Solid Gold Performance

The first event of the Alternative “Special” Olympics, the Reverse Vertical Ascent, started this morning in the aquatic center of Pacific Northwest Stadium.  The cool, wet venue was much appreciated by all since it’s bloody hot here in the Pacific Northwest.
 
As you may know, competitors in this event have various degrees of swim bladder disorder or "flipover".  It’s a fairly common condition affecting a fish’s swim bladder, an internal gas-filled organ that contributes to its ability to stay afloat at a proper angle/depth. The fish competing today are all champions and long-time advocates of healthy lifestyles and proper diet to combat the effects of the condition. 
 
 Competitor #3, more affectionately known to her owner (who is fan of the Pixar movie “Finding Nemo”) as Shark Bait WhoHaHa, is pictured here in a perfect reverse vertical ascent, something all bladder disorder fish do of course, but none with quite such precision.  It's a perfect example of the championship attitude of these competitors who take what some might consider a negative situation and turn it into a positive.  The maneuver requires that the fish descend slowly, remain in a vertical position, nose touching the bottom of the tank, for six seconds then ascend to the surface with perfect form.  It has a difficulty factor of 9 because the fish can’t see if its nether regions are in the proper position for the entire ascent.  This is where instinct and training pay off, as you can see with this gold medal performance.