Translator: dapotaturs
Release Date: 09/19/2023
Chapter 125: Ye Wenhao Makes Another Appearance & Wang Shen's Decision
In the second round of attempts at the 2.26-meter height, the first athlete to take the stage was Tomoaki Yamashita.
Although he didn't succeed in the first round, Tomoaki Yamashita managed to clear the bar in his second attempt at 2.26 meters.
Following him, the second athlete to attempt the 2.26-meter height in the second round was Ghazwan Jihani from Syria. Despite achieving an impressive result of 2.29 meters earlier in the competition, Jihani seemed to be struggling with his form in this particular event. He failed to clear the bar in his second attempt at 2.26 meters.
The last athlete to attempt the 2.26-meter height in the second round was Chan Chun-Han from Taipei. He displayed visible nervousness, but with determination, he approached the starting point, took a deep breath, and signaled for his attempt.
Despite his nerves, Chan Chun-Han couldn't clear the bar in his second attempt. After landing, he stood up without saying much, simply turned and returned to the preparation area.
As the number of athletes on the field continued to decrease, their preparation time became shorter. When the third round of attempts began, only Ghazwan Jihani and Chan Chun-Han remained in the competition.
Ghazwan Jihani, the first to take the stage in the third round, successfully seized the opportunity in his last jump. However, Chan Chun-Han, also attempting for the third time, ultimately couldn't clear the 2.26-meter height. After landing, he looked somewhat disappointed at the bar that fell with him and then stood up, bowing as he left the field.
In the commentary box, both Shao Minyi and Li Sen sounded somewhat nostalgic.
"Today's competition has brought together the top male high jump athletes in Asia. Their abilities represent the highest level of men's high jump in Asia."
"At 2.26 meters, with five athletes still on the field, it's safe to say that this high jump final is a showdown of skill among these athletes. It's truly worth our attention!"
"Yes," Li Sen nodded in agreement. "You have to remember that in last year's Asian Games, the champion cleared 2.30 meters, the silver medalist cleared 2.28 meters, and the bronze medalist only managed 2.24 meters. Comparing that to tonight's competition, these top Asian athletes are performing exceptionally well. Chan Chun-Han's ability to reach 2.26 meters today and compete against the remaining top five athletes has already proven his potential."
After reviewing the previous events, Shao Minyi and Li Sen shifted their focus to the upcoming showdown.
On the field, the chief referee had signaled for the bar to be raised once again. Initially set at 2.26 meters, this time, the referee decided to raise the bar to 2.29 meters, a 3-centimeter increase.
This choice by the chief referee surprised both Shao Minyi and Li Sen in the commentary box.
"The chief referee has chosen to raise the bar to 2.29 meters! Another 3-centimeter increase," Shao Minyi furrowed his brow and commented, "The chief referee must have observed that there are still five athletes competing on the field and believes that the athletes have the potential to achieve higher results."
Originally, in the judgment of many, at this stage of the competition, the bar's height increase should have been reduced to 2 centimeters. However, the referees in this competition seemed to have a different opinion.
The five athletes remaining on the field, upon seeing the referee's decision, turned their attention to their fellow competitors.
At this stage, the competition had turned into a battle of skill among them, especially at the 2.29-meter height. Even among these five athletes, there was no guarantee of successfully clearing the bar.
It would come down to a combination of skill, caution, individual form, and a bit of luck.
For these five athletes, the competition had reached a critical point where they needed to compete fiercely with each other.
After the bar's height had been measured by the bar placement referee, Wang Shen once again approached the starting point from the preparation area. Facing the chief referee's inquiry, he promptly signaled that he was ready to jump.
Even though he had previously achieved a height of 2.32 meters in indoor competitions, 2.29 meters was still a challenging height for Wang Shen.
As the timekeeper began counting down, Wang Shen stood still for a moment, then made a slight adjustment before lowering his body slightly, preparing for his first attempt at 2.29 meters.
In the national athletics team training base in China, the coach's dormitory:
After a busy day with various tasks, Su Bai was back in his dormitory for the night. He continued to follow the progress of the Asian Championships on his TV. Starting from when the competition reached the 2.23-meter height, he had been taking notes and jotting down key information points about the event.
Watching Wang Shen prepare for his first attempt at 2.29 meters, Su Bai's eyes were fixed on the screen. As he observed Wang Shen's jump, his gaze froze momentarily.
On the field, Wang Shen sensed a problem the moment he took off. Due to the recent muscle strain suffered by Ye Wenhao, he had been particularly cautious in his preparation, reminding himself to be extra careful during takeoff. However, this caution led him to focus on the takeoff leg, but he inadvertently deviated from the correct knee angle during the leg swing and extension. While this subtle deviation might not be apparent to many, such technical nuances could result in insufficient clearance height.
The instant Wang Shen noticed the deviation in his knee angle, he instinctively increased the power in his leg swing and extension as well as his arm movement, hoping that these efforts would compensate for the slight technical error.
His efforts had some effect. In mid-air, his upper body successfully cleared the bar, but due to the insufficient clearance height, he lightly brushed against the bar. This contact caused the bar to fall to the ground along with him as he landed.
As Wang Shen returned to the preparation area after his unsuccessful attempt at 2.29 meters, he couldn't hide a hint of frustration on his face. He closed his eyes and let out a sigh before running his fingers through his disheveled hair.
Following him, Abdallah, amidst the cheers of the audience, made his way to the jump point. Wang Shen's mistake meant that Abdallah was now the last competitor with a perfect one-time clearance rate. If he managed to clear the bar at 2.29 meters on his first attempt, the outcome of the competition would likely be decided.
Abdallah seemed to have this in mind as well. During this jump, he focused all his attention, giving it his all. With tens of thousands of Qatari spectators watching, he successfully cleared the bar at 2.29 meters on his first try.
Abdallah, at a height of 2.29 meters, cleared it on his first attempt!
When the referee announced that the result was valid, the crowd erupted into thunderous cheers. For many, this almost certainly signaled victory for Abdallah.
In the subsequent attempts by Tomaoki Yamashita and Ghazwan Jihani, neither of them managed to clear the 2.29-meter height. Finally, it was Ye Wenhao's turn.
The head referee, aware of Ye Wenhao's injury, approached him and inquired whether he wished to forfeit.
Ye Wenhao patted his injured leg, then stood up with a smile. He chose to continue competing.
The audience was now well aware that Ye Wenhao had been injured during his previous jump. They couldn't believe that he not only chose not to forfeit but also decided to challenge the 2.29-meter height.
In the Chinese athlete seating area, Li Mingzhuo's face darkened when he saw Ye Wenhao's actions. He muttered under his breath, "What nonsense!"
However, in the midst of the competition, all judgments were left to the athletes themselves. Even though Li Mingzhuo looked serious, he couldn't stop Ye Wenhao from competing.
The audience, upon seeing Ye Wenhao's actions, started applauding. This applause was not about victory or defeat but a sign of respect for an athlete giving his all.
As Ye Wenhao passed by him, Wang Shen patted his shoulder and softly said, "Don't push yourself too hard."
Ye Wenhao turned his head, grinned at Wang Shen, and then confidently walked to the jump point.
Upon the referee's signal, Ye Wenhao stretched his muscles. Despite his injury, he was now focused solely on the bar, ignoring everything else. After a brief warm-up, he accelerated rapidly!
His approach speed was incredibly fast. If you didn't know he was injured, you couldn't tell by watching him. As he approached the bar in an arc, he took a slightly shorter step, leaned forward, and in his final step, his left foot landed on the takeoff board. His swing leg rapidly extended, and his arms swung back as he used the explosive force from the takeoff leg to spring into the air!
"This height...!" exclaimed commentator Shao Minyi, her eyes lighting up.
Following that, Ye Wenhao's body formed a perfect arc in mid-air before gracefully clearing the bar and landing on the mat.
Ye Wenhao, first attempt at 2.29 meters, success!
No one had expected that Ye Wenhao, who was previously injured, would be able to clear the bar at 2.29 meters on his first attempt.
However, after this successful jump, Ye Wenhao, who had given it his all despite his injury, looked like the injury had worsened.
Upon seeing this, Wang Shen furrowed his brows, quickly walked to the landing area, and supported Ye Wenhao's left arm on his shoulder, helping him back to the preparation area.
The medical team on site rushed over again. This time, they quickly reexamined Ye Wenhao's thigh and were ready to take him off the field for treatment.
But even though Ye Wenhao's face contorted in pain, he insisted that the medical team spray him with chloroethyl and let him stay on the field to continue competing.
Wang Shen couldn't hold back anymore. "With an injury like this, you still want to continue? What if it affects your recovery for the World Championships?"
Wang Shen was usually all smiles and rarely got angry, but seeing his teammate recklessly pushing himself despite the risk to his health finally made him lose his composure.
Ye Wenhao, looking nervous, tried to explain himself, "Uh, it's just that you'd be alone if I leave..."
Seeing Ye Wenhao's anxious explanation, Wang Shen lost his anger. He rubbed his forehead, let out a sigh, and said, "Don't worry, just sit there and watch me next."
It seemed that Wang Shen's recent burst of anger had startled Ye Wenhao. He obediently sat in the preparation area, and the medical team applied chloroethyl to his leg. He didn't feel much pain at the moment, so he focused on watching Wang Shen's preparations.
On the field, the first round of jumps at 2.29 meters had concluded. Only Abdallah and the injured Ye Wenhao had cleared the bar on their first attempts.
The referee turned towards Wang Shen to ask if he wanted to continue with his second attempt.
However, when everyone thought Wang Shen would step up to the bar, he surprised everyone by raising his hand and signaling to the referee, "2.29 meters, request to pass."
Everyone was taken aback!
No one had expected Wang Shen to make this decision...
By passing the 2.29 meters height, it was highly likely that the next height would be set at 2.31 meters!
Since 2.29 meters couldn't be cleared in one attempt, could Wang Shen succeed at 2.31 meters?
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Chapter 126: Tilt of the Victory Balance
"This is a somewhat risky decision," commented Shao Minyi and Li Sen on the sports channel's broadcast, their voices carrying a hint of seriousness.
"Currently, in the second round of jumps, we can see that after failing in his first attempt at 2.29 meters, Wang Shen has chosen to pass at this height. This means that he will have only two more attempts at the next height."
"Yes," Li Sen nodded. "From a strategic perspective, this conserves his energy and avoids further fatigue at the 2.29 meters height."
The dedicated athletics fans watching at home could tell that Li Sen's explanation was slightly biased in favor of Wang Shen's decision. While it did make sense strategically to conserve energy, it also carried significant risks, especially when you consider the challenges awaiting him at the next height.
However, the viewers could also empathize with Wang Shen's choice. The current competition featured two Chinese athletes among the five remaining competitors, and Abdallah was in excellent form, while Ye Wenhao was competing with an injury. Given this scenario, Wang Shen's decision was a calculated risk.
At this stage of the competition, calculating the outcome was complicated. It wasn't easy to predict who would come out on top, considering factors like form, luck, and the complex dynamics between the athletes.
Following Wang Shen's request to pass at 2.29 meters, both Yamashita Tomoaki and Ghazwan Jihani showed signs of hesitation. When the referee inquired whether they wished to continue, Yamashita struggled briefly but ultimately chose to make his second attempt at 2.29 meters, but he also failed to clear the bar.
After Yamashita Tomoaki and Ghazwan Jihani completed their second attempts at 2.29 meters, the competition entered the third round of jumps at this height.
For the athletes, clearing the bar at 2.29 meters was becoming increasingly challenging, and it was a stage where luck played a crucial role. With each attempt, the pressure mounted, and the difficulty of the jumps increased.
"Will Yamashita Tomoaki make a third attempt?" asked the head referee.
This time, Yamashita hesitated briefly before raising his hand to indicate that he would pass, saving his last jump for the next height.
Following Yamashita's decision to pass, Ghazwan Jihani from Syria decided to make his final attempt at 2.29 meters.
In the gaze of the crowd, Ghazwan Jihani's expression turned serious as he stood at the take-off point. He took a deep breath and then signaled to the referee to start his jump.
For Jahani, this jump was an all-or-nothing gamble. He started his run-up at full speed, looking powerful and agile on the runway. As he approached the take-off board in a graceful arc, he swiftly adjusted his body's center of gravity. With his left foot landing on the take-off board, he propelled himself upward with a forceful extension of his right leg and a powerful swing of his arms. His body soared into the air as he attempted to clear the bar.
As an excellent athlete, Ghazwan Jihani's jump was filled with athletic tension, even though he didn't have much confidence in this attempt. From a distance, his body was seen rapidly rotating in the air after takeoff, with graceful and powerful movements. He extended and stretched his body, creating a forceful arc as he soared through the air.
After landing and getting back up, Jahani nervously looked up at the bar on the stands—surprisingly, the bar was still in place!
Success?!
"Ghazwan Jihani, 2.29 meters, third attempt, successful!"
When the referee officially announced Jahani's successful jump, this young man from Syria jumped with excitement on the spot. Now, he was one of the three athletes who had cleared the 2.29-meter height!
If Wang Shen and Tomoaki Yamashita couldn't clear the bar at 2.31 meters in their next attempts, he would secure the third place in the competition!
In the preparation area, Ye Wenhao furrowed his brows, realizing that the situation was getting more complicated. However, Wang Shen remained calm and composed.
Ye Wenhao glanced at the current situation on the field and turned to Wang Shen, saying, "Are you really okay? If you can't make it, don't push yourself. I sprayed some medicine just now, and I can go back out..."
However, Ye Wenhao stopped mid-sentence when he noticed Wang Shen's enigmatic smile and his unwavering gaze.
"Alright, I got it. I'll just sit here," Ye Wenhao responded to Wang Shen's reassurance.
Seeing Ye Wenhao quiet down, Wang Shen patted his shoulder and said, "Sit tight and watch. This is just the Asian Championships. Save your all-out effort for the World Championships or the Olympics."
Wang Shen then stood up. While they were talking, the bar had been raised from 2.29 meters to 2.31 meters, with the increment reduced to 2 centimeters.
At this stage, the competition had entered a delicate moment. Would the battle stop at 2.29 meters, with Abdallah securing the championship? Or would it push on beyond 2.31 meters, with the athletes aiming to set a new season's best in men's high jump?
"Wang Shen is on the runway!"
In the sports channel's commentary booth, both Shao Minyi and Li Sen had their eyes fixed on Wang Shen. This jump would determine the wisdom of Wang Shen's previous decision to skip 2.29 meters.
In the direction of the head referee, the official signaled Wang Shen to start, and Wang Shen nodded, indicating his readiness to jump.
In an instant, the atmosphere in the stadium tensed up. Spectators in the stands were watching Wang Shen's every move closely. Everyone knew that Wang Shen's jump could decide whether the competition would continue or conclude.
When the head referee announced the start of the jump, Wang Shen stood on the runway. The timekeeper next to him focused on his stopwatch, waiting for Wang Shen's actions.
Wang Shen rubbed his wrists and thighs, standing still for a moment before shaking his head slightly. This time, he didn't overthink it. After preparing himself, he narrowed his eyes and sprinted forward!
He started his run!
He sprinted along the curved path towards the bar!
This time, Wang Shen's run had the same rhythm but was slightly faster than his previous attempts. With quick steps, he rapidly approached the bar. Only those with a keen eye could catch his movements as he aligned himself with the bar.
The faster run generated more kinetic energy. As Wang Shen was about to reach the bar at lightning speed, he slightly adjusted his stride during the final phase, swiftly transferring the lateral force from the run into upward momentum through his movements!
Wang Shen's left leg hit the takeoff board with power just before the bar. The explosive force of his jump sent him soaring upward. His arms swung widely, altering his body's momentum, and his trailing leg followed suit, flawlessly bypassing the bar.
Then, his scapula touched the ground, and he successfully landed, rolling back up.
"Success!!!" When Wang Shen's body touched down and he rolled back up, many viewers in front of their TVs couldn't help but shout in celebration.
As Wang Shen rose to his feet in the landing area, the spectators in the stands, including Jiang Wentao, loosened their clenched fists and cheered.
Not long ago, when Wang Shen applied to skip the 2.29 meters height, these people were anxiously sweating for him. Now that he had successfully cleared 2.31 meters, their mood had finally shifted.
With Wang Shen's successful clearance, the pressure now shifted back to Abdallah, who, fueled by the cheers of the Qatari spectators, returned to the jump spot.
This time, he was challenging the same height of 2.31 meters.
Breaths held, spectators focused.
The audience was cautiously praying for Abdallah's success, but this time, luck was not on his side.
Abdallah, 2.31 meters height, first attempt, failure.
The scales of victory once again teetered delicately in this stage.
"Wang Shen has a chance!" In the commentary booth, Shao Minyi's voice carried a tone of hope. "The balance of this high jump competition may be gradually tipping in our favor!"
At the venue, Abdallah left the landing area with some frustration, while the spectators in the stands were doing their best to cheer him on, hoping to boost his spirits and prevent him from giving up.
With Abdallah's exit, the next athlete to take the stage was Tomoaki Yamashita from Japan.
This jump held the last of his hopes, but unfortunately, it didn't help him clear the bar successfully. With Yamashita's failed attempt, only four athletes remained in the competition.
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