Marayke's world championships 2010

Watch the video of my triathlon race finish

2010-10-08T03:05:00.000-07:00

singapore botanical gardens

2010-09-18T04:49:00.000-07:00

my new orchid necklace

trying a mooncake during the mooncake festival

Our stop over in Singapore on the way home to Australia

2010-09-17T06:23:00.003-07:00

Yummy vegetarian restaurant

Little India

Stunning gold jewellery- I want one!

The Singaporean version of the hills hoist clothes line- washing hanging on poles out the window

Our hotel- Grand Mercure Roxy. Lucky us got upgradded to a suite because our room was double booked.

Arriving in Singapore

At Budapest airport headed to Frankfurt for one night enroute to Singapore and home

2010-09-17T04:00:00.000-07:00

Our hotel- Mercure Korona

Museum of applied arts

Why would anyone graffiti such as stunning building?

Amazing ceiling

My Budapest birthday

Birthday dinner- mushroom rissotto and Greek salad

mosaic floor

szechenyi chain bridge spans the Danube was the first permanent bridge to link the cities of Buda and Pest.

The Budavari Sikla funicula (cable car to castle hill)

St Mathyas Church

The presidents office building on castle hill

view from castle hill over the city. This is the bridge we ran accross to the triathlon finish line.

Hungarian National Museum

ITU world triathlon championships 2010

2010-09-11T07:11:00.000-07:00

After a 3.30 wake up,we were back at the hotel about 5mins before 10am- just in time for me to have breakfast (in my wetsuit and soaking wet race top)

walking back to the hotel after the race

With my friend and training partner darron shields who was competing in his first paratri

Budapest photos

2010-09-09T08:03:00.000-07:00

I have arrived in Budapest!

2010-09-08T12:01:00.000-07:00

Hi all,

Just a quick note to let everyone know I arrived safely in Budapest for the triathlon world champs. Most importantly, Debbie arrived here too with my bike and racing chair in tow. So we are all set to race on saturday.

My flight from schipol was delayed from 10am till after 12, much to my bemusement after I got up early at 5am to be there. Arriving in Budapest, my first impression was that this is quite a poor country- they didnt even have a lift to get me off the plane, two guys carried me. Then there was no airport assistants to assist me with baggage, so I grabbed my own suitacases and juggled them outside to the taxi rank. The other weird thing is there was no immigration so I didnt get a stamp in my passport to say I entered hungry. Unusual. The taxi here was 5200 forints, so luckily i changed some money at schipol. I arrrived at the hotel and met the team manager. When I got to my room I found my bike and a note from Deb saying she had arrived early. We had a good catch up, then dinner and sleep.

Today we spent the day sorting out vital things like where we are on our map of budapest and when we have to be at meetings etc.

Part of the day was spent on a mission hike looking for somewhere to have a passport photo taken- apparently i need it for classification but n one told me before I left home. In the end we couldnt find anywhere (even if we had i would never have got in, all the shops have steps). I improvised by getting my photo taken my a machine that made personalised post cards. it photographed my head and spat out 3 cards with budapest panoramas around the edge and a small photo of my in the centre- bing0! I cut out my photo from the centre and thats my 'passport photo'. the other two cards I can now send home, a bonus.

This afternoon was spent with the team mechanic anthony who reassembled my bike and racing chair which were pulled appart for the flight. Then I went for a ride along the Danube river with deb running behind. It was so fasscinating to see all the buildings. I had a real sense of deja vu as months ago I made pictures of this road with myself superimposed riding my bike along the river. I put them up on my bedroom wall for inspiration and to make the course feel as familiar as possible on race day. So now I feel like Im living in my pictures.

Tomorrow I have classification at 8 am and then the paratriathletes briefing at 1.30!

Will let you all know how it goes

goodnight!

xoxox m xooxox

World swimming championships is over!

2010-09-08T11:16:00.000-07:00

After months of training and anticipation the IPC world swimming championships are over, and I am happy with my results.

Out of my three events I received bronze in the 50m breaststroke, placed 4th in the individual medley and our relay team came 7th.

Day one of racing

My first day of competition, August 19th, was quite busy. I had the relay heats in the morning, and we placed 7th. It was exciting to compete in a relay for the first time in my career. We were in lane 2 beside great Britain, and I was racing the breaststroke leg beside one of their paralympic gold medalists Nyree Lewis ( Im an sb3 and shes an s6 so i had a bit of trouble catching her!). Nonetheless it was a great experience. The most memorable part was definitely the wheelchair traffic jam in the marshalling area. With so many teams of 4, and many of the athletes in wheelchairs we hardly fitted in the hallway,let along marshalling. The whole team marshalled together, then when it was time to go out Jackie and I went to our end of the pool and ether and tanya went to the other. I swam second, taking over from esther who was first with backstroke. Our changeover was ok, and afterwards I stayed in the water to cheer on tanya and jackie.

After the race I quickly got changed and had lunch, then headed back to the hotel to rest up for the finals session that night.

Back at the pool at 4.30 I got into my swimsuit for my breaststroke and warmed up early- they were really strict about marshalling and if you are not there 20mins beofre then you dont get to race. I headed to marshalling, which was in a change room and they sent me to wait in a hallway. Gradually all the other athletes in my race arrived except for Karina who arrived at the last moment possible. We sat in silence and waited till it was time to march out on pool deck. Once I got up the ramp to the side of the pool, i discovered it was an obstacle course with sponsors signs, buckets of water and officials sitting on chairs. I had to move my sign totally just to get my wheelchair near the pool.

Then it was into the water and time to focus before the gun went and we were off. I had karina beside me and tried hard to stay with her, but ended up getting third. I was so excited to have the bronze medal, but also very concerned for karina who looked unwell. She was shaking with full body spasms.

I wanted to see if she was ok but was whisked away by our media liaison Beth for an interview with ABC Tv in the mixed zone. Beth handed me my accreditation back, which she had collected and it had a note attached saying medal ceremony 7.50v meeting room one. That have me over 30mins to change into my medal tracksuit, brush my hair and get to the waiting room for the medal ceremony. Once I got there Patricia , who got silver, and I took lots of photos together and with the 'medal girls.' Karina never arrived, and just before we went onto the podium someone came over and said ein es nniet- one is not coming. Patricia immediately joked, well if she doesnt want her gold medal I will have it. Then we found out karina was sick and in the medical room, so i was worried about her. The ceremony proceeded without Karina and I got my pretty medal and a toy oukie the dolphin maskot. they played karinas anthem and showed her swimming on the big screen.

Then it was time to change back into my swimsuit for the relay, after a quick wheel around to warm up.

We tried really hard in the relay and ultimately placed 7th- a great effort from all the girls.

In the marshalling area the other girls told me our team doctor treated karina and she was sent to hospital as she had severe vomiting and diarohea. I hoped she would be ok to race the next day.

After all that it was too late to eat at the pool, i would have missed the last bus, so I jumped on a bus and headed back to the hotel. I smsd the team security guard/manager dan about how to get dinner as the hotel kitchen shut at 10 and it was 10 to ten- he said he'd order for me and have it waiting. ned1On the way there the straps holding one of the mexican girls chairs broke and she fell over and hit her head. Luckily the driver was able to stop and her team staff got her back up, but she was hurt and needed to see her team doctor. The driver didnt know what to do- drive or wait for a doctor. In the end he drove to the hotel slowly and the doctor ran out to meet the bus.

So, finally, very late, i got to the hotel and had my vege lassagne. It seemed crazy seing to athletes unwell in one evening, and i went to sleep thinking of them.

Night Two of competition

Day two of racing for me was the 150m individual medley. As it was a straight final I slept in and had a late breakfast, then packed my bag and headed to the pool in the avo.

Like the day before I warmed up early, and headed to marshalling. Again Karina was late and we wondered if she was coming at all, but at the last moment she arrived.

I was really happy with my race, the fastest time I have done with the new swimsuit style. I am slower with the short legs, and this really affected my backstroke. So I was happy with the resultm despite placing 4th. Watching the replay the next day online I saw the finish was really lots closer than i thought, but I gaveit my all and was happy.

Seing as my medley was the second last race of the night it was late by the time I finished getting changed, and all my family had already left to catch the bus. I enjoyed watching the aussi mens relay team get their gold medal- we all stood and sung the national anthem together on pooldeck. What a sensational finish to the competition!

I had a good chat to my Danish rival Karina on the bus back to the hotel, and we even met up again in the foyer to exchange tshirts.

The next day I packed and the team headed out to dinner to a cute steakhouse to celebratethe week. We also had a moving team meeting to talk about future goals. About midnight I still hadnt managed to figure out who had my passport. It turned out to be locked in a safe, and the security guard had the key but he was sleeping. So i had to wake up at 4.30 am when the rest of the team left so i could get it.

And then the team were gone and I packed and got ready to join Gemma and mum in the castle they rented for our stay. What an amazing competition, from carrying the flag to a bronze medal.

Now the focus turns to triathlon!

bronze in the 50m breaststroke sb3

2010-08-20T03:26:00.001-07:00

The 'medal girls'

with the girl who lead us out in the victory ceremony

The medal ceremony preparation room

Competition has started... but I'm still waiting to race

2010-08-18T04:26:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone,

I have spent the past few days watching in awe at the performances of my aussi team mates as they tear up the pool in Eindhoven. So many aussi swimmers are doing personal best times, and it's really exciting to see the rookies (or tyros as they're now called) competing at their first world champs.

Australia, with 11 medals is now sitting equal 9th on the medal tally with mexico and Canada.

So far I have been watching the heats on my laptop at the hotel and going into the pool at night for the finals.

My turn to race is on thursday and friday. Today, wednesday, I have had a relaxing day at the hotel. So far Ive packed my bag for tomorrow, touched up my finger and toenails in green and yellow (wish the colour would stop chipping off) and even played a game of ping pong with Andrew "Pasty" Pasterfield who had the morning off racing.

Now I'm just chilling in my room with Esther, who has qualified for the final of the 100m freestyle s3 tonight.

Our relay tomorrow night is the last race on the program, so it will be a late night.

Well, that's all for now!

I will be back to report my results after I race

xoxo m

Flying the flag at the opening ceremony

2010-08-17T05:09:00.000-07:00

Today was one of the proudest days in my swimming career, which is amusing seing as I didnt actually get in a pool.

At a special team meeting before the ceremony I was named Australia's flag bearer for the opening ceremony, along with my team mate Pat Donachie.

The day started out ordinarily enough, I painted my nails green and yellow accessorised with glitter and little heart shaped Australian flags (every trip I do Australian themed nails and this is my best effort yet if I do say so myself!).

Then at 3pm our whole team gathered for our traditional pre competition team meeting which is really motivating and ends in everyone getting in a huddle for the singing of the national anthem.

The highlight was Paralympic Gold medallist Brendan Burkett joining us via web cam to recite the team poem "a swimmers dream" which he has traditionally done the day before competition for the past 10 years. Brendan "Beava" is also a sports biomechanist and has travelled with the team as sport scientist since he retired from competition in 2000. This is the first time in 10 years he has not been with the team- hence the skype hook - up!

Beava even joined us in singing the national anthem, with his arms outstretched as if he was joining the huddle- very funny- especially with the delay in transmission!

Our head coach BK gave a speech about the history of the team and then said he wanted to speak about two of our team mates. He then spoke about me and how we did our first international trip together 11 years ago in 1999 to the world wheelchair games in christchurch, and how I have grown as a person and an athlete since then. He said how happy he was to see me compete in Sydney 2000 and go on to medal in athens and Beijing, and how one of the best things about Athens for him was seing me go offf travelling afterwards. He then spoke about Pat and how he hung in there and kept competing when athletes with an intellectual disability were banned from the paralympics after 2000, to finally still be here now the ban is overturned. He concluded by saying congratulations for keeping our swimming careers going for 10 years, saying it shows persistance, and that he is in awe of us.

Then he said "we had to chose two flag bearers for this meet, so we hope that marayke you will carry and Pat you will push."

What a suprise and an honour! Unfortunately for me even though this was an exciting day I woke up feeling more sore than yesterday and the pain hit a peak round about the time of the team meeting. So the tears in my eyes were a mixture of pride and pain!

Fortunately one of the first people to come over and congratulate me was our team doctor Jeff so I was able to book an appointment to see him in half an hour. I spent the half hour doing my hair for the opening ceremony with green and gold ribbons- this proved a silly move.

The doctor checked the range of motion in my neck and upper body and said it was restricted. He suggested I add panadol to the anti inflamatories I am already taking. then he got dave, the physio, to treat me. Dave promptly poured massage oil over me (including in my nicely done hair) and proceeded to massage and treat my neck. This reallly freed up my neck but by the time it was finished my hair was messed up and full of oil, and I had a huge headache from the treatment- I popped one of those panadol immedialely!

Then I quickly raced back to my room to get ready. First up was green and yellow eyeshadow that I bought especially for the occasssion before I left home. Then a few minutes to re-do my hair, put on my tracksuit and be out to the bus for 4.30. Downsairs the whole team had a photo on the lawn outside.

Because there are so many countries staying at the hotel we had to leave 3 hours early so each country could be scheduled to catch a bus and get dinner.So even though we werent hungry the first thing we did when we got to the pool was force ourselves to eat dinner.

All the nations flags were lined up in the hallway, so Pat and I took the opportunity to pose for some pictures with our security guard Dan playing photographer.

The pool complex was unbelievably hot so after dinner the team headed outside to sit on the lawn until it was time to move in for the ceremony. The next hour flew by with a hilarious team game of charades- I totally embarrassed myself trying to act out " the secret" and "Harry Potter".

Around 6.30 we made our way into the pool which was flood lit so the water was purple. The team took their seat on pool deck and Pat and I headed off to the flag bearers briefing. we all gathered in the hallway with our nations sign carriers -ours was our team host miriam. They explained that we would be splitting the group in two and marching down both sides of the pool.

It was REALLY hot so we drank lites of water and kept our jackets off till the last moment. We posed for some photos and discussed the logistics of carrying the flag ( we were hoping to walk side by side so we could both hold the flag, but it turned out there wasnt enough space so Pat had to push me). Then it was time to go and we headed off down the hallway to the doping control room where we waited to march out with the flags. Amazingly my mum was sitting in the grandstand about 2 m away and was able to get some great photos. I had decided not to tell her I was carrying the flag and let her get a suprise- so it was a really nice moment.

When our turn came it was rather sudden and we weren't exactly organised. Pat had to push me up a steep ramp and down another without crashing into any of the signs or tripping on the electrical cords on the floor- all while I held the flag out straight like a jousting pole so it didnt hit the doorway. There was a minor mishap when I lost my balance and nearly tipped the end of the flag into the pool ( that flag is big and heavy and I have no truk muscles). We settled in for our march down pool deck then all the flag bearers stood in formation for some speeches. I passed the flag to Pat so he could have a turn of holding it.

After our turn was over we marched back off pool deck and re joined the team to watch the rest of the ceremony- an amazing display with synchronised swimming and a dancing mascot joining the usual speeches and athlete and officials oaths. There were even indoor fireworks to herald the arrival of the IPC and Dutch flags which were flown down from the rafters by two soldiers on a flying fox.

Since the ceremony it has been lovely to read the many congratulatory messages on facebook.One that is especially meaningful is from my friend and former rival Margaret McEleny from GB who retired after Athens.

"I'm so happy for you it is such an honour and your deserve it. I had the honour of leading the GB team at paralympics in Sydney and it will stay with me forever. goodluck for your swims xoxox"

And then it was back to the hotel and time for bed. I had to sneak in quietly and try not to wake my roomie esther who didnt come to the ceremony because she had to race again the next day.

What an exhilarating day! Day one of racing tomorrow!

Opening ceremony photos

2010-08-15T03:20:00.000-07:00

With Mum and her aunt trude, who lives 20 mins away from the pool. Great to have local support!

Friday the 13th: A crazy day!

2010-08-15T02:23:00.000-07:00

Our Aussi room

Esther and Amanda hanging laundry in our room on our travel clothes lines

Thursday 14th

Hi everyone, appologies for not posting over the past few days... been a bit busy.

We have been in Holland for a week now, and are settling in very nicely. Each day the team trains either once or twice, then there are things like team meetings/massage and physio appointments etc.

In the past few days all the other teams have arrived for the competition, and the atmosphere in the dining hall is fantastic- it's like a mini paralympic village with the whole world in there!

All the teams (650 athletes in total- the most ever at a world swim champs) are staying in 3 hotels, from which we catch shuttle buses to the pool.

It seems all my main rivals are staying in the same hotel as me. On wednesday night I got a suprise when I was waiting for a bus and the mexican team arrived from the airport with my rival and friend Patricia Valle . Then the next morning I bumped into Karina from Denmark in the hotel lobby.

On thursday, unfortunately, i woke up feeling really sore and stiff all over. I could hardly turn my head my neck was so stiff, my forearms killed,, my back and trapezius muscles were hard as rocks- basically I felt like I'd been hit by a truck! I went to see our team Dr 'Doc' Jeff Thompson who was also with our team in Kuala Lumpur and Beijing in 2008. He explained that when I had a massage I had on tuesday the masseuse went far too deep and so all my muscles were now really fatigued and inflammed- just like I'd done too much hard exercise! How crazy, being hurt from a massage. He suggested I take the day off swimming and start on anti inflamatories. I think it was a good decision, though it was hard convincing my team coach Steve that I definitely shouldn't be going to training.

Unfortunately that meant I missed relay practice too, so Ellie Cole ended up 'impersonating me' for relay changeovers while I was back at the hotel resting. I had room service dinner from the hotel menu so I didnt have to battle the busy busses to get to the dining hall at the pool. When everyone got back from the pool, my roomie esther had hurt her hand and so I went in search of the doc again - who kindly made a 'room call.'

Then we finally went to sleep!

Friday the 13th

As many of you would know, 13 is my lucky number, but friday the 13th definitely wasnt my lucky day!

I woke up still feeling a bit sore, but decided to do a light training session in the afternoon. The team decided to head into the local village Veldhoven for lunch, but seing as I our team bus isnt wheelchair friendly I had to 'walk.' This turned out to be further than I thought and I was pretty tired by the time we got there. We all gathered in 2 restaurants- half the team at a steakhouse, the other at a sandwhich bar. I Got a mediteraanean sandwich before meeting everyone at the steakhouse. There we were joined by the ABC commentator Gerry Collins and executive producer Kirsty who will be putting together coverage of the meet. The team media liaison officer Beth also arrived.

Then it was announced we were departing at the pool at 1.30- which gave me 40 minutes to walk back to the hotel, pack my bag, change into uniform and get on a bus to the pool. I might have just made it..... if the hotel lift to my room hadnt broken down! I had to get someone to go up to my room and pack my bag and I got the bag just as I was racing outside to the bus. I didnt have my uniform on yet - it was in my bag- and the media crew asked me why I was going training is casual clothes.. well, I said, funny story that!

I raced onto the bus, then it sat there for 20 minutes waiting to see if any other passengers were coming. The rest of the team had left for the pool long before, as I go on a separate wheelchair bus with athletes from other nations who also use wheelchairs.

Finally at the pool I got in and did my session, only to discover I was so stiff I wasnt able to train properly. When I came to get out I discovered both my towels had somehow fallen in the pool,grrr, this isnt my lucky day I thought.

Continuing the crazy day theme, when the wheelchair bus arrived to take me back to the pool it had run out of petrol! The rest of the team had headed back to the hotel on their bus long ago and all up I stood at the bus stop by myself waiting for nearly an hour. Fortunately the ABC guys walked past not long after and stayed for a chat, it was great to hear what they have planned for coverage.

Finally the bus was ready to go. By the time I got back to the hotel the last thing I felt like was heading back to the pool for dinner.....so a group of us dined in the hotel restaurant. It is pretty groovy, a courtyard with an electric roof that oopens when it is sunny!

Back in our room again esther and I got busy decorating our room Aussi style. We hang a big aussi flag over our beds, one in the window and a boxing kangaroo on the wall. In th centre of the ceiling is our fab bunch of australia balloons, along with a string of mini flags. Completing the look is a series of pictures of teddy bears holding aus flags. Why bears? I was really bored and Esther had some teddy wrapping paper after purchasing a bear (she collects Teddy's). So I decided to turn them into decorations!

Tomorrow, saturday, is the opening ceremony! Hopefully no more sore body, broken lifts or broken down buses!

Can't wait to race

Tot Ziens

Training training and more training!

2010-08-11T08:13:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone,

It's been a busy couple of days here in Eindhoven for the swim team. On monday my roomie Esther I and I got to see the competition pool for the first time. We had been training in the hotel pool up until then, because the buses the team hired to get us around had steps so we couldnte get on, and no boot to store our wheelchairs. Now the organisers of the world championships have started regular shuttle services with wheelchair access busses for the many competitors and this is how we will get to the pool for our races too.

The hotel is starting to fill up with athletes from many different countries, and is starting to resemble a mini united nations with Australia, new Zealand, Brasil, and Portugal here so far.

So, back to the pool. The Peter Van Hoogenband pool turns out to be actually called the Tongelreep aquatic centre. It is s huge, and the good news for me is that the building is heated and warm. The bad news is the pool itself is freezing!

We have had two sessions there, monday night 6.30-8.pm and then back again at 7am the next morning (so not much time to get my beauty sleep lol). Tuesday morning we practiced our relay changeovers which was really exciting as none of us have raced a relay before. Australia hasnt had a women's 20point relay team or 10 years!

The relay we are swimming is the 200medley relay 20 points.

The way it works is that the combined classifications of all 4 swimmers have to add up to 20 (hence the title 20 point relay). Our team is Esther Overton (s3 doing backstroke) Me (sb3 doing breaststroke) Tanya ( s6 doing butterfly) and Jackie ( s8 doing freestyle). Our big race is on August 19th.

Apart from training in the pool I have also done a boxing session with my team coach Steve, and a session on the hand crank in the hotel gym ( so excited they have a hand crank never been to a hotel gym with equipment I can use before!).

Today - wednesday- was a rest day. I enjoyed exploring the shopping precinct in Eindhoven, and bought 2 long sleeved tops for 7 euro each. I have been freezing here seing as I stupidly thought it was summer and packed singlets and tshirts!

We also started eating our meals at the pool (previously we have eaten at the hotel). The organisers have set up an AMAZING marquee at the pool for all the teams to eat. It hav2 separate rooms and a lounge area with computers and toiletes etc, then there's an enormous dining area with lots of funky poty plants and decorations. The only funny thing is you can eat as much as you want, as long as you only have 1 drink! We drove them crazy asking of we could have extra glasses of water if we were thirsty, but it is one drink only!

So I'm off to the pool now for dinner, and am taking a water bottle incase I get thirsty lol!

Tot ziens

Holland photos

2010-08-09T06:44:00.001-07:00

My green and gold toe nails complete with mini aus flag- great way to amuse myself during boring downtime at the hotel!

Day trip to Amsterdam

On the train to Amsterdam

Our hotel

Our accommodation -hotel Konigshoff (translates to kings house)

Kara and Kayla 'rookies'

Arriving at Schipol airport and boarding the bus to our hotel

First glimpse of Holland

Singapore photos

2010-08-09T05:39:00.000-07:00

Arrival at Chengi airport, Singapore

On the plane to Amsterdam with Teigan

Checking in for the flight to Amsterdam

Million dollar photo- Chengi airport had a competition to win a cool mil in cash. Of course we entered!

Cash catch and grab

Visiting the iconic Singapore Merlion statue

wheelchair access to the Merlion-luckily we happened to ask in a posh hotel where they had a key for the stair climber

With the baby Merlion

Raffles Hotel

China Town and the Temple of the Tooth Budah

Lighting a candle for safe travels

Hindu Temple near our hotel

Our hotel- The grand Mercure Roxy

Breakfast- an omlette making station complete with personal chef

Journey to Amsterdam

2010-08-07T08:25:00.000-07:00

I am sitting writing this from my hotel room in Holland, still amazed that I am actually here after a whirlwind past week.

The days before I left were a crazy rush of last minute shopping, packing, training,work,more training and more packing (I even managed to miss my own suprise going away party at work because I was out of the office with a client. But I did enjoy eating all the yummy party food when I stayed back late to finish up work before my trip).

Sunday night after training on the track (with my friend Debbie so she could learn how to help me with triathlon transitions in Budapest) I called in at my mums and you wouldnt believe it- the brakes on my car failed completely and I couldnt drive home! Lucky mum could give me a lift but I had my bike and racing wheelchair in the car which didn't fit in her car with my wheelhcair.Ordinarily I would have just left them there, but I needed them for a media photoshoot the next morning ...there's always something! Luckily mum dropped them off in the morning.Oh, and the wheels on my day chair started falling off too just to add to the chaos!

Monday, my last day at home was spent doing said media conference with the Sunshine Coast Daily and Channel 7 local news. After that I headed out to get a sports massage.

Then I still had to pack. My Aussi uniform for the swim meet finally arrived late monday avo (just in time) and I managed to squeeze it into my suitcase. We got a gorgeous bright yellow jacket and some funky tshirts. The pants dont fit my at all, but no time to swap them or get alterations done.

I left Australia on tuesday with Mum and we flew to Singapore where we spent a night to break up the flightMy grandparents and their cute little dog Malty drove us to Brisbane airport, where I totally embarrassed myself by falling face first onto the footpath.I was sitting outside the airport when Mum put my backpack on the back of my chair and it was so heavy I went over backwards...but stayed in the chair. Then mum caught me and shoved me forwards which resulted in me flying forwards out of my chair and landing face first on the ground! Quick repack of bags required to ensure that didnt happen again!

After that our flight was pretty uneventful. We got to our hotel late that night, and I was asleep immediately! The next day we had an amazing time exploring for a few hours. I have been to Singapore many times, but only for brief stopovers so all I had seen was hotels, the airport and the zoo. So this time we explored local hindu and Budhist temples, China town, little India, called into the raffles hotel and even saw the iconic Singaporean Merlion!

Then it was back to the hotel for a rest before meeting the rest of the swim team at Chengi airport for our midnight flight to Amsterdam.

I was so tired by the time I got onto the plane that I slept 8 hours straight. when i woke up there were just 4 hours to go which passed quickly with meal service and preparing to land.

Once we landed it was time to collect our bags and say goodbye to mum, who was heading off to stay with her aunt Trude.

Our team headed for Eindhoven on the bus where we checked into our home for the next 2 weeks "hotel Konighoff". Literally translated this means kings house, and thats a pretty good description- this place is massive. It has multiple wings, courtyards, gardens, guard houses, a giant chess board, bell tower and clock tower,tennis court, squash courts, swimming pool-even a bowling alley (and that's just the places we've explored so far).

So far I have been training each day and resting up at the hotel.

11 days till I race!

Thats all for now

tot ziens

Marayke

Journey from Brisbane to Holland, via Singapore

2010-08-07T06:12:00.000-07:00

At Schipoll airport, Holland, boarding the bus to our hotel in Amsterdam

Our first glimpse of Holland!

On the plane with Teigan

Meeting up with the team at Singapore airport

A million dollar photo- the cash catch and grab.Chengi airport had a promotion to win a cool million! of course we entered.

One ticket to the world championships please! Checking in for the flight to Holland

Lighting a candle for 'safe travels' at the temple of the Tooth Budah

In the most amazing temple, filled with thousands of tiny statues. Each one unique.

Temple of the Tooth Budah - China town, Singapore

The Merlion

Baby Merlion

Raffles Hotel... on the red carpet with the doorman!

Hindu temple near our hotel

Exploring the Hindu temple near our hotel

My mum Marion at the Hindu temple

Breakfast at the hotel- an omlette making station complete with personal chef

IPC world swimming Championships broadcast live

2010-07-30T18:12:00.000-07:00

I am really excited to hear that you will all have the chance to watch our races over in Holland.

The IPC world swimming championships will be broadcase live on the internet. Even more exciting is that ABC2 will be broadcasting higlights each evening. This is the firs time in my 12 years of swimming that n event other than the Paralympics has been televised, so lets all get behind the broadcast!

Here's how you can watch:

On TV in Australia:

ABC2 will show 45 minutes of highlights each night from 18:30pm

Online

Watch live streaming online at www.ParalympicSPort.Tv

Key Dates for Marayke

19th August 50m breaststroke sb3 and swimming as part of Australias 20 point medley relay team

20th August 150m individual medley sm4 classification

FW: One week to go!

2010-07-24T03:38:00.001-07:00

Hi everyone,

It's not long until I leave now- 9 days infact ( not like I am counting ) and this has been a busy week, fitting my travel preparations in around working and training.

This week I worked 3 days ( I am an employment consutant for uni grads with disabilities at STEPS disability for those who don't know). Two of those were doing mental health first aid training course, and the third I was manning a stall at the University of the Sunshine Coast o-week expo, letting students know about the graduate program.The bonus of this was I could head straight over to the universityathletics track for a training session in my racing wheelchair after work. Was a good session, except that the steering on my racing chair broke. It could only go in a straight line, and the track is of course round. I did 5km while 'popping a mono' at every corner to get the front wheel around without using the broken steering. Quite an experience, but I was determined not to quit- firstly I wanted to get in a good session and not many days left. Secondly, Im sure one day I will be out there racing and my chair will break so I may as well practice now!

One of the biggest differences between swimming and triathlon, I am beginning to realise, is the amount of gear required for a triathlon ( wetsuit, swim boots, handcycle,helmet racing wheelchair, racing gloves, race suit, energy 'gu' etc etc etc). More specifically, I have begun to realise what a challenge it will be to TRANSPORT all this gear from Australia to Budapest and back.

Originally I was going to have them freighted, but the bill for that was over $3000! I cant take them to Holland with me and then on to Budapest, as theres no way I can carry it all or fit it in my hotel room over there. Luckily my friend and swimming training partner Debbie has agreed to come over and be my 'handler' so she can bring my equipment on her flight. I am still trying to work out how to safely package my racing wheelchair and bike for travel on the plane.Never a dull moment.

Today was spent at the pool training, it was the coldest day of swimming all winter and I spent the whole session shivering with purple lips. Apart from that, it was a great session- I'm feeling fit and strong!

Tomorrow will be one of my last triathlon training sessions. I am heading to the track at the university to train with my friend and fellow paratriathlete Darron.

Hope all is well with you!

M

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2010-07-17T04:12:00.000-07:00

Welcome to my blog for 2010! I have created this blog so all my friends and supporters can share my journey as I head to Europe to compete in dual world championships in 2010. In August I will race at the World swimming championships in Eindhoven, the Netherlands. I then head to Budapest, Hungary for my first ever paratriathlon world championships.

Stay tuned to hear more about my adventures!

Marayke