2006 Pan American Championships Athlete Diaries

May 24, 2006

By Carrie Chandler, 2005 Pan American Champion

Greetings from Argentina!!

Katie, Jeremy, Sayaka, Jason and I departed from Albany and met up with Aaron, Ronda, Eva and some of the team doctors in Washington Dulles airport where we took the 10 hour plane ride to Buenos Aires, Argentina.  The flight was an over night flight so most of us tried to sleep except Jason who “white knuckled” it the whole way.  We met up with the rest of the team who flew together from Dallas and checked into the Cristal Palace Hotel.  Our hotel is spacious and we are the only team staying there so we have the run of the place.  The tournament directors spoke with our managers and sent a scale over to the hotel so that we have something to check our weight on.  The first day Katie and I went running in a park a few blocks from the hotel that Val found for us.  The park is very small and is mainly used for people exercising their dogs so Katie and I were running around and around the small circle trying to dodge the dogsJ. 

Later that day the team took a bus to the Argentine Olympic Centre where the tournament is going to be held.  There are many athletes practicing different sports all over the facility.  We went through accreditation where we handed over our gi jackets to have patches sewn on and we all had our pictures taken for the tournament credentials.  We then worked out in one of the many small rooms that had tatami’s set up in it.  Everyone is just trying to stay loose and get a sweat going in preparation for the tournament.  We then ate a team dinner at a restaurant 3 blocks from the hotel that shut its doors to the public for us.  The food was a huge buffet style set up where they had everything from sushi to made to order chicken and steaks.  For those who could indulge, the dessert bar had champagne glasses filled with chocolate mousse or tiramisu. 

Day two is going much like the first day.  We met downstairs at 9:15 and took a bus to the Olympic Center for the last workout before the tournament starts on Thursday.  Mr. Prado has managed to get some tickets to a soccer (futbol) game between the Argentina National team (the one that will be competing in the upcoming World cup) and one of the country’s top club teams.  It is the last game for the national team before they leave for the World Cup, so it should be a very exciting game to watch and those of us who can go are going to be in for a treat! 

The tournament begins tomorrow so today everyone is just getting a last workout in and will probably go to the supermarket and pick out their breakfast for tomorrow.  That’s all for now!!

-Carrie