AUD Swimming Team’s Experience in Beirut
The 2016 athletes’ trip to Lebanon was nothing less than an adventure for the AUD swimming team. Being the founder and captain of the swimming team is an honor to say the least. I can proudly acclaim that this was an amazing experience for all of us. From viewing the famous Pigeon Rocks of Raouché to exploring the street of Al Hamra, we definitely made the most out of the trip. Waking up early every morning and having breakfast together as a team was a lovely way to start what was going to be a long day each time. We would go sightseeing literally everywhere in the beautiful city and simply have a blast. We took photos, shared meals, went souvenir shopping, watched several other sports competitions held on AUD’s campus, and as many of you may already know, I lost my voice from cheering for AUD. Not to mention, we competed of course!
Traveling to Beirut finally gave the swim team a chance to prove ourselves. A teammate winning three medals, one of which was silver and two of which were bronze, on our first international trip, was an accomplishment that we are all very proud to be a part of. We, as a team, made a statement. We gave it our all at the competition knowing that we were there to make ourselves known. Competing against several different universities at the same time did get overwhelming, however being a Knight means we had to overcome that. I personally swam 5 events, all freestyle and butterfly, and it was beyond incredible getting the opportunity to show what I had in me. I will never forget the feeling I got when we first arrived at the Beirut–Rafic Hariri International Airport. I remember telling my coach, “We made it”.
