The New Queen

The European Championships came again. It was a stressful week for all. They lost Viktoria to an ankle injury and Anna could start to feel an injury coming in.
They picked Anna, Aliya, Maria, Ksenia, and Evgenia. They didn’t have a very strong team that year but they were all happy. Maria was especially happy since she had a injury that she struggled with since even before worlds.
“This is like the qualifying year” Aliya said to the team before the final. “We can’t slip up and loose concentration”
“I wont” Anna said. Aliya smiled at Anna.
“I know you won’t”
“Well, at least I’ll try not to”
“You’ll be fine”
“Stop doubting yourself, Anna” Maria said. “You’re the best girl on this team. You carry us”
“Im not strong enough to carry you all”
“It’s an expression” Anna shook her head.
“But I can’t carry a whole team” more added and useless pressure.
“Anyways” Aliya said. She promised VIka she would look out for Anna at Euros and make sure she wasn’t getting too stressed. “Let’s go out there and really try our best” she said. “And let’s show those Romanian’s how it’s down!”
The girls went out there and did the best they could. They really worked hard and they almost took the title. It went to Romania by a tenth of a point.. Why? Because they had to exchange Anna with Maria on floor last second because of a knee injury Anna sustained on beam.
Anna had a big problem with the dismount. She played it safe today and went with the triple twist. She decided a little too late and competed a 2.5 and not really a triple. Her knee’s kind of twisted into the ground and it reversed all the surgery done in her knee when she hurt it a few years ago.
Evgeny picked her up and carried her off the podium and they got her ice. She refused to leave the competition floor to at least see what medal they won in person. It was a very sad loss. They all wanted a gold to make up for Anna’s injury. What a nice prize that would be. Instead they ended with the silver. If Anna had competed they would have won for sure.
Now she felt absolutely terrible. She let her team down. She could have easily went for the full twisting back pike, landed it short and still gotten the same score. At least she wouldn’t have hurt herself and she could have competed on floor. She let her whole country down.
…
Anna was out of the all around and all event finals expect for bars. Anna was glad for once she made the bars finals.
Her knee was heavily wrapped the day of the final and they had to downgrade her dismount but she was feeling okay. She went out there and did the best bars set she’s ever done, including a stuck dismount. She claimed the silver behind Aliya, making the week a little better. Aliya and Anna even had a few laughs together.