Amaëlle and Yakine

Flexible sisters

Since the first time I opened my eyes the only hobby I had was winning. Come on who does not like winning. I am just kidding the first hobby I had was gymnastics. My parents were so proud of me, but then came my sister she did everything I did but ten times better. So my parents enrolled her to the same gymnastic competitions as me and she would always win…
One day my mother sent to the Olympics a video of me and my sister doing gymnastics. And one week later we got a letter saying that only one of us could go. Of course I thought I would be going but my mom sided with my sister and said
–  Mia should go : she is younger, prettier and better !
In that second I started crying I knew I was not good enough but I told them that we should do a minor competition and the person with the most points wins and goes to the Olympics.
My mom agreed knowing that Mia was going to win.
The next day I was ready to beat Mia on all the trials because I stayed up all night practicing.
We started easy with the splits, flips, handstands, and tucks and she fell twice.
And then we went to the gymnastics beam and the judges were impressed by what I accomplished. In break time I saw my sister crying in the toilets saying that my mom was pushing her to do this and if she did not win she would disown her.
So I decided to let her win by breaking my arm, I fell on purpose and broke my arm : the judges had no choice but let my sister go to the Olympics. After the competition she thanked me and I was happy to make her smile for the first time in a long time !

Zahera, Elena and Arthus-Claude

Synchronising problem

It was the big day, all our efforts during the last year are finally going to pay off…
Mia and I were terribly stressed ; WE WERE GOING TO PERFORM IN FRONT OF THE WHOLE COUNTRY DURING THE TEENS NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP !
Mia and I were going to the training pool to rehearse one last time before our big moment. All the girls were a little bit stressed but wouldn’t have let this chance pass.
During training one of our most talented swimmer, Laura fell on the edge of the pool and hit her head. At this moment it was like my whole world was collapsing.
All I can remember is the ambulance arriving and transporting a bleeding Laura. How are we going to do without our most precious member of the team ? The only solution possible was to replace her…
Replacing Laura was what we could say an impossible mission, but it was the only thing we could do at ten minutes from presenting our show. I racked my brains hard to find a person who could potentially swim with us but the only thing I could do was crying. All this hard work, sacrifices and dreams during those last three years where falling to pieces in an amount of 1 hour. When I was about to forfeit to the judges I heard someone screaming my name :
– Alison ! Alison.
There she was.The solution.
The one screaming my name was my little sister Adriana. As I know she has always been an incredible swimmer but was way too shy to do any competition. Instead of competing she always assisted to our repetition and I’m pretty sure she knows by heart our show. She ran towards me and before I could say one word she said :
–  I’m going to replace Laura.
If we had time I would have hugged her as much as possible but it wasn’t the case, so we rushed to find my sister a swimsuit and get ready and so we were finally prepared for our show.
Our performance went well and I don’t know by which miracle we arrived in third place.
After this I promised my sister that I’d buy her all the ice cream she wanted.
THE END
 

Liana, Méroë and Haleema

Allison is a girl in middle school and she only loves three things : her cat, her best friend, Nina and volleyball. One day she was walking home with Nina and Nina asked her :
–  What do you want to do with your life ?
–  I’m not sure, I wish I could be a famous volleyball player…
–  Oh yeah that would really suit you ! You are excellent at playing volleyball
–  Yeah, but like I was about to say, my parents will never agree.
–  Just think about it.
Allison thinks about it for days and finally decides to ask her parents. Her parents told her that it’s not a good profession and it won’t make a living. The next day her sports coach found her in the girls’ locker room, crying and asked her what was wrong, she told her the entire story. Her coach told her : “don’t worry about it and starting tomorrow we are going to practice harder every day and you will become the best volleyball player in the world”. From that day she listened to her coach and practiced every day. She got better and better and she was competing and winning secretly behind her parents’ back. Nina and Allison’s coach were supporting her all the way. As she grew up being the MVP of every competition, she and her team became famous. One day, while she was signing autographs, her parents walked up to her and said that they regretted everything. Allison didn’t care and called the guards.
 

Iyed and Raphaël

It was two years ago, a little boy named Griggs who was playing in the football club of his small city, Courbevoie. He was dreaming to play football in a very famous club (the PSG). He wanted to be paid a lot.
Griggs had a best friend. His name was Alex. They were always together and played in the same football club.
One day, Griggs’s coach told him, « You are the best football player of the club, this club isn’t strong enough for you. The PSG wants to recruit you, it will be an honour for Courbevoie to have a player in the PSG.
– What ? Is it true ? said Griggs surprised.
– Yes, the PSG contacted us, and you will join their hotel next week in Paris.
– Okay, I will announce the news and prepare my baggage. »
At the end of the football training, Griggs went home with Alex. But Alex was very sad because he will never play football again with his best friend. Griggs noticed it directly on the face of Alex. He said to Alex, « It’s okay Alex, you will join my new club maybe next year.
– No Griggs, I don’t have your level at all. I will never go in a better club then Courbevoie, said Alex almost crying »
Next day, it was the last football training of Griggs in Courbevoie. At the end of the match, he went to see the coach and said, « I will go to the PSG only if Alex also goes.
– I am sorry but Alex doesn’t have the level at all for a club like this, said the coach
– So I don’t want to go to the PSG »
Four years later, Griggs and Alex had evolved together in Courbevoie and Alex’s level had changed. The Courbevoie club was now better than the PSG.
 

Gabriel

A Tennis triangle

In the fast-paced world of professional tennis, where every serve matters and every match is a battle, three amazing women stood out for their talent on the court.
Sarah, Maya, and Elena were three competitors whose lives unexpectedly entwined throughout the Wimbledon’s intense competitiveness.
Sarah had a reputation for having precise serves and graceful footwork, making her a formidable opponent. Her relationship with Maya had been strengthened over the years by their shared successes and setbacks, but Elena’s arrival was the biggest obstacle to their bond.
Sarah was immediately drawn to Elena, a young talent with a strong forehand and a captivating persona. To Maya’s dismay, sparks flew between them, kindling a passion that neither could deny.
But during one match, Maya spotted Elena in the crowd rooting for her teammate Sarah. Full of jealousy, Maya was unsettled and missed the majority of her serves. This cost them the victory and after the match, Sarah was infuriated and started to give in to her strong attraction to Elena. Sensing that their love was waning, Maya put her all into every match they played together, fighting harder than before to keep it going.
Both on and off the court, tensions were high as the competition progressed. Every game turned into a contest for both the title and Sarah’s love.
One thing was evident in the end, amidst the thunderous applause and the banging of rackets : love, like tennis, was a game of strategy, emotion, and unyielding persistence. And Sarah and Maya recognized that their love would always be their greatest victory.

THE END.
 

Malik and Mohamed-Ali

The Dark Side of Football

Bill Bryson is a poor boy living in Liverpool’s suburb. He used to play football in LFC (Liverpool Football Club) when he was twelve. Unfortunately, because of their financial issues, his family could not afford to pay him a football license for the four next years.
After years of saving money, he could finally play football again ! However, he had to pass the tryouts before assuring his place on Merseyside FC. This club was a very good one especially thanks to Bradley Cooper, the team captain and star. Bill played the same position as Bradley so it was going to be a fight for a place in his team. Effectively, Coach Carters only needed one center attacking midfielder in his team. Bradley’s mother was watching the tryouts, and she was known to be the biggest fan of her son and his team.
On that day, Bill proved everyone he was a great football player and the fans were forgetting their star, Bradley’s mom was scared that her son was going to lose his place of captain and even maybe of player of the team. She called Coach Carters and talked to him for a few minutes before the end of the tryouts.
However, at the end of the tryouts, Carters announced which players were selected ; Bill wasn’t. He was devastated, he was going back home when he saw from the other side of the parking, Bradley’s mother giving a two hundred pounds bundle to Carters. Angry, Bill went back home and never talked about this to anybody. The next month he defeated Merseyside FC with his new team, he finally took revenge.
 

Djéden and Zayn-Luc

Worcester FC

Alex, a devoted Worcester FC fan, was bullied at school due to his support for the struggling club. Despite being the only supporter in the stadium’s stands, Alex never missed a match, thanks to his savings from working at a local grocery store. Without Alex knowing, the Worcester FC manager took notice of his flawless loyalty.
This season, Alex sensed a change in the air. The arrival of their promising new forward, Mitsuha, sparked hope. Alex believed they could rise to the top of the Premier Division and secure a spot in the Premier League.
Five months later, Worcester FC faced Corsham Town, a crucial match. The crowd full of new supporters who had joined during the team’s recent successes. The score stood at 2-2, and only a goal in the final minutes would secure Worcester’s Premier League qualification.
As extra time started, Worcester pressed forward. Even their goalkeeper joined the attack. Then, in the dying seconds, the ball found its way to Mitsuha. With dribbling, Mitsuha went by defenders and released a shot that found the net.
The stadium erupted in joy. But during the celebration, Alex heard his name. The Worcester manager called him to the pitch. The manager’s words resonated through the silent crowd :
“I want to thank this faithful supporter. Even through hard times, he stood by us. His dedication motivated the players. Our Premier League qualification owes much to him.”
In that moment, Alex realized that sometimes, the most passionate fans make all the difference.
 

Léonard, Nathan and Mayeul

Ski jumping

I have been training since I’m ten, since my accident. Two weeks before my birthday, when I was hiking in a ravine, I blocked my leg between two rocks. My blood circulation stopped, I got gangrene and because of that, I have been amputated of the leg.
I didn’t tell you what I am training for : snowboarding, Paralympic snowboarding. My routine always starts by a breakfast at seven o’clock made of three eggs never cooked the same way even if I definitely prefer them scrambled, some jam toasts, a glass of litchi juice and a cup of tea. Then I am used to going to the gym to develop my leg and my arms. For lunch I eat with my team friends. We never have the same lunch. Sometimes it is Chinese food, sometimes it is English food, I think you understand. After a good lunch and a calm time we train to ski jump. Oh I forgot to tell you, our training center is in the Alps. That is why we can practice our sport for the Olympic games.
It is finally the D day. Now that we are at Lillehammer we cannot go back. At my left it is Mike Schultz who is ready to go. We are all waiting for the countdown : three, two, one. I begin the race and I am at the top of the participants. I take two turns, three slopes and… I crash into snow. Ten years of training to snowboarding finish into a crash into snow.
 

Giovanni, Lila and Assia

In the shimmering world of figure skating, I, glided with elegance and grace, my every movement on the ice a testament to years of dedication. As the championship loomed, I poured my heart into training, my sights set on the coveted prize.
On the eve of the competition my coach and I went for a drink after jogging along the pier. We sat down, he ordered a cold brew, and I tea. We drank quickly as not to miss my scheduled the doping test. Almost immediately my body started shaking, and I rushed to the bathroom. I felt extremely ill and uneasy. I rushed out the bathroom I swiftly caught up to my trainer who was already a couple hundred yards away. « I can’t take it », I yell as loud as I could hoping he’d hear me. Thankfully he did, I had told him I was feeling ill, he told to tough it out, as any trainer would, and to rest after the test.
I took the test and waited in deafening silence, minutes later, my world shattered. Traces of a banned substance tainted my test results, staining my reputation and dreams. I couldn’t comprehend how this had happened. Months passed before the truth emerged during a routine medical check-up.
Though cleared of wrongdoing, the damage was irreparable. My trust in the sport I loved lay shattered. Yet, from the ashes of my broken dreams, I rose stronger, my spirit unbroken. With determination burning within me, I vowed to reclaim my rightful place on the ice, skating towards a future untainted by deceit.