of being an Olympic athlete
Sue Baross Nesbit -
For graciously helping the 1st National Team by Mayu's side at the Olympic Qualifiers in London
Cate - You have been the best alternate athlete I could dream of. You were always so happy to help in any way you could
Holly Heitzman - For keeping me in one piece and being our "table psychologist" :)
Chris Carver - For pushing me past my limits and caring so much about me through the ups and downs
Dana Hunt - My first Synchronized Swimming coach! You started this journey, and I still can't believe I've made it this far! Thank you so much for helping me begin turning my dream to reality
Claire Evans - The one who started this ENTIRE thing. The girl I've known since she was 6 years old and we swam on the same team together. The girl who got me involved in synchro and swam as my duet partner for the first few years of my career
Victoria Bowen - One of the many people I took Private Lessons from before I won Age-Group nationals in solo as the younger person in my age-group. Thank you SO much for helping me along the way
Anna Kozlova - Someone I've always looked up to, even before you became my coach. You were an Idol of mine, and have continued to be this day.
Bill May -For telling me at my first SCAmp to never put in a crane in my Solo, because I was bad at them. Look at me now! You've been a great support and amazing athlete to look up to
Joel Pashcow -For believing in me and our journey to the Olympic Games, and thank you for attending the Olympics to be supportive in person St. Vincents - Everyone there has been supportive in all aspects of my life over the past year and a half. From injuries, to workouts, to nutrition, to psych, to even just being there as someone to talk to when I had a bad day. Y'all have been amazing
Ireland's NAC - For all of the support we have received as "Ireland's team" everyone was so nice and helpful, so glad I could represent the USA and Ireland together
Pirouettes of Texas -The team that started it all, thank you to the entire team for supporting me even when I moved to California to train with SCA
Santa Clara Aquamaids - Thank you for helping me reach my full potential with the elite level training and the dedication to the pursuit of excellence
My teammates -For always being there, cheering on the sidelines when we were doing those awful weight sets, and always being there with a smile on your faces
Special Thanks to ALL of my Duet Partners -- 2002-2005 Claire Evans (listed above), 2006/2007/2008 Nadia Rais, 2006 Ali Williams, 2009 Layla Smith, 2010 Meghan Kinney (Tech Duet), 2011 Megan Hansley, 2011 Lyssa Wallace, 2012 Mariya Koroleva (Listed Below) - Y'all have been so important on my journey through the years in Synchro, and I want to let you all know how much you mean to me. You've been with me through the best times, and the worst times, and it's made me a better person thanks to each and every one of you
And lets not forget my Coach:
Mayu - Who has been to the pool everyday with us during the last year and a half, and stood smiling on the side while we performed our routines
And Last but not least: Mariya - My Olympic Duet Partner, who in the last year has shared with me the high's, and some extremely rock-bottom low's. You were there for me whenever I needed a hand squeeze, and we will forever be in the history books as 2012 Olympians. Glad you were there to experience it all with me
Anna Kozlova - Someone I've always looked up to, even before you became my coach. You were an Idol of mine, and have continued to be this day.
Bill May -For telling me at my first SCAmp to never put in a crane in my Solo, because I was bad at them. Look at me now! You've been a great support and amazing athlete to look up to
Joel Pashcow -For believing in me and our journey to the Olympic Games, and thank you for attending the Olympics to be supportive in person St. Vincents - Everyone there has been supportive in all aspects of my life over the past year and a half. From injuries, to workouts, to nutrition, to psych, to even just being there as someone to talk to when I had a bad day. Y'all have been amazing
Ireland's NAC - For all of the support we have received as "Ireland's team" everyone was so nice and helpful, so glad I could represent the USA and Ireland together
Pirouettes of Texas -The team that started it all, thank you to the entire team for supporting me even when I moved to California to train with SCA
Santa Clara Aquamaids - Thank you for helping me reach my full potential with the elite level training and the dedication to the pursuit of excellence
My teammates -For always being there, cheering on the sidelines when we were doing those awful weight sets, and always being there with a smile on your faces
Special Thanks to ALL of my Duet Partners -- 2002-2005 Claire Evans (listed above), 2006/2007/2008 Nadia Rais, 2006 Ali Williams, 2009 Layla Smith, 2010 Meghan Kinney (Tech Duet), 2011 Megan Hansley, 2011 Lyssa Wallace, 2012 Mariya Koroleva (Listed Below) - Y'all have been so important on my journey through the years in Synchro, and I want to let you all know how much you mean to me. You've been with me through the best times, and the worst times, and it's made me a better person thanks to each and every one of you
And lets not forget my Coach:
Mayu - Who has been to the pool everyday with us during the last year and a half, and stood smiling on the side while we performed our routines
And Last but not least: Mariya - My Olympic Duet Partner, who in the last year has shared with me the high's, and some extremely rock-bottom low's. You were there for me whenever I needed a hand squeeze, and we will forever be in the history books as 2012 Olympians. Glad you were there to experience it all with me
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| One of my favorite Competition Pictures |
Well that's all I have for now, hope everyone has enjoyed my blog and will follow me on Twitter (@marykillman) and like me on Facebook (/marykillman) !
Feel free to send me messages if you have any questions, or you just want to chat! The blog will not be closed down, just temporarily put aside until it is needed once again. My Olympic experience has definitely been one for the books, but I'm glad it happened. I'm so proud to be able to call myself an Olympic athlete, and have worked very hard to get to where I am today. So what do I do now?
...
Rio anyone? :D
--Mary
Thanks for sharing your Olympic experience with all of us! It was a lot of fun reading your blog; it was the next best thing to being there! I'll continue to follow you on Twitter and Facebook. Love synchro; wish I had tried it when I was younger!
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