I am an Early Bird

Theme – being a go getter, the early bird catches the worm.

I am four years old. I can swim. I swim every day. Now I am five years old. I am at school. I am the only student who can swim one length of butterfly in the 50 meter pool. Even the newspaper comes to take a picture. I train every day with my club. My club is called Bloemfontein Otters. Bloemfontein is a city where I live in South Africa. Otters are playful animals that like to swim in rivers and eat crabs and fish. I can swim as fast as an otter. I get up early in the morning and swim, and after school I swim again.
I go to swimming races called galas. I race swimmers from other clubs. I win prizes and stand on the podium.
I am 11 years old. This is my most important race. I have trained all year. I had to beat a boy who is much bigger than me. His name is Luke. I am going to swim as hard as I can.
My coach tells me to kick kick kick.
The man with the gun is the starter. He blows on his whistle, and then he says, “On your marks.”
The shot goes off.
I dive in.
I swim so fast my arms turn like windmills.
My mother and my father are watching.
Hundreds of people are watching.
I swim as hard as I can.
There are lots of bubbles.
And then I quickly throw my arm against the wall.
Luke is also there.
Who won?
No one is sure. It looks like a tie.
My mom hands me a towel and says, “Well done.”
I say “well done” to Luke.
The coach comes up to me and says, “You won. You see, the early bird gets the worm.”