Time seemed to slow down as I mounted up on to the starting block. I could imagine my body eclipsing the fluorescent lights as I leaned forward and assumed my starting position. In the corner of my eye, I could see my opponents doing the same. Waiting.
As the crowd fell in to a deafening silence, all I could hear was the accelerated thump of my heart, like a drum pounding out a rhythm. The tempo increased. The water below me lapped at the cement. The black line, visible at the bottom of the pool like a watery abyss, was my target.
A gunshot signaling the beginning of the race rang around the arena, leaving a feeling like cotton in my ears. I couldn't tell after a split second, for I was already underwater.