July 31st 2024.
Lola Anderson's eyes were filled with tears as she spoke about her late father and the emotional diary entry he had returned to her. She had just won a gold medal for Team GB in the women's quadruple sculls at the Paris Olympics, beating Netherlands by a mere 0.15 seconds. It was a dream come true for Anderson, who had been inspired by Helen Glover and Heather Stanning's rowing triumph at the London Olympics in 2012.
As a teenager, Anderson had scribbled a short entry in her diary, expressing her biggest dream in life - to go to the Olympics and win a gold medal for Great Britain. But she had thrown it away, not believing it could ever come true. It wasn't until seven years later, two months before her father's death from cancer, that he returned the note to her. The note that she had discarded was now the most precious thing in her life.
The 26-year-old athlete couldn't hold back her tears as she reflected on her journey and her father's belief in her potential. She acknowledged that her dream would not have been possible without the support of her teammates - Georgina Brayshaw, Lauren Henry, and Hannah Scott. Anderson's father had seen the potential she had, and she was grateful for his unwavering support. She wished he could have been there to witness her dream come true.
The diary entry that her father had kept safe all these years was now joined by an Olympic gold medal in terms of value. Anderson admitted that she gets nervous carrying it with her, afraid of losing it. But she keeps it safe in a tin with her father's old medals, a reminder of his unwavering belief in her. The gold medal may now rival the diary entry in value, but it remains a precious item in Anderson's life.
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