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CONTEST ENDED – Thank you for submitting your stories!

#256: Going for Gold

We're entering into a major summer of sports. From the Euros and the Copa America, through Grand Prix and grand slams, to the Olympics and Paralympics, you can barely switch on the TV without catching something. Even those of us who aren't usually sports fans seem to be finding ourselves caught up in the fever-pitch of excitement.

And there's a reason for this: sports bring us together. Whether we're viewing for the spectacle, for tales of heroism and tragedy, or for a feeling of community, there's just something about it. This week's prompts invite you to channel the experience of athletes and fans, and to capture that atmosphere in writing. We look forward to seeing who takes gold!

This week's prompts

Set your story in the stands at a major sporting event.

Fiction – 40 stories

Write about someone who has trained all their life for one moment.

Character – 45 stories

Write a story about an underdog, or somebody making a comeback.

Character – 42 stories

Write about a moment of defeat.

Angst – 54 stories

Write a story about two sporting rivals having to work together.

Funny – 23 stories

Stories

“Hand-Me-Down” by K Quinn Van Develde

Submitted to Contest #256

You’ve trained all your life for this, you’ll be fine. That’s what everyone told her after they learned the first team failed. But, sitting by her father’s bedside, she couldn’t help but think they were wrong. After all, he’d also prepared his whole life and yet here he was, nearly dead, one of two to survive. And he’d trained her, so how could she do any better? Ellie stood, looking at Maksim’s lifeless body, the rise and fall of his chest only visible because she’d been staring at him for so long. “How could you lose?” She aske...

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“Fly On, Granddaughter!” by James DeMaio

Submitted to Contest #256

Rosemarie Blatter spent her long days working for a budding pharmaceutical company, which was in the final stages of getting its narcolepsy medication approved by the FDA. Her job was to enter investigators' data provided to her by the CRA's into a database. The drug study had gone on for over five years, with Rosemarie having gotten hired as a nascent Research Assistant close to the end of the drug study. At first, she had worked alongside a more experienced RA, but then that person was prom...

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“The price of being ambitious” by Kirte Pärila

Submitted to Contest #256

“Chess!” I shout, “it has something to do with it, I am sure of it. My prediction is infallible.” I sit on grass holding a brown box in my hands. I put it on the grass. “I feel like it is all coming to me now. It is rather late for that but what can I do?” I say as I shrug my shoulders. “You will do good, trust me. One day you will play even better than me, but I can't study when you can't say still. Will you give me a little quiet, can you do that for me, pretty please?” says Anabel. I guess she tries to comfort me (it is not...

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“A Moment We're Made For ” by Mariah Wright

Submitted to Contest #256

If I knew what to expect, everything would’ve been so much easier. But the thing about the future is you can never truly know until it's past. You can predict, calculate, hope, I did a lot of that for years. I had dreamt of this moment since the day I opened my eyes, I was always told this is what I was meant to do. I envisioned that moment in the spotlight down to the last second, every year, month, week, day, leading up to my moment. My life. “You’re such a beautiful singer!” “Thank you! My ma says so too!” “Well she’s right. You’ll ...

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“Chlorine Curse” by Kaelie Goss

Submitted to Contest #256

“Winner of the Gold Medal, and Olympic Champion, with a time of four minutes and 9.25 seconds, representing the Russian Federation, Emil Viktorovich!” Looking down at the water I had conquered, holding the medal between my teeth, salty tears formed in my eyes, clouding my vision. People from every country cheered my name as I held my gold… my gold… Except, this gold was not mine. At least it shouldn’t be. Should it? Vladivostok, 2017. I was twelve years old. The national swim meet was approaching. And I had just learned that I would be comp...

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“My Father's Son” by Emily McDonnell

Submitted to Contest #256

No one ever asked me what I wanted to be as a child. From the moment my hand grasped that racket my destiny was laid out for me. I’d like to say something poetic like it was written in the stars, but it really wasn’t. It was just meticulously crafted by a crowd of very headstrong bullish men determined not to “squander my gift,” at the forefront of which was my very own callous father. Maybe callous is too harsh a word, I don’t mean to speak ill on him, I really don’t. He only ever wanted what was best for me, and in his mind this was ...

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“Games We Played” by M B

Submitted to Contest #256

Anaya, Daughter of Lena woke as the sun rose, orange and warm through her window, bringing with it a soft ocean breeze on her face. In the distance, the melody of the village women’s song coming closer to their hut on the hill reminded her of her special day. Today would be a day of singing, dancing, and preparation. Lena, Daughter of Celia, came into Anaya’s room, with her morning cup of tea. “Drink, daughter.” Anaya looked over and saw her finished dress, a simple leather dress to the knees, embroidered with live and dried flowers. Her mot...

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“Final Duet” by Olivia Rose

Submitted to Contest #256

The thing about music is that it’s like a rope, it winds around the people it reaches and draws them together, makes them realize and notice that they are not so different. It can convey more than words will ever be capable of, makes us feel more than what our hearts can contain. It’s a cure for the soul, a universal communication so deep it affects each and every person who hears it. The bottom line: my music will tell you more than I ever will. That’s was so enchanting about the sweet, melodic notes that pour like magic with just a p...

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“A Breeze in Phuket” by Minh Le

Submitted to Contest #256

"97, 98, 99...," after inhaling a quick grasp of air, Kenny drove his right shin into the black mounted training bag which dangled in front of him, which returned a loud resounding 'thud' through the spare training room of his apartment. Training one's body was key to living a healthy life, though training one's mind was key to knowing thyself.' Words from his Renshi, or '6th' Dan in the world of karate. Though the last time Kenny had heard these words was sometime around fifth grade in school, which now brought him to the age of 29 thi...

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“The Innocent Hero” by Hank Landry

Submitted to Contest #256

The Innocent Hero We all need heroes no matter how old or young we are. Someone we look toward or to, to give us inspiration, someone who lifts us up when we are down. Some get paid large sums of money, sometimes they get a thank you, and sometime they receive praise they shy from because they are just being themselves. I know of just a man. He saved me when...

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“No regrets” by Jennifer Sieber

Submitted to Contest #256

NO REGRETS” The old cabin creaked and groaned Ralph thought to himself I bet it feels exactly like I do. Ralph wasn’t old he just had lived a hard life compared to the average Jo blow. Reaching out his hand he picked up his watch realising he wouldn’t be able to read it in the dark as it’s hands didn’t glow anymore. Dam he thought I’m going senile, slowly rising from the bed to a sitting position Ralph searched for the switch of his bed side lamp flicking it on. The light was bright and made his sight bleary, glancing at his watch he could j...

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“ISIAH” by Robert DeLuca

Submitted to Contest #256

ISIAH The two high school chums sat on the steps of a modest home in a blue-collar neighborhood of a big city devouring a huge fully loaded supreme pizza. The gooey feast was disappearing fast when Marshall noticed a young boy standing quietly in the shadows of the doorway. “Hey, Isiah! Get over here quick before this pizza disappears.”, Marshall said. The youngster moved slowly across the porch toward his brother, Andre, and Marshall. He was tall for a ten-year-old but also carried a lot of excess weight. Despite the summer heat, he wore ...

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“Baseball Hero ” by Cameron Hoormann

Submitted to Contest #256

This used to be his home, but now he was terrified to be here. From the safety of the dugout he looked out at the stands and saw the gathered crowd heaving and lurching like a restless blob. They were so close he could feel their hot breath on his face and their hands around his neck. The blob threatened to swallow him whole and digest him with burning acid in a deep dark place. It wasn't that long ago that this same gathered mass would have cheered his name and applauded his excellent play. This was his first game back, on a new team, after...

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“Mortally Wounded, for the Last Time” by Astrid Skarsgaard

Submitted to Contest #256

“Hey, I’m thinking G suspended instead of G5 for Fillet of Heart. Sound good?” Kildaire picked the chord progression around G5. Everyone looked away.“No?” Kildaire sighed and put his guitar away.“Just, you know, play it like we’ve played it when practicing. The fans always liked it that way,” Jaybird said, her soft voice roughened just a little by age. The fans would like that as well. Her voice had new depth, and she still looked smoking hot on stage.“I’m missing the first ten weeks of school,” Dan lamented, though he didn’t seem too upset ...

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“Big Chance” by Nate Farrell

Submitted to Contest #256

Big Chance Dave McGuinness could not believe what he was seeing. For the last few years, here in the college gym, he had been playing pickup basketball and getting better little by little, often the result of playing against some very good players, the kind who had been stars on their high school teams. It had taken time to build up even a little reputation. Certainly no one was going to pick him by sight. This was Court One, where serious players came to play. The big state school had six courts in the gym, but the best games were always ...

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$250

Prize money

204

Contest entries

102

Stories

Ended on 23:59 - Jun 28, 2024 EST

Won by Melissa Van Rensburg 🏆

Title: Injury Time

Submissions must be between 1,000 - 3,000 words and will be approved and published on Reedsy Prompts within 7 days of the contest closing.

Read the full terms & conditions or check out the FAQ if you have any questions!

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