[Fic] Swimming for Gold
Title: Swimming for Gold
Characters: America, England, OC reporters, mentions of Japan, Australia, France, China, Sweden, Russia.
Rating/Warnings: PG, swimming talk by someone who doesn't know much about swimming.
Summary: Alfred F. Jones and Arthur Kirkland are childhood friends competing for the same gold medal. Just an average day for them, really.
A/N: So this could take place in 2020, or it could take place sometime further in the future. You decide.
“We’re here in Tokyo with Arthur Kirkland, one of the greatest swimmers to come out of Great Britain. So Arthur, you’ve got the final for the 200 meter Individual Medley later in the evening. Are you nervous?”
“I wouldn’t say nervous, no. More excited really. Racing and competition is really what I live for.”
“If you do win, this will be the first gold medal in this event for Great Britain, and Team GB’s first gold this Olympics. Does that add to the pressure?”
“If I minded pressure I wouldn’t be competing in the Olympics.”
“You’re a favorite to win, but you have some very tough competition in this race, such as the gold medalist from Rio de Janerio and current world record holder, Jake Jenkins from Australia, the silver medalist from the world championships Kiku Honda has home field advantage, and of course the American Alfred F. Jones, who’s looking for his record-breaking ninth gold medal in these Olympics. How do you think you’ll fare against such staunch competitors?”
“I think I’ll hold up just fine. Jake and Kiku will be tough, to be certain, but I’ve done it before. Alfred is an idiot for thinking he can swim eight races and not wear himself out for the ninth, but apparently no one has told him that.”
“You and Alfred have been training together since childhood in California, correct?”
“Yes. My mother was a diplomat and we would spend half of the year in California, where I took up swimming and met Alfred. I still return to California to train during the off season. It’s really a funny turn of fate that Alfred and I would end up in the Olympics together.”
“Does your friendship make it difficult to race against him on the Olympic stage, where so much is on the line?”
“Of course not. This race will be no different than the thousands of others we’ve raced against each other, except now there are more people watching. For us, national pride and gold medals don’t mean much, not saying I wouldn’t mind a gold medal, or that I don’t love Great Britain. And Alfred is the most American American you’ll ever meet, so it’s not like we don’t have national pride, it’s just that, when we race each other, we try not to let those things get in the way. Does that make sense? I mean, whether he gets his ninth medal or I get Britain’s first, he’s still going to be an idiot, and we’re still going to be friends.”
“I think it makes perfect sense. You have quite a friendship to last this long through the years of constant competition against each other.”
“We’re both competitors, and we’re not going to begrudge each other when the other wins. It gets lonely sometimes, since I spend most of my time travelling or in the pool - I mean, I have my coaches and my teammates and they're fantastic, but it’s nice to have a friend in the pool too, even if we’re against each other.”
“I hope your close friendship won’t cause you to hold back and let him win.”
“It hasn’t yet.”
“Well, I, and the nation of Britain, wish you good luck in your race this afternoon.”
“I will certainly try my best.”
-
“NBC’s Live Olympic Coverage is live from Tokyo. Joining us now is Alfred F. Jones, swimming legend in the making. Later this evening he will swim in his ninth event this Olympics, the 200 meter IM, and attempt to win his ninth gold medal, breaking a record set back during the 2008 Beijing Olympics by the Greatest Olympian ever Michael Phelps. Alfred, thank you for joining us.”
“Glad to be here, Bob.”
“Right now you’re tied with the great Michael Phelps with eight medals won in a single Olympics, and you’re going for your ninth tonight. Quite an achievement and you’re still only nineteen.”
“Well, I try. This way even if I don’t get the medal, I still beat Michael out in age.”
“Obviously, Phelps is one of your heroes and inspirations. Do you feel any sort of lingering remorse or regret for shattering his record?”
“Not really. Yeah, I look up to him - any swimmer today who says otherwise is lying. He inspired generations of young athletes, but records are made to be broken. The sport can’t develop or progress if records just stay the same. Hell he’d want me to break his record. Sports become stale if records stand forever. Besides, it’s my turn to be the hero now.”
“Nine events in six days. Along with the heats and the qualifiers that’s twenty seven races. How are you doing it?”
“Plenty of sleeping and eating for the most part. This is something I’ve been training for ever since I watched Mike in Beijing when I was a kid, so it’s not like I’m unprepared. Although I gotta say, I am starting to get a bit tired.”
“Do you think you have enough steam left for this race? You have some tough competitors for this one, Australian world record holder Jake Jenkins, Kiku Honda from Japan who got silver at the World Championships last year, and the gold medalist from the World Championships Arthur Kirkland of Great Britain. None of them will be easy to beat.”
“No, that’s for sure. They’re great swimmers and won’t just lie down and let me win, especially Artie, but I’m not asking them to. The Olympics are about testing the limits of human strength and ability, and how am I supposed to do that if I’m not challenged every now and then? I’ve still got enough hydrogen left in my tank though, so if any of them think I’m going down easy, especially Artie, they’re in for a surprise.”
“Speaking of Arthur, you’ve been training with him since you were kids, right?”
“Yeah, he’s my best friend. We go way back.”
“Is it strange having a close friend on another team?”
“Not really. I mean when you compete on an international level, you’re going to see the same faces over and over again. Most of us have a friend or two from a different country. I just happen to know mine from kindergarten.”
“Your friendship with Arthur is legendary. Do your Team USA teammates ever give you difficulties for it, like accusing you of losing on purpose when he out swims you?”
“No, they’re pretty good about it. They obviously know we’re friends, and they do know him too. Besides, and I mean this with complete respect to my teammates and their abilities, they can’t beat Artie anyway, so they don’t think anything of it.”
“Is there any possibility you’ll take a dive and let Arthur win?”
“Hell no. Aside from the fact that I’m about to break a record, Artie’ll never forgive me!”
“How upset would you be if Arthur did win this race?”
“Not at all. Artie’s been up against me all Olympics, so he hasn’t won gold yet, and I don’t think Britain has a gold yet, or in this event at all, so that’d be good too. Losing the ninth medal would suck, but I’ll only be twenty three next time in New York, plus I’ll have home field advantage, so even if I don’t manage to get it this time, I’d be able to try again. Maybe I’ll even do ten events, just to make sure!”
“You certainly seem full of energy for someone who’s swam eight events.”
“What can I say? I love swimming. I love competing, especially with friends. Whether I win or lose, I’m still going to have a good time.”
“You have an enviable attitude. America wishes you luck in your upcoming race and recording breaking gold medal.”
“Thanks Bob.”
“We now return to the outdoor stadium where US vs. Japan in Women’s Beach Volleyball is currently underway.”
-
“We’re back here in the Aqua Dome for another exciting race, the Men’s 200 meter IM, where Alfred F. Jones will attempt an unprecedented ninth gold medal this Olympics.”
“It’s not going to be easy for him, Anne. After racing and winning gold in the 400 IM, the 100 meter breaststroke, the second leg 100 meter freestyle relay, the 100 meter backstroke, the 200 meter freestyle, the 200 meter butterfly, the 100 meter freestyle, and the 200 meter breaststroke, I wouldn’t be surprised if Jones collapsed in the pool.”
“Jones’s stamina aside, he’s up against some tough competitors all vying for gold, Dave.”
“Right you are. In lane one, we have Yao Wang, a veteran swimmer from China, who won the bronze in the 100 meter backstroke the other day. He’s not expected to make many waves here.”
“In lane two is the ever popular Frenchman, Francis Bonnefoy. He swept gold in the breaststroke at the World Championships, but has been underwhelming here in Tokyo.”
“Current world record holder Jake Jenkins of Australia is in lane three. He’s favored to medal here and may cause problems for Jones in the next lane.”
“Lane four belongs to Alfred Jones. Do you think he has what it takes to get that ninth medal?”
“We’ll find out. In lane five is the best shot to destroy those dreams, a close friend of Jones’s, Arthur Kirkland of Britain. If Jones’s doesn’t win, this race is all Kirkland’s.”
“Japan’s own Kiku Honda is in lane six. The silver medalist in the World Championships, he’s a crowd favorite, and a fierce competitor.”
“A dark horse from the second heat, Berwald Oxensterina from Sweden is in lane seven. Can he pull another upset and medal here in the final?”
“And finally, Ivan Braginski of Russia is in lane eight. He’s not expected to do much here, but he will be the final anchor for Russia in the medley relay in two days.”
“Who do you think will win this one, Anne?”
“I think Jones has a very good shot. Even after eight events, he’s brimming with energy, and even if that’s just for show, his determination is unrivaled. I’ll give silver to Kirkland and bronze to Jenkins.”
“I think Kirkland’s got gold on this one. Jones has pulled off some impressive swimming so far, but nine events I think are pushing it, even for him. Kirkland already has three silvers in Tokyo so far and was gold in this event in the World Championships. Jones will get silver, maybe bronze if Honda doesn't struggle with his turns like he has been all Olympics.”
“One thing is for sure, this is going to be an intense and close race, most likely decided by tenths of seconds, perhaps even in hundredths of seconds.”
“The swimmers are on their blocks, and it looks like this race is about to get underway…”
-
“Hey, Artie.”
Arthur looked over to the next lane to where Alfred was grinning at him, “What is it?”
“After I win this, I’ll take you out to dinner,” Alfred pulled his goggles over his eyes.
Arthur snorted, “And what happens when I win?”
“Hm,” he tapped his chin and pretended to think about it, “If you win, you can take me out to dinner. Sound good?”
“That sounds wonderful,” he returned his smile and lowered his own goggles.
“Swimmers, take your mark,” the disembodied voice announced as the swimmer mounted their blocks.
“I’m gonna beat you,” Alfred whispered loud enough for Arthur to hear him.
The tension that had been building up in him vanished as he smirked and whispered back, “In your dreams, maybe.”
The starting beep sounded and they jumped into the water, thoughts of records and medals and the other six swimmers in the water far from their mind.
Right now, they were just two friends swimming together.
Characters: America, England, OC reporters, mentions of Japan, Australia, France, China, Sweden, Russia.
Rating/Warnings: PG, swimming talk by someone who doesn't know much about swimming.
Summary: Alfred F. Jones and Arthur Kirkland are childhood friends competing for the same gold medal. Just an average day for them, really.
A/N: So this could take place in 2020, or it could take place sometime further in the future. You decide.
“We’re here in Tokyo with Arthur Kirkland, one of the greatest swimmers to come out of Great Britain. So Arthur, you’ve got the final for the 200 meter Individual Medley later in the evening. Are you nervous?”
“I wouldn’t say nervous, no. More excited really. Racing and competition is really what I live for.”
“If you do win, this will be the first gold medal in this event for Great Britain, and Team GB’s first gold this Olympics. Does that add to the pressure?”
“If I minded pressure I wouldn’t be competing in the Olympics.”
“You’re a favorite to win, but you have some very tough competition in this race, such as the gold medalist from Rio de Janerio and current world record holder, Jake Jenkins from Australia, the silver medalist from the world championships Kiku Honda has home field advantage, and of course the American Alfred F. Jones, who’s looking for his record-breaking ninth gold medal in these Olympics. How do you think you’ll fare against such staunch competitors?”
“I think I’ll hold up just fine. Jake and Kiku will be tough, to be certain, but I’ve done it before. Alfred is an idiot for thinking he can swim eight races and not wear himself out for the ninth, but apparently no one has told him that.”
“You and Alfred have been training together since childhood in California, correct?”
“Yes. My mother was a diplomat and we would spend half of the year in California, where I took up swimming and met Alfred. I still return to California to train during the off season. It’s really a funny turn of fate that Alfred and I would end up in the Olympics together.”
“Does your friendship make it difficult to race against him on the Olympic stage, where so much is on the line?”
“Of course not. This race will be no different than the thousands of others we’ve raced against each other, except now there are more people watching. For us, national pride and gold medals don’t mean much, not saying I wouldn’t mind a gold medal, or that I don’t love Great Britain. And Alfred is the most American American you’ll ever meet, so it’s not like we don’t have national pride, it’s just that, when we race each other, we try not to let those things get in the way. Does that make sense? I mean, whether he gets his ninth medal or I get Britain’s first, he’s still going to be an idiot, and we’re still going to be friends.”
“I think it makes perfect sense. You have quite a friendship to last this long through the years of constant competition against each other.”
“We’re both competitors, and we’re not going to begrudge each other when the other wins. It gets lonely sometimes, since I spend most of my time travelling or in the pool - I mean, I have my coaches and my teammates and they're fantastic, but it’s nice to have a friend in the pool too, even if we’re against each other.”
“I hope your close friendship won’t cause you to hold back and let him win.”
“It hasn’t yet.”
“Well, I, and the nation of Britain, wish you good luck in your race this afternoon.”
“I will certainly try my best.”
-
“NBC’s Live Olympic Coverage is live from Tokyo. Joining us now is Alfred F. Jones, swimming legend in the making. Later this evening he will swim in his ninth event this Olympics, the 200 meter IM, and attempt to win his ninth gold medal, breaking a record set back during the 2008 Beijing Olympics by the Greatest Olympian ever Michael Phelps. Alfred, thank you for joining us.”
“Glad to be here, Bob.”
“Right now you’re tied with the great Michael Phelps with eight medals won in a single Olympics, and you’re going for your ninth tonight. Quite an achievement and you’re still only nineteen.”
“Well, I try. This way even if I don’t get the medal, I still beat Michael out in age.”
“Obviously, Phelps is one of your heroes and inspirations. Do you feel any sort of lingering remorse or regret for shattering his record?”
“Not really. Yeah, I look up to him - any swimmer today who says otherwise is lying. He inspired generations of young athletes, but records are made to be broken. The sport can’t develop or progress if records just stay the same. Hell he’d want me to break his record. Sports become stale if records stand forever. Besides, it’s my turn to be the hero now.”
“Nine events in six days. Along with the heats and the qualifiers that’s twenty seven races. How are you doing it?”
“Plenty of sleeping and eating for the most part. This is something I’ve been training for ever since I watched Mike in Beijing when I was a kid, so it’s not like I’m unprepared. Although I gotta say, I am starting to get a bit tired.”
“Do you think you have enough steam left for this race? You have some tough competitors for this one, Australian world record holder Jake Jenkins, Kiku Honda from Japan who got silver at the World Championships last year, and the gold medalist from the World Championships Arthur Kirkland of Great Britain. None of them will be easy to beat.”
“No, that’s for sure. They’re great swimmers and won’t just lie down and let me win, especially Artie, but I’m not asking them to. The Olympics are about testing the limits of human strength and ability, and how am I supposed to do that if I’m not challenged every now and then? I’ve still got enough hydrogen left in my tank though, so if any of them think I’m going down easy, especially Artie, they’re in for a surprise.”
“Speaking of Arthur, you’ve been training with him since you were kids, right?”
“Yeah, he’s my best friend. We go way back.”
“Is it strange having a close friend on another team?”
“Not really. I mean when you compete on an international level, you’re going to see the same faces over and over again. Most of us have a friend or two from a different country. I just happen to know mine from kindergarten.”
“Your friendship with Arthur is legendary. Do your Team USA teammates ever give you difficulties for it, like accusing you of losing on purpose when he out swims you?”
“No, they’re pretty good about it. They obviously know we’re friends, and they do know him too. Besides, and I mean this with complete respect to my teammates and their abilities, they can’t beat Artie anyway, so they don’t think anything of it.”
“Is there any possibility you’ll take a dive and let Arthur win?”
“Hell no. Aside from the fact that I’m about to break a record, Artie’ll never forgive me!”
“How upset would you be if Arthur did win this race?”
“Not at all. Artie’s been up against me all Olympics, so he hasn’t won gold yet, and I don’t think Britain has a gold yet, or in this event at all, so that’d be good too. Losing the ninth medal would suck, but I’ll only be twenty three next time in New York, plus I’ll have home field advantage, so even if I don’t manage to get it this time, I’d be able to try again. Maybe I’ll even do ten events, just to make sure!”
“You certainly seem full of energy for someone who’s swam eight events.”
“What can I say? I love swimming. I love competing, especially with friends. Whether I win or lose, I’m still going to have a good time.”
“You have an enviable attitude. America wishes you luck in your upcoming race and recording breaking gold medal.”
“Thanks Bob.”
“We now return to the outdoor stadium where US vs. Japan in Women’s Beach Volleyball is currently underway.”
-
“We’re back here in the Aqua Dome for another exciting race, the Men’s 200 meter IM, where Alfred F. Jones will attempt an unprecedented ninth gold medal this Olympics.”
“It’s not going to be easy for him, Anne. After racing and winning gold in the 400 IM, the 100 meter breaststroke, the second leg 100 meter freestyle relay, the 100 meter backstroke, the 200 meter freestyle, the 200 meter butterfly, the 100 meter freestyle, and the 200 meter breaststroke, I wouldn’t be surprised if Jones collapsed in the pool.”
“Jones’s stamina aside, he’s up against some tough competitors all vying for gold, Dave.”
“Right you are. In lane one, we have Yao Wang, a veteran swimmer from China, who won the bronze in the 100 meter backstroke the other day. He’s not expected to make many waves here.”
“In lane two is the ever popular Frenchman, Francis Bonnefoy. He swept gold in the breaststroke at the World Championships, but has been underwhelming here in Tokyo.”
“Current world record holder Jake Jenkins of Australia is in lane three. He’s favored to medal here and may cause problems for Jones in the next lane.”
“Lane four belongs to Alfred Jones. Do you think he has what it takes to get that ninth medal?”
“We’ll find out. In lane five is the best shot to destroy those dreams, a close friend of Jones’s, Arthur Kirkland of Britain. If Jones’s doesn’t win, this race is all Kirkland’s.”
“Japan’s own Kiku Honda is in lane six. The silver medalist in the World Championships, he’s a crowd favorite, and a fierce competitor.”
“A dark horse from the second heat, Berwald Oxensterina from Sweden is in lane seven. Can he pull another upset and medal here in the final?”
“And finally, Ivan Braginski of Russia is in lane eight. He’s not expected to do much here, but he will be the final anchor for Russia in the medley relay in two days.”
“Who do you think will win this one, Anne?”
“I think Jones has a very good shot. Even after eight events, he’s brimming with energy, and even if that’s just for show, his determination is unrivaled. I’ll give silver to Kirkland and bronze to Jenkins.”
“I think Kirkland’s got gold on this one. Jones has pulled off some impressive swimming so far, but nine events I think are pushing it, even for him. Kirkland already has three silvers in Tokyo so far and was gold in this event in the World Championships. Jones will get silver, maybe bronze if Honda doesn't struggle with his turns like he has been all Olympics.”
“One thing is for sure, this is going to be an intense and close race, most likely decided by tenths of seconds, perhaps even in hundredths of seconds.”
“The swimmers are on their blocks, and it looks like this race is about to get underway…”
-
“Hey, Artie.”
Arthur looked over to the next lane to where Alfred was grinning at him, “What is it?”
“After I win this, I’ll take you out to dinner,” Alfred pulled his goggles over his eyes.
Arthur snorted, “And what happens when I win?”
“Hm,” he tapped his chin and pretended to think about it, “If you win, you can take me out to dinner. Sound good?”
“That sounds wonderful,” he returned his smile and lowered his own goggles.
“Swimmers, take your mark,” the disembodied voice announced as the swimmer mounted their blocks.
“I’m gonna beat you,” Alfred whispered loud enough for Arthur to hear him.
The tension that had been building up in him vanished as he smirked and whispered back, “In your dreams, maybe.”
The starting beep sounded and they jumped into the water, thoughts of records and medals and the other six swimmers in the water far from their mind.
Right now, they were just two friends swimming together.