Translator: dapotaturs
Release Date: 09/04/2023
This was a sight that no one could have anticipated. In the final 100 meters of the race, Chen Yadan, who had barely been chasing Nirmala and Aisha in fourth place, astonishingly surged forward in the most difficult segment. She overtook Aisha, who was originally in third place, and Nirmala, securing the silver medal!
When Chen Yadan crossed the finish line, Pei Jin'an stood up from his seat in the spectator stand, his face filled with incredulity.
"Xiao Bai, did Yadan... just get second place?"
Pei Jin'an wore an expression of disbelief. Just moments ago, he had been worried, thinking that Chen Yadan had lost control of her speed when she entered the straight path after the second curve. However, Chen Yadan's final burst of speed in the last few dozen meters left Pei Jin'an completely astounded.
It was a perfect display of power and beauty. In this final stage, all the athletes were competing on the same straight path. If the live broadcast footage were replayed, it would show that in the last phase, Chen Yadan's stride frequency surpassed that of Aisha and Nirmala ahead of her, and she re-entered the same rhythm as Nirmala, the current first place.
In fact, in this final phase, Chen Yadan's stride frequency might have been even faster than Nirmala, who was firmly in first place.
Even from the camera's perspective, one could feel Chen Yadan's unwavering determination in the final moments, a resolute and persistent intention gleaming in her gaze.
She yearned for surpassing.
She yearned for victory.
And now, in that moment when she successfully crossed the finish line, almost everyone who saw her expression wanted to say to her: "You did it!"
Su Bai looked at Chen Yadan on the track with a gaze filled with amazement, then smiled at Pei Jin'an beside him and said, "Yes, she got a medal at the Asian Games."
This was indeed a result that exceeded Su Bai's initial expectations, but it was certainly a gratifying achievement.
Chen Yadan, with her unwavering effort and strong desire for victory, had become the first to achieve the "Potential Breakthrough" achievement, surpassing many athletes with greater natural talents.
She had broken free from the constraints of her original talent. On the path of athletics, she would now have a much broader avenue for growth.
In the waiting area behind the track, Zhang Ziyi and the other two athletes who had just finished watching the entire women's 400-meter race were left in awe.
Qiu Wen touched the back of his head in amazement. "Wow... Yadan is so incredible, isn't she? That reverse overtaking in the last 100 meters, it feels like she's not worse than us, right?"
Qiu Wen looked at the television with a complex expression. "Are all the older sisters on the women's team this strong? Lao Zhang, I think we might not be far from getting listed on the shame pole..."
Li Junhao let out a cold snort but didn't say much this time.
By the time they reached the second curve, they could all see that Chen Yadan's physical strength was almost depleted at that moment. However, she persisted in that state and managed to make consecutive overtakes.
They had heard countless legendary versions of athletes breaking through their own limits on the field, but witnessing it in person for the first time was different.
They were well aware of Chen Yadan's determination and tenacity, but now, watching her lean over, gasping for breath with her hands on her knees, seemingly due to exhaustion, they truly understood the extent of the big sister's desire for victory within this women's team.
Li Junhao pursed his lips, remained silent for a long time, and then said firmly, "If it's about the desire for victory, we won't lose!"
If, in the past, Li Junhao had resisted competition due to his weak mental state, after Su Bai's series of interventions, he had developed an entirely different mindset.
His pursuit of victory had left deep imprints in his heart. Over time, these imprints had become even more profound and unwavering.
Especially in recent times, after the mixed training sessions with the women's 400-meter team had started, Li Junhao had recalled his own foolishness countless times.
Those girls who had faced even more difficult training conditions and worse results than the men's team had never given up when confronted with strong opponents. Back in his days with the B-city team, he had Wang Lao constantly advising him and had Zhang Ziyi and Guo Dun urging him to take the competition more seriously.
However, at that time, he had never truly devoted himself to his talent and the better training conditions...
But after several months, he couldn't help but want to say to his former self - What were you thinking!
Although he had never said it to Su Bai, he had countless times been grateful that Su Bai's iron-fisted approach upon taking over the 400-meter program had awakened him from the days of burying his head in the sand.
"What was Yadan's time yesterday?...," Qiu Wen scratched his head. "I think it was 52.06 seconds?"
Qiu Wen continued but suddenly revealed a horrified expression. "Lao Zhang, what's the entry standard for the World Championships in the women's 400 meters? It's 51.80 seconds, right?"
He gasped suddenly. "Lao Zhang, Ah Hao, we're in trouble! Xiao Bai doesn't have the World Championships entry standard requirement for the women's team, but the women's team might be on track to secure a spot at the World Championships... Our full participation hasn't even started yet..."
Qiu Wen was about to continue explaining the dire consequences they might face if they couldn't participate fully, but then he heard Zhang Ziyi beside him say, "It's not a possibility."
"Ah? What's not possible?" Qiu Wen was momentarily confused. Then he saw Zhang Ziyi point towards the television screen in front of them. On the screen, the results of the women's 400 meters final had just been displayed.
As he looked at the numbers on the screen, Qiu Wen swallowed hard.
In the commentary box, Shao Minyi and Li Sen were enthusiastically announcing the results of the women's 400 meters final,
"First place: Nasser (Bahrain) 49.87 seconds,
Second place: Chen Yadang (China) 51.61 seconds, a personal best,
Third place: Nirmala (India) 51.67 seconds..."
As Shao Minyi announced the results one by one, the barrage in the online live stream exploded like fireworks.
【Wow, wow, wow, wow, wow! Yadang is amazing!!! Yadan is beyond amazing!!!】
【51.61 seconds!!! Am I seeing things? Does this mean she's qualified for the World Championships this year?!】
【Wow, finally, our women's 400 meters team might have secured a spot at the World Championships!】
【Although, guys, Zhang Shuai from the men's team isn't far from the World Championships standard either. But let's celebrate our women's team! After changing the AB standard to qualifying times as the entry criteria, isn't this the first time our women's team has regained the World Championships standard?】
Not only were the viewers in the live chat excited, but Shao Minyi and Li Sen were also excitedly explaining the significance of the 51.61-second result.
"...Chen Yadan's performance not only set a new personal best but also earned her a spot in the 2019 World Championships! She's the first athlete in the Chinese national track and field team's 400-meter event to achieve the qualifying standard in an official competition after the World Championships qualifying times were officially announced! Let's congratulate Chen Yadan and the Chinese national track and field team!"
At the venue, the over 100 lucky spectators, along with the national team coaches and event organizers, applauded vigorously, cheering for Chen Yadan for a long time.
This was her well-deserved glory and victory!
After crossing the finish line in fifth and seventh place respectively, Lin Huan and Lin Yao rushed to Chen Yadan's side, cheering, hugging, and celebrating with her. When the results were officially announced, they excitedly embraced Chen Yadan once again.
"Sis, just you wait. Lin Yao and I won't lose to you!"
Lin Huan looked at the result on the big screen, her eyes filled with determination. Even though Su Bai hadn't set the same requirements for the women's team as he had for the men's team to earn full participation at the World Championships, they didn't want to lose to the men's team either!
With 51.80 seconds as the entry standard, Yadan had already succeeded ahead of them. They would strive to catch up!
In the spectator stands, Pei Jin'an watched the data on the big screen and couldn't help but smile. "You, lad, you didn't promise full participation for the women's team initially, but the women's team has already secured a spot in the World Championships, you know!"
When Su Bai heard Pei Jin'an's words, he smiled and replied, "The men's team is about to compete soon."
Upon hearing this, Pei Jin'an's spirits were lifted. "What? Are you suggesting that the men's team can also achieve a World Championships qualifying score today?"
Su Bai smiled in response but didn't answer directly.
Seeing that Su Bai seemed to be teasing, Pei Jin'an changed the subject. "Speaking of which, why did you mention the requirement for a full roster only for the men's team initially? Did you think the remaining female team members couldn't achieve the qualifying scores quickly enough?"
Su Bai felt a bit embarrassed as he shook his head. "Actually, the female team has no issues either. I knew that. Players like Yadan, her breakthrough, though earlier than I expected, was still within the realm of expectations. However, the male team members needed some pressure, so I intentionally mentioned the requirement for them to obtain full roster qualifications and didn't make any demands on the female team."
"Because I knew that the female team members, after learning about the men's team's standards, wouldn't want to lose to them. Their determination would also give the male team more pressure and motivation."
Listening to this explanation, Pei Jin'an understood and chuckled, calling Su Bai a cunning little fox.
In truth, during the initial Asian Games training, Su Bai's series of actions had made him think Su Bai was somewhat impulsive. However, now that he looked at it, it was more like Su Bai was a fox with a thousand layers of tricks.
As they conversed, the competition on the track had already transitioned from the women's 400 meters to the men's 400 meters. The athletes were on the track, preparing for their race.
When Chen Yadan, along with Lin Huan and Lin Yao, passed through the mixed interview area, they were stopped by reporters. After answering questions about her feelings and thoughts on securing a World Championships qualifying spot, one reporter asked a more specific question.
"Yadan, last year, you mentioned that you lacked confidence in your age and talent. However, in today's race, you didn't seem to lack confidence at all, especially in the way you fearlessly competed against runners like Nasser and Nirmala. What brought about this change in your mindset?"
Chen Yadan was momentarily taken aback by this question. It was true that she had doubted herself last year, wondering if she had already passed her prime and whether she could still break through.
During that time, she trained tirelessly, not wanting to give up, but deep down, she felt fearful and uncertain about her performance and future.
After a moment of reflection, she recalled what had given her a renewed sense of confidence. It was partly due to Coach Zheng Xingguo's continuous guidance and the words Su Bai had said to them.
【Do you want to run faster?】
【As long as you want it, there's no problem.】
It was the first time a coach had told them so firmly and decisively that they still had room for growth. Chen Yadan couldn't remember her exact words, but she remembered that it was Su Bai who had given them hope they had been waiting for so long.
Chen Yadong replied to the reporter, "It was Coach Su Bai. He told us that as long as we want to run faster, then we definitely can."
The journalist who asked the question was somewhat surprised by Chen Yadan's idealistic response, not expecting such an answer. However, Chen Yadan's serious expression indicated that her answer wasn't just a platitude.
As the interviews in the mixed zone with Chen Yadan and her companions concluded, on the track, the athletes in lanes 1 to 8 were getting ready for the race.
Among these eight athletes, in lanes 1, 3, and 6, there were Li Junhao, Qiu Wen, and Zhang Ziyi from China's team. The other competitors were in lane 2, the Japanese athlete Yota Asou; lane 4, Bahrain's runner Laccasa; lane 5, Bahrain's athlete McNair; lane 7, Qatar's runner Roger; and lane 8, Iran's participant Morandi.
The light drizzle that had been falling on the track had intensified, making the already slippery track even worse. However, in previous races, even in the rain, several athletes had achieved excellent results. So, despite the rain, athletes like China's Zhang Ziyi, Qiu Wen, and Li Junhao, as well as others like Laccasa and McNair, were still eager to showcase their skills on the track.
Before the curved starting line, Qiu Wen's usual goofy smile was replaced by a determined and excited look. He fixed his gaze on the competitors ahead, his eyes shining brightly, showing his eagerness to continually surpass them.
Li Junhao, with a serious expression, remained silent. His face displayed his unwillingness to accept defeat.
As for Zhang Ziyi, who was closest to achieving the World Championships qualifying score, he closed his eyes, took deep breaths, and focused on getting himself in the right mental state. His mind was telling him to stay calm, give it his all, and believe he could do it.
Through the loudspeakers, the starter's commands came quickly, despite the rain.
"On your marks!"
The athletes quickly positioned themselves at their starting blocks, hands on the ground, feet on the starting blocks, adjusting their starting postures.
Then, the sounds of "Get set" and the firing gun followed in rapid succession.
"Get set—Bang!"
In this race, there was no doubt that the men's competition was bound to be more intense and explosive than the women's race!
The athletes on all eight lanes, despite the rain getting heavier, exploded with speed at the very moment they heard the starting gun!
Pushing off the starting blocks, they burst forward, starting the race!
Even on the somewhat slippery track and starting blocks, they displayed impeccable traction. The track had indeed become quite slippery, so they compensated by using more powerful force to grip the ground, allowing them to explode forward with greater strength!
Whether it was Zhang Ziyi, Qiu Wen, or Li Junhao, their speed right from the start of the race left athletics enthusiasts watching the competition either at the scene or in front of their screens astonished!
So fast!
This was the start on a curve, but the speed of their takeoff and acceleration made it look like a straight-line sprint, astonishingly fast!
"Did Zhang Shuai and the others... did they have such a fast start and acceleration before?"
"In these rainy conditions on a curved track, is this speed during the start and acceleration really possible?"
"...No, look at McNair and Laccasa; this speed probably isn't an issue. But this speed is definitely faster than what Zhang Shuai and the others had previously!"
"Wow, the start on this curve, the smoothness of adjusting stride length while cutting from the curve to the straight... they were already impressive in the heats yesterday, but in today's final, are they going to break records?"
The viewers in the live chat room were shocked, and the on-site commentators, Shao Minyi and Li Sen, were equally amazed.
"We have to say that in this Six Nations Athletics Championship, the National Athletics Team has brought us many surprises and unexpected performances, especially in the 400 meters event. In the women's 400 meters final that just ended and the men's 400 meters final currently underway, we have witnessed significant progress by our country's athletes in the 400-meter sprint, which has traditionally been a weaker event!"
On the track, Qiu Wen demonstrated his explosive speed and absolute velocity from the start, impressively maintaining this speed through the first half of the race. After some adjustments, his speed endurance started extending into the second half of the race. His advantage in speed had enabled him to distribute his energy better, allowing his speed advantage to shine in the latter half of the race!
Li Junhao may not have the same absolute speed and explosiveness as Qiu Wen, but he possessed a relentless determination in his running that intimidated the competitors around him.
Meanwhile, caught between Qiu Wen and Li Junhao, Japanese athlete Yota Asou was beginning to question his life choices. The Chinese athlete in the third lane in front of him seemed to be sprinting 200 meters, and the Chinese athlete behind him looked like a relentless wolf chasing him. Competing in the rain wasn't an enjoyable experience to begin with, but having two Chinese athletes ahead and behind him on a track he was already familiar with was becoming unbearable for Asou.
If Qiu Wen and Li Junhao's performances were already eye-catching, then Zhang Ziyi, who was ahead of Laccasa and McNair, was even more dazzling on the track at this moment!
From the start, the explosion, acceleration, to cutting into the straight from the curve, Zhang Ziyi's style on the track had undergone a complete transformation compared to the past.
Zhang Ziyi used to maintain a stable speed in the early stages, controlling his pace with a balanced speed and overall rhythm to achieve consistent and improving results.
However, with each passing day of training under Su Bai's guidance, along with the growing desire for victory, and the steadily increasing absolute speed from speed training, Zhang Ziyi's style on the track had undergone a radical shift compared to the past!
He had transformed from his previous follower-style track approach into an aggressive leader.
Controlling his own rhythm to always be at the top of the pace!
Although his current abilities couldn't entirely match this new approach, after watching Chen Yadan's race in the previous event, Zhang Ziyi suddenly felt that even if he couldn't fully dominate on the track for now, he was willing to release his ambitions and try again on the path to pursuing his limits!
There was no doubt that this new running style of Zhang Ziyi was much more attractive than his previous emphasis on rhythm. From the start to entering the second curve, Zhang Ziyi was adhering to this rhythm. As the race progressed into the latter half, he was gradually closing in on Roger in the seventh lane. Behind him, Laccasa and McNair were also catching up. But if you looked closely, you could see that under this more unrestrained running style compared to the past, Zhang Ziyi's speed had also significantly improved!
In the audience seats, Pei Jin'an looked at the track in amazement. "Zhang Ziyi... his running style has completely changed!"
Su Bai watched Zhang Ziyi's determined gaze and performance on the track and nodded in agreement. Not only had his running style changed, but his pursuit of victory and determination had also undergone significant transformation compared to the past.
Panting, panting...
The rain in the sky seemed to be intensifying, but the feeling of rain splashing on him, the sensation of tearing through the rain barrier, the feeling of sprinting forward breaking all obstacles, made Zhang Ziyi feel exhilarated!
In the past, he was a strictly disciplined athlete, training diligently, participating wholeheartedly in every competition, following the coach's guidance, and shouldering all the responsibilities he was supposed to.
Even on the track, he followed the same style.
Until today, until this feeling of completely letting himself go exploded in his mind. Even though adjusting his breath on the track due to the intensified rain was more difficult than before, even though the heaviness and soreness in his body persisted, he still felt one thing—exhilaration!
In his peripheral vision, he passed Roger and Morandi, but at the same time, Laccasa and McNair were overtaking him from his left...
The final straightaway.
Did he want to lose to them?
No!
He didn't want to!
Not long ago, Chen Yadan's resolute gaze on the TV screen flashed through his mind like lightning. Like Qiu Wen often said, if the women's team could do it, how could the men's team face others if they couldn't?
With this almost comical determination and thought, with an ambition that couldn't be extinguished even in the rain, Zhang Ziyi pushed forward with all his might.
Zhang Ziyi clenched his teeth and took even larger strides, sprinting forward!
"Zhang Ziyi, Zhang Ziyi is accelerating to overtake!!!"
In the commentary box, Shao Minyi's voice echoed in the live broadcast room, and everyone in the room was watching the figure on the track. Just like Chen Yadan before, he began an astonishing comeback from the tug-of-war between the third and fourth positions!
Finally, when that figure crossed the finish line, Shao Minyi's voice rang out: "Congratulations to Zhang Ziyi, winning the silver medal in the 400m final!"
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