How hard it must be for Olympic athletes to get all the way to the final only to be pipped at the post by less than a nose! There are no prizes for coming fourth, so all the training, self-discipline and (possibly) neglect of loved ones have been for nothing. On another day, they might have left the blocks a fraction faster or felt fresher, their competitors might not have been as focussed or have eaten one too many Shredded Wheat. Another day they might have won–they were so close. It can feel that way for writers who are short-listed but don't make it to the final three.
Of course, writers tend not to dedicate their whole lives towards winning one competition in the way that athletes watch everything they eat and put themselves through physical pain day in, day out. However, they do spend large amounts of time on research, on the drudgery of formatting work and struggling over every word and comma, often without the understanding of those around them. Everyone can write, can't they? Everyone can run too, but not everyone can win a race.
Where writers really score over athletes is that the story that didn't win a prize in one competition could well win one in the next. Coming away empty-handed on one occasion doesn't mean that you've lost the chance for good. Take a deep breath and try again. Next time, you could strike gold.