When I initially made the 2008 Olympic team, I went through a plethora of emotions. I felt happiness, excitement, but most of all anxiety.
Even after qualifying for the Olympics, I felt that my job was only half done. For the years preceding the 2008 Olympic Trials, my life consisted of living, eating, and breathing wrestling. Years of training were spent with a single goal in mind: I didn't want to leave Beijing with anything less than a gold medal. I felt that the gold was what my country and my weight class deserved. So with that, shortly after the trials I went back to work.
The Olympic training camp began June 30th. All four members of the 2008 women’s team showed up with smiles, and eager to get started. (As the weeks passed our room witnessed frustration, anxiety and excitement. Before we knew it, the training camp had come and gone, and we were heading towards our dreams on a plane for Beijing.
Being a part of the Olympics was a surreal feeling from the minute we stepped off the plane. At the airport we were greeted with smiles, handshakes and of course the media. Living in the Olympic village and participating in the opening ceremonies are moments that I will fondly remember every day of my life. But my favorite memory of the Games was walking into the wrestling arena wearing the USA singlet, and hearing family, friends, and fans cheering "UUUSSSAAA" in unison.
With a blink of an eye, the competition and my Olympic experience had come to an end. On the final day of women’s wrestling, I stood on the podium in the third place position. A bronze medal wasn't my goal, but looking back I have no regrets. I feel like I did everything I could have to prepare myself. Thus far in my life, making it onto that medal stand was one of the hardest things I have ever done. So at the end of the day, I was happy to be there standing on the podium with a medal around my neck, and honored to be representing my country.
- Randi Miller