Chapter 20 – Under the Crest of the Nation
May arrived with bright skies and the scent of summer beginning to sneak through the breeze. Jota stood at the edge of the national training camp in Rio Maior, his boots still stiff from polishing, his heart steady despite the flags waving above the gates.
PORTUGAL. The letters gleamed in red and green, carved into a white stone arch. It didn't feel like an arrival. It felt like a test.
Dozens of boys his age and older streamed through the entrance. Each with a backpack, a dream, and eyes that flicked sideways at competition. Jota kept his gaze forward. Miguel once said, "If you're running toward the mountain, don't waste time watching who stumbles."
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The first day began with medical tests and light jogs. The trainers were kind but precise. Weight, flexibility, heart rate, sleep patterns.
Jota passed them all.
