Stay in your lane.
Isa itong napakahalagang rule pagdating sa driving.
Pero mukhang hindi lang ito applicable sa kalsada, kundi pati na rin sa swimming.
Recently, dahil sa paglipat ng swimming lane ng isang swimmer, na-disqualify ang kanyang pagkapanalo!
Sa sobrang tuwa niya kasi, tumawid siya sa katabing swimming lane ng kanyang competitor, na pumangalawa sa competition.
Magka-teammate din sila kaya nagyakapan dahil sa kanilang success.
Pero laking gulat ng champion nang ianunsiyo sa Public Address System (PAS) na disqualified siya.
Nag-champion ang swimmer na si Owen Lloyd ng North Carolina sa Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) Swimming and Diving Championship noong February 25, 2024.
Ito ay para sa kategoryang 1650-yard freestyle for men.
Pumangalawa naman ang kanyang kaibigang si Ross Dant na mismong katabing lane ni Owen.
Dahil sa sobrang saya ni Owen, inakyat niya ang lane line ng swimming pool para yakapin ang kaibigang si Ross.
Ito pala ang magiging mitsa para ma-disqualify ang kanyang pagkapanalo, at igawad ang championship sa teammate na si Ross.
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(Top photo: The winner Owen Lloyd climbs lane line to cross to his teammate Ross Dant's lane, who came second place. The two are also teammates. Bottom photo: Owen and Ross hug each other after their victory.)
THE DISQUALIFICATION OF OWEN LLOYD
Sa video ng competition, makikita ang pangyayari.
Obvious na runaway winner si Owen dahil kitang-kita ang lamang ng kanyang speed sa mga kalaban.
Ang kanyang speed ay 14.37.04 seconds.
Nang matapos siya at manguna, nagsigawan na ang mga tao dahil siya ang nanalo.
Binati rin siya ng katabi niyang si Ross na second placer naman.
Makikitang umakyat si Owen sa pool lane line at lumipat sa pool lane ni Ross.
Nagyakapan ang teammates, at tuwang-tuwa ang dalawa dahil sa kanilang pagkapanalo.
Humango sa tubig si Owen at pumunta sa podium dahil i-interview-hin na siya.
Pagkatapos ay biglang may nagsalita via PAS.
Sabi nito, “Ladies and gentleman there’s a disqualification in this event.”
Makikitang nabahala ang itsura ni Owen.
Patuloy ng PA: “Lane 4 [Owen] was disqualified for crossing into another competitor’s lane before the [contestant] finishes.
Nag-ingay ang audience na bukod sa pagkagulat ay dismayado sa naging desisyon ng judges.
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Sa interview ay nagsalita si Ross at hindi siya natuwa na siya ang itinanghal na panalo. Ipinagtanggol niya ang teammate na si Owen.
“I think that’s the dumbest rule in swimming. Owen beat me fair and square. He should be on that podium,” sabi ni Ross.
“He was excited. That’s a huge moment for him, right? He earned that. He earned that, and that’s his emotion.
“That’s what we get in the sport of swimming when we do well. We train all year for a moment like that, and to have him disqualified is the dumbest thing ever.
“He works so hard every day. He is going to be on that No. 1 trophy. I am not going to stand up there.”
Ito naman ang rule na pinagbasehan ng ACC judges: “ARTICLE 1. a. Any competitor who interferes with another swimmer during a race shall be disqualified from that race, subject to the discretion of the referee.”
Ang katwiran naman ng mga kritiko sa naging desisyon, natapos na ni Ross ang race nang lumipat sa kanyang lane si Owen.
At hindi lang sila magka-competitor dahil teammates sila.
Naglabas naman ng reaksiyon si Owen sa pamamagitan ng isang Instagram post.
Aniya: “Don’t stop celebrating. Embrace your emotions and let them flow. Sports are beautiful; the hard work, dedication, and commitment that goes into a single meet, game, match, race is oftentimes hidden.
"Swimming is no different and yet it is one of the only sports where we are sometimes told to bottle this up and not show how much a moment means to someone.
"If we want this sport that means so much to us to grow and expand beyond the limitations that are placed on it we should not inhibit these feelings. Let. Swimming. Be. Fun."