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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

“Building confidence” by Jeffrey McDonald

Submitted to Contest #256

The lights from Jeff’s garage are a beacon in the night to the errand bovine roaming the pitch-black pastures surrounding his rural home in Johnson County, Texas. Staccato sounds of an impact wrench spill out in the dark vast emptiness startling a curious coyote camouflaged by a patch of prickly pear cactus and tall dry grass. Curses echo into the night, as exhaustion battles an ever-ending desire to fulfill a dream he has had since youth, and his first time seeing a drag car fly by at the local track. He was hooked instantly, while other yo...

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“River-water represents my heart” by Kelly Jones

Submitted to Contest #256

Kai dressed herself in dark solid colours, styled in straight lines, with one or two points of decoration. Her tanned, plump, freckled face was cosmetic-free, just a light oil massaged in after showers. Two dark-brown combs held back wavy, shoulder-length, salt-and-pepper hair, through which a tiny false diamond glittered in a lobe.She held a black gel pen still for a few moments, then wrote:月亮不代表我的心[The moon does not represent my heart.]Older women often fall through society's cracks. They're too slow, quiet, dull, wrinkly and apathetic fro...

2 comments 2
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“Shoe-per Star” by Terrie Stevens

Submitted to Contest #256

Calling me an athletic supporter wouldn’t be too farfetched. However, I could have been a prime athlete if I lived with anyone else. Silver threads sparkled in the sunlight, woven into the fabric of my aqua-tinted nylon skin. Down my side, a neon green streak signified my maker. An emerald-colored rubber sole bled into dark blue cleats below me, my engineering and materials explicitly manufactured to be the best for playing soccer. Alone, I relaxed on the floor and relished my time off. A short distance from me, lurking beneath th...

4 comments 4
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“My Blinking Friend” by S.G. Williams

Submitted to Contest #256

“Nothing last time, so something this time,” he thought to himself. Everyone sooner or later falls out of the rhythm of their game, or job, or hobby. Life gets busy, work complicates things, and people still need to sleep. Though he relied more on coffee these days than a good night of sleep. Everyone knows that this isn’t good or healthy, and he still did it anyway. “I bet this wouldn’t be as hard if I were sleeping right, maybe five hours of sleep a night isn’t good. Doable, but not good.” Thank God for the standing desk that with the coff...

2 comments 2
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“Wrong Flank” by Mahtan Runya

Submitted to Contest #256

In fourteen years of war across two major continents, General William Henry Magellan had never, NEVER, been defeated in combat. By cannon and musket and the sheer courage of Her Majesty’s men, he had marched against the enemies of Great Britain and brought them to her knees. From an officer in the Light Dragoons to commanding ranks upon ranks of his very own army, he had never once lost a battle. Until now.  The battle had started well. Despite being outnumbered, his men had been the swiftest off the mark and had seized the high ground...

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“Too good to be true ” by Masha Kurbatova

Submitted to Contest #256

   I’ve only seen my sweet darling father cry about soccer. Because he cheers for Atlanta United, he cries a lot. On Saturday, another artificial turf drama unfolds on our TV, and once again, Giakoumakis is on the ground two minutes into the game, rolling and howling and clutching his knee. Again, bleach-blond Saba kicks against the goal post. And now, they’re sending Etienne Jr in? We’ve already lost.    86 minutes in against Cincinnati, my father sheds tears into his beer, a glass full of Heineken he clai...

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“Lessons of the game” by Matt Pearson

Submitted to Contest #256

“Ball Four!” The call from the home plate umpire ignited a roar from the crowd as Sycamore High’s season, and its hopes for advancing to the state championship game remained alive. Tommy pumped his fist at the dugout as he headed for first base, rallying his teammates to muster the belief they were not done yet. Everyone in the dugout responded to Tommy drawing the walk with cheers and high-fives. Everyone except for Kyle Sanderson. Kyle had been holding a bat in his hand the last two innings hoping he would get a chance to redeem his season...

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“Shortage” by Allie Gunnarson

Submitted to Contest #256

It was always my favorite question to answer because I already knew my answer “What do you want to be when you grow up?” Growing up, I had everything figured out. I knew I wanted to be a teacher before I even knew what teacher's lives looked like. I grew up forcing my brothers to play school, to which they begrudgingly obliged. Once my brother’s got tired of me I moved on to my baby cousin, who was just happy to have someone’s attention.  I never thought that achieving this dream would be this hard. I never thought that achieving my dre...

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“Artificial Intelligence, 5th Gen, v2.0” by Joseph Hawke

Submitted to Contest #256

The structure of the code was fully mapped. Modular programming ensured that the 5Gv2.0 release would be complete by midnight Friday, in time for weekend activities. The bots made sure of it: They tested before they rested, so the programmers could start dragging and dropping first thing the next day. Cooling units ran continuously to ensure nothing overheated, at least not inadvertently, though mostly it was understood that there was nothing such as inadvertent: The natural process of entropy at the subatomic level was ultimately responsibl...

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“The Sieve” by Michael Jefferson

Submitted to Contest #256

San Diego Padres announcer Bo Barber cracks his knuckles, realizing he’s about to broadcast baseball history. “It’s been fifty-five years since the San Diego Padres joined the National League. During that time, the Padres have made the World Series twice and lost both times. Here, in game seven at Petco Park, with the deciding game of the series tied at 2-2, the Padres’ best player, Rhett Cutler, has a chance to put the game away in the bottom of the eighth with a man on first. You played with Cutler, Tony. What do you think is going through...

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“Wednesday” by Zeeshan Mahmud

Submitted to Contest #256

WednesdayTariq stood at the edge of the pool, the cool tiles with spiral blue ink design under his feet grounded him in the present moment. At 6 '3", with broad shoulders and a lean, olive muscular frame, he was every bit the champion swimmer his reputation suggested. An All-American athlete, his only Achilles’ heel was Wednesday. For the past 18 years, he had observed that the stars, sun, and moon must be in weird syzygy, the constellations in disarray, and Mercury in retrograde. His superstition… - although he did not believe in it - ...

3 comments 3
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“Grab The Brass Ring” by Peter Warnock

Submitted to Contest #256

GRAB THE BRASS RING“You bloody ass hole! How dare you call me?” Liz couldn’t believe that Dan, her ex-husband, would have the nerve to call her. But what was even worse, was how he knew that she hadn’t bothered to renew the no contact order. It was three years to the day, since the judge had banged his gavel, and ended the worst marriage in history. “Please just listen to me Liz! Don’t hang-up! All I want is a few minutes of your time, and then if you still want it, I’ll get out of your life forever!” ...

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“A Right Pair” by A.L. Bailey

Submitted to Contest #256

“C’mon Maria. It’s a charity event for god’s sake.” “I'd literally rather die.” Shayla collapsed against the locker as if her bones had transformed into jelly. She was always prone to theatrics. And grating on Maria’s last nerve.   “Maybe you would,” Shayla argued. “But look at these sweet faces.” Shayla shoved her phone against Maria’s eyeballs. “Are you really going to let them die? Are you?” Maria shoved the screen out of her face. “They’re not going to die, Shayla. Haven is a no-kill shelter. The money is for new kennels.” Shal...

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“The Medicine Man ” by Robin Shepherd

Submitted to Contest #256

I love that first week of uni. That young, excited energy buzzing around the dorms. I’m ready for them with a full selection of goodies. Although the students refer to me as a vending machine,  I consider myself a healer of sorts. I would go as far as saying, I’m a medicine man. I’ve been of service to those with broken hearts, failed grades, grief of all sorts, betrayal, homesickness, and loneliness. You name it. So far, I’ve been here in the study lounge for two semesters. I’m breathing a sigh of relief while the little angels are ho...

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“A Serious Business” by HH The Author

Submitted to Contest #256

NOTE: Physical violence, gore, abuse, and fictitious representations of religious and national figures. Seriously? He can’t be serious. ‘D! You can’t be serious right now.’ But of course the earnest chap was never not serious. At least in mixed company. On both counts. This, his clearly sober stationing of horse and—oh—I…can’t look. The other guy’s readying. He’s quite nearly there, my guy, that is. This, yes, he’s continuing, no matter how massively he might alter the whole of history, let alone the sacred cannons of—dunno—nations, ...

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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!

Prompts | Big Blue Hand | 2024-11

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