Outgames reflections: José M. Perez

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Contributed by José Mari Perez

What an amazing week! Reflecting back, these Outgames were the best yet. As I was an athlete in the Gay Games in 1994 and 2004, I was not a neophyte when it came to large GLBTQ sporting events. However, I was still not prepared for the emotional highs that I experienced during the week in Montréal.

José with Patricia Nell Warren, author of The Frontrunner

What made the Outgames even more special was that I was able to share the event with all of you...from being the den mother/Tia to some of you at the Université de Québec à Montréal residence to marching with you during the opening and closing ceremonies at the Olympic stadium to competing in the track and field events and just hanging out with all of you...these are the moments that I will cherish.

The pivotal moment for me was when the relay squad, consisting of William, Gilles, John, and myself,  arrived at the track and field venue to practice that first Saturday. We were all nervous, as it had been years since any of us had run any track...I still remember the words "What are we doing here?" being uttered during the first day of the track and field competition at the sight of the other athletes and the talent in the field.

Well, all doubts were erased when Linda set the mark for our Club by winning a gold in the 5000 m race walk event! We were here at the Outgames after months of training, ready to do our best.

Doubts were put aside at the start of the 4 x 400 m relay event and I was focused on the task at hand...200 m to go...100 m...50 m...30 m...oh oh...thighs wobbling...where is the finish line and John...stretching the baton out to John's hand...then making contact with the track...hearing the crowd go "O-U-C-H! ...OOOOHHH!"...crawling off the track...William twirling the baton during his final 30 m to the cheering of the crowd...meeting up with the guys afterwards and laughing off my mishap, which served to calm all of our nerves and was a source of much laughter and amusement for all of us for the rest of the week, and it served to remind us that we were also in Montréal to have fun and not to take the competition too seriously.

Thank you all for making the Outgames so memorable for me, for putting up with my "mothering", and I look forward to seeing you in  Copenhagen in 2009.