The Moscow Games

OUTLINE

Alexander, 11, in Tallinn during the Moscow Games.

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1500 METER RACE, OLIMPIYSKY POOL, MOSCOW, USSR, 22 JULY 1980

Emblem of the Moscow Games

An eery silence bounces off the water at the Olimpiysky Sports Complex. Seaman Sergei Nikitin sits next to his 11 year old son Alexander high up in the bleachers. Vladimir Salnikov, 20, steps onto the starting block, leans into position and explodes forward as the shot is fired. Alexander's breath stops, his eyes widen up and his hand squeezes his father's as his hero resurfaces and begins his 30 laps race.

Attached to the same fleet as the champion's father, a Sea Captain, Sergei was able to obtain a pair of complementary tickets for the sold out event. For Sergei, this is a major honor. For his son Alexander, this is It. He has been cheering for Salnikov ever since the 1976 Montreal Olympic Games when the then 16 year Leningrad swimmer finished 5th before breaking a series of records and getting the opportunity to compete again at the Olympics.

The Omega Swim-O-Matic board installed in the pools corner indicates 04:59:46 as the head trio bounce off the finish wall for a 10th time. Salnikov is in line with a fellow countryman and an Australian swimmer. 5 other competitors lag behind at various positions. The rhythm is steady and on schedule. 7500 spectators hold their breath in unison.

By the pool's doors, even the heavy armed guards are distracted from their duty as they peek into the water to follow the race. All of Moscow's Olympic facilities are guarded by Red Army soldiers who have been called in to reinforce the Moscow Police contingent which is stretched at its limits. Two weeks before the opening of the Games, which are boycotted by most western Olympic teams, the KGB received intelligence from their Makhachkala field office that pro-mujahedin trans-Caucasian Muslim insurgents might try to disrupt the event.

10:04:07 freezes on the electronic board as Salnikov hits the contact pad for the 20th time. He is slightly ahead of his two closest competitors tailing less than a second behind, but not on time to beat his 1978 West Berlin record and for sure not in time to beat the world record which is even a second faster. Alexander knows this and clings to his father's hand even harder.

At every return lap, Salnikov who breath out on the left side, tries to make sense of the 6 digits that scramble on the time board in the distant corner. Only the middle set is important. 05... 06... 07... 08... He's not going to make it. His own record, he doesn't care; the world record maybe but the 15 minute mark for sure. Not for him. For Oleg his friend from the Leningrad Red Army Swimming Team who just came back from war, leaving his legs behind. Ever since they started training, the two best friends had vowed that they would break the 15 minute mark at the Moscow Games, the home games, or they'd stop competing. Oleg did not make the 1980 team. He was sent to Afghanistan instead.

22nd lap. Vladimir Salnikov propels his body with such force that he emerges now leading by 3 good seconds from the next swimmer. Alexander closes his eyes and imagines entering his idol's body and soul. He also is a great swimmer. The best of his school. One day, he wants to compete at the Olympics just like Vladimir Valeryevich, to make his father proud, to make the whole Soviet Union proud.

Less than 3 laps to go. The crowd starts cheering as Salnikov loses his competitors behind the waves. He is leading by half a pool's length. One is lagging far behind. He just crossed him mid pool swimming in the opposite direction. Three or four others are no threats either. He sees them every time he pops out of a flip turn. But the other two or three, he has no idea, but he knows he's first. He peeks at the clock: 14:02:95, 2 flips and 2 laps to go. 57 seconds... Impossible... He's got no more breath, no more oxygen, no more power. Everything turns black.

As he gets back to his senses, the only thing Salnikov can see is the black line at the bottom of the pool, the only thing he can feel is this growing pain in his right leg, right by the ankle. He knows exactly which muscle. He had cramps there before, but during training. Why now, one lap away from his life long goal. High up in the audience, Alexander's eyes squint behind their closed lids. He raises his right foot above the bleachers concrete floor and starts rotating it on its axle. Under water, the T is now in sight. 3, 2, 1, flip! Final lap. Salnikov's body is on auto-pilot. He wants to know the time but can't raise his head forward. The black line, the crowd, the black line, the crowd. He doesn't feel the cramp nor the rest of his body. The black line, the crowd, the black line, the crowd, the black l... the T, 3, 2, 1...

Little Alexander Sergeyevich opens his eyes as he feels his hand touching the pad. He looks at the time board: 14:58.27... They made it!

MOSCOW, SUMMER 1980

Alexander has 3 more days to spend in the capital before he and his father have to head back home in the Estonian SSR.

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