Translator: dapotaturs
Release Date: 09/04/2023
At this point in the schedule, it was already late afternoon, and the morning's drizzle had disappeared. Sunshine was now gracing the competition area.
The cleaned track had little to no traces of rainwater left, and the slight humidity on the track no longer had any impact on the athletes.
On the 110-meter hurdles track, Cui Luoheng, Lu Mengfan, and Zhao Yankai of the Chinese team were positioned in lanes 4, 5, and 7, respectively.
In the remaining 5 lanes, the only athlete who posed a slight threat to these three 110-meter hurdles athletes from the Chinese national team was Takakazu Komatsu from the Japanese team. He had previously won the only medal in this event at the Asian Games, excluding Cui Luoheng and Lu Mengfan.
Unlike earlier events like the 400-meter sprint, after Cui Luoheng's rise in the Asian Games, his personal best in the 110-meter hurdles was the best among all Asian athletes in 2018. With Cui Luoheng and Lu Mengfan both competing, China had a certain dominance in the 110-meter hurdles event within Asia.
In the meeting room of the S Province Athletics Team:
The Asian Six Nations Athletics Challenge was closely watched by athletics teams at all levels across the country, and the S Province Athletics Team was no exception. Coaches such as He Yishen, Zhao Heping, and Zhou Wen had been following the entire competition over the past two days. They couldn't help but marvel at the achievements Su Bai had made since joining the national athletics team.
"Who would have thought that this guy, Little Bai, would become a coach in less than a year?" He Yishen looked at the screen where the 110-meter hurdles race was about to start and said with emotion, "Qiu Wen and Ah Heng, these two kids owe a lot to Little Bai."
Zhou Wen, the hurdles coach for the S Province Athletics Team, was originally Cui Luoheng's head coach. Even though he had handed Cui Luoheng over to Su Bai's guidance half a year ago, he never stopped keeping an eye on Cui Luoheng's progress.
He watched Cui Luoheng's journey from a 14.57-second time in the beginning of the 2018 season, to later achieving 13.57, 13.47, and finally, an astonishing 13.37 to win the gold medal at the Asian Games. Seeing him now standing confidently in the center of the track, even outperforming Lu Mengfan, made him feel deeply moved.
"Indeed, this kid, Little Bai... Qiu Wen and Ah Heng do owe a lot to him. But he's more than just the one who brought Qiu Wen and Ah Heng back."
Su Bai, being a product of the s Province Athletics Team himself, even though he now held the position of a national team coach, he had always carried the mark of the S Province Athletics Team. Over the past year and a half, his achievements as a coach had brought great honor to the S Province Athletics Team.
"All right, the race is about to begin!" As they spoke, the announcer on-site gave the command, "On your marks." The highly anticipated 110-meter hurdles race, which had turned into something of an "internal battle," was about to start!
On the track, after the starter's gun went off, Cui Luoheng walked to the starting blocks. He crouched down, placed his hands on the track, and then, with a powerful leg drive, he hopped onto the starting blocks.
After more than half a year, he had gained enough experience to control and adjust his hypersensitivity before the start of a race like today's. But he couldn't help but think of Su Bai before every race, or rather, he wished he could see Su Bai, to hear those words of encouragement directly from him.
Cui Luoheng didn't know how he developed this mentality. Although he hadn't spent much time with Su Bai personally, as Su Bai's focus had shifted to more athletes, like Qiu Wen and the others, Cui Luoheng remained an exception, showing an inexplicable trust and closeness to Su Bai.
Perhaps... this was the personal charm of a renowned coach?
On the track, Cui Luoheng, already crouching on the starting blocks, looked outwardly as focused as usual, but his mind was wandering. He remembered the moment just before the starter's command, the exchange of glances with Su Bai in the stands. It was as if he had heard Su Bai saying those two words to him: "加油" (jia you) - "Go for it!"
Yes, "Go for it!"
Behind his seemingly indifferent eyes, there was a burning determination for victory.
To Cui Luoheng's right, equally silent and focused, stood Lu Mengfan. As the former top hurdler in the country before Cui Luoheng's rise, Lu Mengfan had carried the burden of being the best in the 110-meter hurdles event in China. Cui Luoheng's appearance had lightened that burden, but Lu Mengfan's desire for victory and the determination to surpass his own records remained undiminished.
He could accept that Cui Luoheng had exceptional talent and had become the top hurdler in the country. However, he had never given up on the idea of improving himself.
In competitive sports, it was all about the survival of the fittest!
Lu Mengfan's sharp and composed gaze fixed ahead. Over the past couple of months, Su Bai had provided him with a tailored training program. Under the guidance of the same renowned coach, there was no reason why he couldn't match Cui Luoheng's achievements!
Just because he was Cui Luoheng, did that mean he, Zhao Yankai, was a pushover?
On the track, they were ready to give it their all!
Not only the Chinese athletes but also foreign competitors like Koichi Komatsu from Japan held their breath, waiting for the starter's command.
Besides the 110-meter hurdles, in the high jump, the 13 athletes had completed their practice jumps at the opening height of 2.16 meters. As the 110-meter hurdles race was about to start, the high jump competition continued alongside it. The athletes were taking turns for their attempts.
"Boom!"
When Wang Shen effortlessly cleared the bar at 2.16 meters, the starter for the 110-meter hurdles also gave the "On your marks" command. The sound of the starter's gun coincided with Wang Shen landing safely on the landing mat.
The 110-meter hurdles race had begun!
As Wang Shen rose from the mat, his gaze shifted to the nearby 110-meter hurdles track. After a quick glance at Cui Luoheng, who was already accelerating out of the starting blocks, he left the landing area, heading back to the starting area.
On the 110-meter hurdles track, the intensity of this competition was evident from the very start. From the moment the starting gun fired, Cui Luoheng's exceptionally keen senses allowed him to explosively push off his starting block with his right foot. His body surged forward with incredible power, and his feet crisscrossed each other as he sprinted, utilizing the explosive force to propel him rapidly forward.
In this short section of the hurdles track, his acceleration was so impressive that it left spectators in awe. Compared to the National Championships three months ago or even the Asian Games, his starting technique had undergone subtle but remarkable improvements. The angles at which he pushed off from the starting block and the degree of bend in his legs showed imperceptible but vital changes.
These subtle changes in his technique improved Cui Luoheng's overall rhythm and fluidity from the explosive start to the three-step acceleration and finally to approaching the hurdles.
Of course, it wasn't just Cui Luoheng who showed improvement. Beside him, Lu Mengfan, a front-runner who excelled in the first half of the race, maintained his exceptionally steady pace during the initial phase. His seamless transition from burst to speed ensured that he matched Cui Luoheng's speed during the start.
In the section spanning from the gun reaction to the eighth step before the hurdle, both Cui Luoheng and Lu Mengfan displayed an evenly matched tension. This tension made it seem like the other athletes on the track were slightly inferior in terms of momentum and speed.
However, in the far-right lane, Zhao Yankai's gun reaction speed this time was exceptional, with a reaction time of just 0.127 seconds. It was one of the best reactions of his career. Not only that, but his entire start phase demonstrated a newfound sense of fluidity that he had previously lacked. What set him apart even more was the sharp, almost reckless determination that radiated from him. This intensity even made his fellow competitors feel uncomfortable.
What had gotten into these Chinese athletes?
These crazies were treating this competition as if it were the most important top-tier event, unleashing all their energy and intensity...
These lunatics!
Komatsu, in lane three, was also determined to give it his all and regain his glory. However, from the moment the starting gun fired, he seemed to be under the control of these Chinese athletes.
Cui Luoheng... Lu Mengfan...
The reaction speed of these two guys even left him momentarily stunned. If it weren't for his well-trained reflexes, he would have been overwhelmed during the gun reaction phase.
Nevertheless, even though he managed to maintain a normal reaction speed and sprint forward, he felt like he was already facing defeat right from the start. This feeling of being on the verge of defeat from the beginning made Komatsu's expression turn sour. However, he still gritted his teeth and pushed forward, hoping that Cui Luoheng and Lu Mengfan's potential mistakes in the later stages of the race might affect their speed and results.
He shouldn't be thinking like this.
As a skilled 110-meter hurdler, he shouldn't have such thoughts at the beginning of the race...
These thoughts couldn't help but infiltrate his mind and continued to spread as the race progressed.
In the commentary booth, Shao Minyi and Li Sen finally became excited again after several middle-distance races.
"Very good, in the starting phase, all three Chinese athletes are in excellent form!"
"Cui Luoheng has already reached the first hurdle ahead of the others!"
With Shao Minyi's commentary, Cui Luoheng and Lu Mengfan almost simultaneously completed a series of actions: using the momentum from their forward steps, swinging their legs over the hurdle, pushing off with their trailing legs, and swinging their lead legs quickly to continue their stride after clearing the hurdle.
So fast!
Shao Minyi and Li Sen were amazed at the speed of Cui Luoheng and Lu Mengfan. Although the two had different styles, in the limited observation space, it was clear that they had reduced their airborne time and cleared the hurdles at lower heights compared to previous performances.
Clearly, these two athletes had made significant progress in their overall hurdling technique over the past two months.
These two...
Today's results might see an improvement!
After observing this, Shao Minyi and Li Sen both had the same thought.
Soon, they noticed that it wasn't just Cui Luoheng and Lu Mengfan with impressive speeds. In the far-right lane, Zhao Yankai, who had failed to finish the race due to consecutive errors at the National Championships, was showing a fierce and determined aura on the track.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...
In lane seven, Zhao Yankai's eyes were almost glowing like a wolf's.
Cui Luoheng and Lu Mengfan had stood atop his head at different times. He initially thought he was only losing to Lu Mengfan, which wasn't a big deal. Then Cui Luoheng appeared, and he realized that not only was he losing to Lu Mengfan, but if he didn't start working hard, there would be Zhang Luoheng, Li Luoheng, and others in the future!
He might have been arrogant, but he had been selected for the national team among the many 110-meter hurdlers in the country. He wasn't someone to be taken lightly!
So what if his talent wasn't on par with Lu Mengfan and Cui Luoheng?
He wanted to see how far he could push himself!
Since the National Championships, he had truly realized that he didn't want to lose. In the past, he had deluded himself into thinking he was doing well based on his performances when Lu Mengfan wasn't competing in China. But now he wanted to see, in a field where Cui Luoheng, Lu Mengfan, and other Asian athletes were competing...
He wanted to see how far he could go.
With this determination in mind, Zhao Yankai focused entirely on the track and the hurdles in front of him. He saw the ten hurdles ahead as ten peaks he needed to conquer. He wanted to try and see how he would fare against the competitors around him.
Step by step, following the rhythm of his heartbeat almost like he was stepping on it, Zhao Yankai, with a fierce and determined look in his eyes, advanced. He attacked the first hurdle, then the second...
He had easily overtaken the other Asian athletes from different countries around him.
But it wasn't enough...
This is far from enough!
Whether it's Cui Luoheng or Lu Mengfan, they both have the potential to medal at the Asian Games.
Just overtaking a few ordinary athletes is not enough.
In Zhao Yankai's fierce gaze, there was an unyielding determination!
"Go! Go!!!"
In the stands, although there were only a few hundred spectators, after the somewhat restrained middle-distance races that took place earlier, facing this 110-meter hurdle event that had been exciting from the start, the audience poured out all their enthusiasm, cheering loudly to support the three Chinese athletes on the track!
In the live chat room, the barrage displayed how excited the viewers were. Initially, they thought this race would only be a competition between Cui Luoheng and Lu Mengfan, but soon, the viewers watching the live broadcast also noticed Zhao Yankai in lane seven... Zhao Yankai's entirely different aura and speed compared to previous races left many long-time viewers of 110-meter hurdles stunned.
【Woah, Zhao Yankai has gone crazy!】
【Come on, Xiao Cui, come on, Xiao Lu!!!】
【Damn... Zhao Yankai is charging ahead!】
In this 110-meter hurdles competition, the audience once again felt the boiling excitement they had experienced during the previous sprint races.
In the commentary booth, Shao Minyi and Li Sen's eyes were fixed firmly on the track. As veteran commentators, they understood that Lu Mengfan was a front-end dominant athlete. In the first half of the race, Lu Mengfan had not managed to completely pull away from Cui Luoheng. In fact, in the first few hurdles, Lu Mengfan was only slightly ahead of Cui Luoheng.
In this situation, both Shao Minyi and Li Sen felt that as they gradually reached the second half of the race, Cui Luoheng would unleash his late-race burst, and Lu Mengfan might once again fall to defeat at Cui Luoheng's hands.
However, when Lu Mengfan cleared the fifth hurdle and headed for the sixth hurdle, they keenly noticed that Lu Mengfan was no longer maintaining the same level of speed as before in this stage!
What could this be?!
Shao Minyi and Li Sen simultaneously thought of winter training when they noticed this. They exchanged a quick glance, and Shao Minyi began explaining the current situation on the track.
"Lu Mengfan is currently in the lead, but Cui Luoheng is closely following him and is accelerating to catch up. Both athletes are comfortably positioned in the leading group. Following them are Japanese athlete Komatsu and our Chinese athlete Zhao Yankai...!"
On the track, Cui Luoheng maintained a tight control over his sense of rhythm, as he always did. In his ears, he heard the rhythm of his own breath, the beat of his heart, and even the subtle sound of the air being torn apart with each step and hurdle clearance.
Whenever on the track, he followed what Su Bai had taught him: he narrowed his perception to the limit. It seemed that through these keen senses, he instinctively controlled the rhythm of his body.
Breathing, heartbeats, and even the precise control of his muscles.
He felt it all and let the accompanying fatigue of both body and mind wash over him. Then, with his willpower, he controlled it all. He took command of his body and rhythm, using the most appropriate cadence to charge forward.
This was what Su Bai had taught him, something that had gradually become part of him and merged with his obsession with speed.
As his control over his body continued to grow, his attention was no longer confined to his narrow world on the track.
He could sense that, to his right, Lu Mengfan was also maintaining a speed that was no less than his own, adjusting his breathing rhythm, and relentlessly advancing!
He wanted to win, and they both wanted to win!
But on the same track, there was only one victory position for them!
Cui Luoheng's gaze was also fixed firmly on the front, where victory belonged.
On the entire track, apart from the battle between Cui Luoheng and Lu Mengfan from the Chinese team, the remaining Asian athletes hardly had the strength to compete with them.
Even more astonishing was that they were now fighting for the third position on the podium with the third Chinese athlete on the track...?!
Komatsu had not expected the outcome of today's 110-meter hurdles final. At this moment, having already cleared the eighth hurdle, an overwhelming sense of powerlessness surged in his heart...
This was a mindset that should never appear in a competition. But today, at this moment, he suddenly had a feeling that the two athletes ahead of him were unbeatable.
At the corner of his eye, he also noticed that in the seventh lane, the athlete from the Chinese team had a speed nearly equal to his own.
This couldn't be!
The phrase "This can't be!" kept cycling through his mind. But he suddenly realized that continuously thinking this way meant that he had indeed reached his limit in this competition.
Finally, when Cui Luoheng and Lu Mengfan both cleared the tenth hurdle, Komatsu and Zhao Yankai simultaneously cleared the last hurdle as well...!
Sprint!
This was the final sprint!
With just over ten meters left, he couldn't give up like this!
On the seventh lane, Zhao Yankai didn't pay any attention to Komatsu in the third lane. His focus was always on Lu Mengfan and Cui Luoheng.
He wanted to surpass Lu Mengfan and Cui Luoheng, and he had no idea that Komatsu in the third lane, along with the athletes from Iran and Qatar on his left and right, were all eyeing him, hoping to catch up to his pace.
This time, Lu Mengfan's performance in the latter half of the race was much better compared to his past results, but in the final stages, he was still slightly outperformed by athletes like Cui Luoheng, known for their strong finishing kicks.
When Cui Luoheng crossed the finish line, Lu Mengfan also finished in second place.
After they both crossed the finish line, Komatsu and Zhao Yankai were already nearing the finish line. Then, with a look of unwillingness in Komatsu's eyes, Zhao Yankai was the first to cross the finish line.
In the stands, the spectators who had been cheering all along, as well as the track and field fans in the broadcast room, were all somewhat stunned.
They knew that in this race, the Chinese team would definitely win, but what they didn't expect was that the Chinese team would sweep the top three positions...
For a moment, even the spectators in the stands were momentarily speechless, and then a resounding cheer filled the stadium.
In the commentary booth, Shao Minyi's voice carried a hint of astonishment. "Congratulations!!! Congratulations to Cui Luoheng, congratulations to Lu Mengfan, congratulations to Zhao Yankai... In the 110-meter hurdles final, our Chinese athletes have successfully swept the top three!"
"Congratulations to them!!"
In the blink of an eye, even the barrage in the online livestream was filled with enthusiastic congratulations, well-wishes, and ecstatic shouts.
Not far away in the high jump waiting area, Wang Shen's face showed a hint of disbelief when he heard the result.
Beside him, Ye Wenhao blinked and then patted Wang Shen on the shoulder, saying with a smile, "Old Wang, the 110-meter hurdles are so impressive, we can't afford to lose... How about we try to sweep the top two spots in high jump?"
Wang Shen heard this, hesitated for a moment, and then smiled. He stretched his body and looked at Ye Wenhao with a grin. "Very well, that's what I had in mind."
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