Translator: dapotaturs
Release Date: 09/04/2023
July 17th, this is the last day of the National Track and Field Grand Prix Finals and the selection trials for the Jakarta Asian Games. The vast majority of participants in the Jakarta Asian Games will be determined today's competitions, and then quickly integrate and head to the national team athletics training base in City B to participate in pre-match training.
Compared to the preliminaries on the previous day, there are even more media present today. Not only the local media in Province G, but also top national sports media like the Sports Channel have also come to the scene, preparing for more in-depth interviews and reports on today's selection trial finals.
At 7:30 AM in the media gathering area of City G's sports stadium, the invited media have just gotten off the buses. Many familiar journalists are already chatting about potential news points for today's events.
According to the usual publicity habits, most media focus on the men's and women's 100 meters and traditional domestic track and field strengths. Only after that do they shift their attention to less popular events like the 400 meters and 800 meters.
"But this year's men's 400 meters are quite interesting."
A journalist said this with a smile, and the other journalists around also chuckled.
"And don't forget, that long article by Teacher Jia yesterday, I took a glance at it. It's really impressive, the reading data on Weibo and public accounts have both exceeded ten thousand! Isn't this the power of gossip?"
For many ordinary gossip or fashion public accounts, if an article doesn't surpass 10,000 reads within 24 hours, it's considered not generating enough buzz. However, for track and field in China, it actually lacks attention. Even the official Weibo and public accounts of the national track and field team often struggle to reach 2,000 reads for a long article or Weibo post.
Given this context, yesterday's "Ms. Gossipy Fan's" long article surpassing ten thousand reads can indeed be considered hot news in the track and field circle.
This point is evident from the fact that these journalists can tell that there's a hot topic to explore in the men's 400 meters at this event.
"Recently, the S Province track and field team has gained quite some attention. They swept the top three spots in the 400 meters last time, and today, all of their 400 meters athletes have advanced to the finals. Hasn't their coach, Su Bai, only taken over the 400 meters not too long ago? If he coaches for another year or two, won't the S Province track and field team easily take the top three spots in the national championship 400 meters?"
This was said by a journalist from the G Province Sports Network, but just as he finished speaking, another journalist offered a different perspective.
"I think that the athletes coached by Su Bai could indeed sweep the top three in the national championship, but... I'm not so sure if all of them will be from the S Province track and field team."
This time, the journalist was from the Sports Channel. Due to the platform he was on, he naturally had access to the latest information.
The expressions of the journalists around varied. Some went from surprise to understanding, and others wore expressions of "I knew it." These journalists have keen news senses, and when the journalist from the Sports Channel spoke up, they all knew what was going on.
"If that's the case, then Su Bai might be the coach who produces national champions the quickest, right?"
"It's true that he's quick, but it's also important to have real skills. Haha, everyone, let's focus on taking photos and conducting interviews. Let's wait and see about this Coach Su Bai's news in the future!"
After chatting about gossip for a while in the gathering area, the journalists dispersed to arrange their interview schedules.
At exactly 8:00 AM, Su Bai and his group also arrived at the stadium with the buses arranged by the organizers.
In today's competitions, the short-distance races will all take place in the morning. The 100 meters, 200 meters, and 400 meters events will be held first, followed by the 110 meters hurdles and 400 meters hurdles finals.
Since the 400 meters finals start early, Qiu Wen, Hu Li, and Zhang Wei have to prepare to change into their athletic uniforms and spikes, then go through various warm-up routines as they arrive at the venue.
Before leaving, Qiu Wen took the opportunity to squeeze in front of Su Bai again and said in a serious tone, "Xiao Bai, I won't let you abandon me!"
...
...
Wait, what's the meaning of this?
Qiu Wen, this unlucky guy, was speaking ambiguously, but because his thought process was so straightforward and lacked any ulterior motives, he said it with complete sincerity. His loud voice even attracted a series of surprised looks from those around him.
Standing beside him, Cui Luoheng also happened to hear this. He furrowed his brows, about to say something, but Qiu Wen was already pulled away by Zhang Wei and Hu Li who couldn't stand it.
Su Bai looked at Zhang Wei and Hu Li dragging Qiu Wen away without any expression on his face, then rubbed his forehead and swallowed the words he had planned to scold Qiu Wen with. He pretended that the suddenly ambiguous and unclear gazes around him didn't exist.At this moment, even Hu Shaowen was looking at Su Bai with a surprised expression. Su Bai could only sigh and say to him, "I told him to focus on the competition first before he can train with me."
"...Haha."
Upon hearing Su Bai's explanation, Hu Shaowen burst into laughter, "Hahaha, Qiu Wen, I didn't think he had this comedic side. You know, usually, I wouldn't have noticed that he's this good at making jokes."
Su Bai could only wear an expression of indifference, "He's not good at making jokes, he's just missing a few strings in his brain."
The Qiu Wen, who Su Bai evaluated as lacking a few strings in his brain, was dragged away by Zhang Wei and Hu Li all the way to the locker room. While changing clothes, he was given a lecture again, mainly to maintain respect for the coach and not make jokes carelessly.
At first, Qiu Wen felt a bit wronged. However, after being lectured by Zhang Wei and Hu Li about the potential misunderstandings caused by his words, he immediately became more cautious. He sighed in the locker room after changing his clothes and then moved to the warm-up area to stretch his muscles.
In the warm-up area, most of the participants in the final of the 400 meters race had arrived. When these athletes saw Qiu Wen's group, they nodded earnestly at the three of them.
If the previous Grand Prix Substation in City Z had made the S Province track and field team famous, then yesterday's competition, where Qiu Wen's group once again made it to the finals, proved the current level and performance of the S Province's 400 meters.
In the final of this 400 meters, out of the only 8 spots available, 3 were taken by the S Province track and field team. This was already a historic achievement.
Together with Zhang Ziyi and Guo Dun from the B City track and field team, they occupied 5 out of the 8 final spots. This meant that the remaining 40-odd track and field teams in the country could only compete for the remaining 3 spots...
Just looking at this ratio revealed the significance of it.
After seeing Qiu Wen's group, Zhang Ziyi and Guo Dun walked over to greet them, but they noticed that Qiu Wen from the S Province track and field team seemed to be giving them unfriendly looks, as if they were thieves who had stolen something valuable from him. The remaining Hu Li and Zhang Wei also didn't seem very pleased.
Zhang Ziyi and Guo Dun were puzzled for a moment, but they quickly brushed the matter aside. After the two left, Hu Li and Zhang Wei patted Qiu Wen's shoulders.
"Qiu, go for it!"
Of course, he had to go for it!
Qiu Wen frowned. He had to knock down these competitors vying for attention!
In the spectator stands, the audience was more enthusiastic than the previous day. They held small flags and whistles in their hands, waiting to cheer and shout their support for the athletes in today's competition.
Online, the Sports Channel's live stream was already underway. The live broadcast divided the event into different sections for field events and track events. Although the track events hadn't started yet, preparations were being made for certain field events. Commentators Shao Minyi and Li Sen were discussing the popular topics from the previous day's event. Through this discussion, they also provided important information about the current competition to the audience.
"Perhaps our audience might not be fully aware, but in these selection trials today, apart from selecting outstanding athletes to participate in the Asian Games as part of the national team, some exceptional coaches from specific events will also be selected to join the national team. They will participate in training and preparation during the Asian Games cycle."
"Yes." Li Sen continued, "Of course, coach selection has its own criteria. Based on what we see so far, the most likely coach to be selected for national team training is Su Bai from the S Province track and field team."
After the previous day's live broadcast ended, Shao Minyi and Li Sen were preparing their notes and gathering relevant event information. They also paid attention to Ms. Gossipy Fan's article. After verifying the information through their communication channels, they naturally remembered this new coach from the S Province track and field team. They also learned from internal sources that the national team was planning to appoint Su Bai as the coach responsible for the 400 meters training.
In the live stream chat, the track and field enthusiasts also had an intense reaction to this news. After all, they had just seen various influencers' gossip posts about Su Bai the day before. Now, they were receiving news that he was going to join the national team. They all marveled at how quickly Su Bai was advancing.
As people chatted while watching, the 100 meters and 200 meters sprint finals on the field had already concluded. In these two events, Fang Yu and Wu Yi won the championships respectively.
Among them, Fang Yu deliberately eased up during the finals but still won with a time of 10.27 seconds, leading the second-place finisher by a significant 0.13 seconds. In the 200 meters event, Wu Yi also dominated with a time of 20.69 seconds, leaving the second-place finisher with a time of 21.28 seconds, securing the championship with ease.
As the 8 finalists for the 400 meters took to the track, the large screens on both sides of the stadium were still displaying the final results of the previous race.
Observing the considerable gap between Wu Yi and the second-place runner on the screen, Qiu Wen stood quietly for several seconds before quickly walking to his starting point on the track.
The starting positions were set for the 8 competitors. They were all adjusting their starting blocks to the optimal positions and angles. After Qiu Wen adjusted his starting block, he instinctively glanced at the large screen on the narrow side of the stadium. It had transitioned from displaying the results of the 200 meters finals to showcasing the introductions of the 8 athletes in the 400 meters final. The screen listed their preliminary results, race lanes, affiliated teams, and personal bests.
In the personal best (PB) column, Qiu Wen looked at his own PB of 46.67 seconds. Compared to Zhang Ziyi's 45.57 seconds and even the PBs of Guo Dun, Lin Chuan, or some other athletes, he realized that his PB was lagging behind.
Qiu Wen understood that he had only been training for the 400 meters for a little over three months. Regardless of talent, progress had to be taken one step at a time. However, he also understood the significant role that Su Bai played in his 400 meters training.
Regardless, he had to, as Su Bai said, secure a spot for the 400 meters event in the Asian Games, follow in Su Bai's footsteps to enter the national team, and continue training together.
Qiu Wen took a deep breath, adjusting himself to his best condition. Among the competitors on the track with him, whether it was Zhang Ziyi, Guo Dun, or anyone else, he couldn't afford to be complacent!
Underestimating any opponent could lead to dire consequences.
Just like what Su Bai had said, he had to give it his all.
On the track, Qiu Wen wasn't the only one working to adjust his state. Zhang Ziyi, positioned in the fourth lane, was also taking deep breaths. He was hopping in place and patting his muscles, ensuring they weren't too tense.
In yesterday's race, Zhang Ziyi had already sensed Qiu Wen's increased strength compared to before. He deeply understood that if he let his guard down, he could lose the top position in the 400 meters race at any moment.
Zhang Ziyi fixed his gaze firmly on Qiu Wen's back on the fifth lane. He could accept failure, but he couldn't accept failing due to negligence or complacency.
Facing this new prodigious talent in the 400 meters, he absolutely wouldn't allow himself to be careless!
Guo Dun, Zhang Wei, Lin Chuan, Hu Li, and the other experienced athletes in the 400 meters, each one of them was fully prepared to give their all. The fatigue and exhaustion that had once plagued the athletes in this event seemed to have vanished. Instead, they were now filled with the determination not to concede.
The live broadcast camera panned across each of the 8 lanes, and in the live chat of the Sports Channel's live stream room, track and field enthusiasts expressed their excitement about the athletes' conditions.
【Zhang Shuai, Old Guo, Little Qiu... Everyone's in high spirits!】
【Seems like today's finals are going to be worth watching!】
Both Shao Minyi and Li Sen praised the athletes' individual conditions. At the same time, the live broadcast's on-site commentary indicated that the race was about to start.
"Get ready."
The athletes crouched on their starting blocks, assuming their positions.
"Set."
"Bang!"
The clear sound of the starting gun echoed. The athletes on the curved start lines had already held their breath, and as the starting gun went off, they explosively pushed off their starting blocks the moment the gun fired. Their foot strength erupted, igniting their initial speed.
Curved start lines naturally didn't provide the same speed as straight ones, but all 8 athletes, including Qiu Wen, had mastered the skill of curved starts.
Qiu Wen's start reaction was as rapid as ever. After the explosive burst of power and raising his center of gravity, his body leaned slightly toward the inside of the curve, running a graceful arc on the curved track.
He, like Hu Li, had a significant advantage during the burst phase of the start. What he needed to do was maintain this advantage and control his speed, establishing his rhythm on the track!
Zhang Ziyi's starting position was behind Qiu Wen's, but this didn't affect him much. As the current top runner in the domestic 400 meters, Zhang Ziyi's curved start technique was sufficient to outclass 99% of the domestic competitors.
During the curved start phase, Zhang Ziyi's state was steady. After the initial burst of speed, he lengthened his strides to conserve energy, all while maintaining excellent speed control.
As he transitioned from the first curve to the straight section, Zhang Ziyi adjusted his stride rhythm quickly. Upon entering the straight, he adjusted his steps again, accelerating his speed on the straight track.
Compared to Qiu Wen, Zhang Ziyi was undoubtedly a player who had mastered the rhythm and technique of the 400 meters. His performance fluctuations depended more on his personal competitive condition, current physical state, and other factors. At least, on this track, Zhang Ziyi had extreme confidence that he could maintain a strong state to face the challenge from Qiu Wen, the prodigious newcomer.
Compared to his dismissive attitude towards the S Province track and field team members in the Z City Challenge, Guo Dun had already adjusted his mindset. He couldn't afford any negligence on the track. However, he also noticed that Hu Li's burst of power and control during the starting phase seemed stronger than during the Z City event. Also, Zhang Wei, who appeared ordinary in the starting phase, posed a threat on today's track.
Panting sounds echoed on the track.
Qiu Wen was stretching his stride on the track. After capitalizing on his advantageous lane in the initial 200 meters, he was now entering his third hundred meters segment.
For anyone, entering the third hundred meters segment was the most grueling phase of the 400 meters race. At this point, the body had fully experienced the retaliatory effects of prolonged oxygen deprivation. Every athlete endured the muscle soreness and stimulation caused by the body's feedback, controlling it to prevent their overall rhythm from spiraling out of control.
After passing the second curve, Zhang Ziyi was now alongside Qiu Wen and gradually overtaking him on the inside lane.
Zhang Ziyi's advantages over Qiu Wen persisted both in terms of curved track techniques and rhythm control, and he was Qiu Wen's primary rival!
Upon realizing Zhang Ziyi's overtake, Qiu Wen instinctively wanted to chase him down on the curve. However, after the idea flashed through his mind, Qiu Wen used his strong willpower to restrain himself.
Not now!
He must control his rhythm and not get erratic during the third hundred meters. Losing rhythm during this phase could lead to a complete breakdown!
In the spectator stands, the audience saw Zhang Ziyi's overtake of Qiu Wen. This overtaking at this point could very well determine the final rankings.
"Go!! Go, Qiu!!"
"Zhang Shuai is awesome! Push him!"
The cheers of the track and field enthusiasts resounded through the spectator stands. They waved flags to cheer on the athletes, blowing sharp whistles, adding fuel to the already intense competition on the field.
After the second curve, the athletes were left with only the final straight of one hundred meters!
No matter how strong the feeling of fatigue was, regardless of how painful and unbearable the sensation of shredded windpipes during breathing was, the splitting pain in their chests from labored breaths, the accumulating exhaustion from lactic acid in their bodies, and the focus on the track ahead, the shouts from the stands...
Everything was urging the athletes to sprint forward regardless of everything else!
Qiu Wen understood that his advantage lay in this final 100-meter stretch. In this phase, nobody needed to control their pace anymore; everyone's rhythm was to give their all and charge towards the finish line!
However, at this stage, how many individuals could muster ample physical strength and enough endurance to gather a new surge of sprinting power? Almost everyone had depleted about ninety percent of their energy, with only a sliver of strength left to give their all using their skills and maximum determination, relentlessly sprinting forward!
Guo Dun, Hu Li, Zhang Ziyi—all of them were doing just that.
Qiu Wen's advantage lay in his formidable speed. Even at this point in the 400 meters race, he could extract more energy than other athletes during the final 100-meter stretch, allowing him to execute a final burst of speed.
Initially leading the race, Zhang Ziyi quickly realized that Qiu Wen, behind him, was closing the gap at a pace that didn't seem like the typical final sprint of a 400 meters race.
The audience in the stands had obviously noticed this too.
In the live stream chat, Shao Minyi commented with surprise, "Qiu Wen's sprint speed seems more like the final sprint rhythm of a 200 meters runner... At this stage, he still has so much energy left?!"
Qiu Wen's sprint ignited an even more fervent response from countless spectators.
"Go!!! Qiu, go!!!"
"Zhang Shuai, push forward!!"
In the S Province track and field team area, staff members led by Hu Shaowen were shouting their lungs out in support of Qiu Wen. Around them, Zhang Ziyi's fans were also yelling their hearts out to cheer for him.
On the track, the distance between Zhang Ziyi and Qiu Wen was getting shorter and shorter. However, they were also closing in on the finish line of the 400 meters!
Would Zhang Ziyi rely on his earlier lead to cross the finish line first?
Or would Qiu Wen use his final sprint energy to gradually close the gap with Zhang Ziyi and eventually overtake him?!
The intense battle of the final 100 meters left the audience on the edge of their seats, their enthusiasm reaching fever pitch. They couldn't help but shout and cheer for the athletes.
"Go! Go!!!"
Finally, in a matter of seconds, Zhang Ziyi and Qiu Wen both approached the 10-meter range of the finish line. At this point, Qiu Wen was very close to Zhang Ziyi. But Zhang Ziyi had also given his all, sprinting forward with all his might. As he neared the finish line, he surged forward one last time and, by a hairbreadth, managed to cross the finish line ahead of Qiu Wen, taking the victory!
In the live stream room, Li Sen shouted loudly, "Fantastic! The champion of the 400 meters final is Zhang Ziyi from the B City track and field team! Also securing a spot in the upcoming Asian Games from the S Province track and field team is Qiu Wen!!!"
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