Dolphin Is Lined Up for the Start

Fifteen-year-old Honza Kánský dreams of getting to compete in the national swimming championship. He practices conscientiously at the swimming association and does extra training on his own. He finally achieves the speed required, and is bitterly disappointed to learn that he has not been nominated for the team because the other club members' times are better than his. He has a row with the coach, and decides to give up swimming altogether. He leaves home early in the morning and comes back late at night and pretends to his parents that he is continuing with his training. When his club goes to South Bohemia for summer practice, he pretends to go with them, but he is really hitchhiking aimlessly. At the fair in a small town, he comes across a group of youngsters but he dislikes their idea of fun. So he travels on to his grandmother's house in a South Bohemian village. The village happens to be very near the swimming club's camp. He convinces his grandmother that he cannot practice because of a supposed rash. A local girl Hanka, with whom he makes friends, times his secret training sessions at the local pond. Eager to encourage him, she lies to him about his finishing times. Then Honza runs into his former coach and in a fit of anger decides to go to the camp and try his strength racing his former club colleagues. But he suffers a crushing defeat. A contemptuous remark from the coach vexes the boy and he swims off. But the other boys understand what their friend is going through. Cheered by other children, they swim after Honza creating a friendly circle around him.