Translator: dapotaturs
Release Date: 10/11/2023
Chapter 253: Before the Olympics
As the Olympic trials entered the final few events on the third day, a new athlete finally secured a spot in the Olympics!
After Ye Wenhao secured his qualification for the Olympics, the emotions of the live audience, which had been low for three days, finally erupted completely at this moment.
Although the competition was not yet fully over on the field, both the audience and the on-site staff were clapping and applauding towards Ye Wenhao with smiles.
In the men's high jump event for the Chinese team, the number of athletes who qualified for the Olympics changed from just Wang Shen to Wang Shen and Ye Wenhao together.
In the upcoming events, both Wang Shen and Ye Wenhao felt no pressure. After Ye Wenhao successfully cleared 2.33 meters, Wang Shen chose to abstain. Ye Wenhao, on the other hand, challenged the height of 2.35 meters after clearing 2.33 meters successfully. Although he failed three times, he still won the championship in the men's high jump event of this selection with a height of 2.33 meters.
Ye Wenhao won the gold, and Wang Shen won the silver, a scene that Chinese audiences had not seen for more than a year.
After the competition ended, when Ye Wenhao and Wang Shen left the field, Ye Wenhao sincerely thanked Wang Shen.
Wang Shen turned his head to glance at him and said, "Thanks for what? Hmm, do you think I allowed you to win today, so you're thanking me?" Wang Shen then smiled and narrowed his eyes, "Oh, am I just too strong? Am I so strong that you find it abnormal for me not to clear 2.33 meters?"
Ye Wenhao, who had just thanked him, saw Wang Shen's playful response and grinned, showing a cheerful smile. "Hehe, that's not what I meant. I'm thanking you for accompanying me all the way to the end. If it were just me, I might not have had the motivation and form to clear the 2.33-meter mark."
Wang Shen shrugged and raised an eyebrow, saying, "It looks like I was overthinking, huh?"
"No, no, I also thank you for not going all out during the competition! Your encouraging gestures at the end gave me full confidence, and it was with your luck that I was able to clear it smoothly!" Ye Wenhao smiled and scratched his head, then placed his hand on Wang Shen's shoulder, and the two of them headed towards the locker room together.
Online, after the excitement had subsided, there were discussions about whether Wang Shen had deliberately made it easier for Ye Wenhao. People engaged in lively discussions, but no one could convince the other side.
Supporters of the idea that Wang Shen let Ye Wenhao win argued that Wang Shen had easily cleared 2.31 meters, and he hadn't attempted the jump many times today, which clearly didn't push him to his limit. So, it must have been to encourage Ye Wenhao that he didn't compete with him.
Opponents, on the other hand, stated that Wang Shen wasn't guaranteed to clear 2.33 meters every time. Even if he was nicknamed "Steady AI," it didn't mean he was infallible, right? Making a mistake was normal, and at most, Wang Shen had decided to skip the rest of the competition, indicating that this particular competition wasn't important to him.
In any case, those with both viewpoints engaged in lengthy "harmonious discussions." Eventually, a brilliant individual ran to Su Bai's Weibo comments and asked if Wang Shen had intentionally made it easier.
In fact, seeking opinions from national team coaches about such matters was not uncommon among track and field enthusiasts. Coaches from the national team often received various private messages.
For instance, some individuals claimed to be once-in-a-millennium track and field geniuses who had never trained before turning 25. At the age of 25, they participated in their company's sports event for the first time and ran the 100 meters in 9.80 seconds, outclassing Zhao Shu and embarrassing Fang Yu. They demanded that Su Bai ensure their inclusion in the national team, as they wanted to participate in the Tokyo Olympics immediately. They were certain they would be the first Chinese to break the world record in the 100 meters!
Of course, a simple fact-check would usually reveal that the company's event likely used hand timing, and the referees might have started their watches late when the competitors began, then stopped them early before the runners reached the finish line.
_(:3)∠)_
Usually, Su Bai received quite a few of these kinds of private messages and comments. Now that the selection competition was over and he had returned to his designated hotel, he rarely had the chance to check his Weibo. However, he did see someone asking about Wang Shen's situation.
This debate was much more nutritious than the previous discussion about 9.80 seconds, and Su Bai, who had some rare free time, decided to respond to the netizen's question.
【In this competition, Wang Shen's performance was good, but it's true that he wasn't in his peak condition. His result of 2.31 meters is considered a normal level of performance for Wang Shen. I believe many friends are aware that achieving around 2.30 meters in normal conditions is already an outstanding level. So, in fact, there's no talk of Wang Shen deliberately making it easier for Ye Wenhao. At most, it can be said that Wang Shen didn't push himself to his best level in this competition.
However, we must also understand that athletes cannot perform at their absolute best in every competition. Continuously delivering high-intensity and high-level performances also takes a toll on an athlete's mental and physical condition. We advocate a balanced approach where athletes can use competition as motivation but shouldn't let it control them, and they shouldn't have to give their all in every event.】
Finally, Su Bai typed: 【I believe that Wang Shen's performance today was not an issue, and this includes both him and Ye Wenhao, who both respect each other as excellent athletes.】
The track and field enthusiast who had sent the private message to Su Bai never expected to receive a reply. After being pleasantly surprised and a moment of dizziness, he quickly took a screenshot of the conversation and posted it on his own Weibo and the Athletics Kingdom forum.
The netizens who had been discussing earlier immediately stopped talking. They realized that with an authoritative statement from Su Bai, there was no need for further debate. Moreover, Su Bai had made it quite clear, and everyone had enjoyed watching the competition, with the athletes in excellent form. To top it off, Ye Wenhao had secured his spot in the Olympics.
After this sequence of events, did they really have anything more to complain about? Of course not!
June 23rd marked the end of the final day of the National Athletics Grand Prix Year-End Finals and the Olympic Athletics Selection Trials. Over the course of three days, each event had determined its Olympic qualifiers. However, the only athlete who had broken through and secured their Olympic qualification was Ye Wenhao.
Zhao Shu and Zhao Yankai need not be mentioned. While Li Junhao had shown great form in this competition, he was still a bit away from breaking the 45-second barrier in the 400 meters. Not to mention achieving 44.90 seconds.
Li Junhao wasn't able to work a miracle during this period. His personal best (PB) remained at a commendable 45.07 seconds, which was a competitive result but still some distance from the dream stage.
Over the next week, some athletes who were unwilling to give up rushed to other countries, including Japan, to participate in a series of athletics competitions within the Asian region, trying to seize any chance in the final moments.
Su Bai had asked Li Junhao if he wanted to arrange a schedule for this final stage, but he furrowed his brow and ultimately chose to decline.
For Li Junhao himself, he knew clearly that his previous time of 45.07 seconds was likely his limit at this stage. In the final week, instead of hoping for a miracle, he decided it was better to return to the national team quickly and start training for the 4x400 meters relay.
Even if he couldn't secure an individual spot, he remained the irreplaceable anchor of the men's 4x400 meters relay team. He would accompany the relay team to Tokyo, Japan, and on the Tokyo field, he would contribute his full strength as a member of his team.
Finally, the day arrived on July 1st.
As all the athletes returned to the national team for the final 15 days of pre-Olympic closed training and courses, the qualification assessment period for athletics events had already ended on the last day of June.
During this period, the national team athletes didn't engage in heavy training. Their current training mainly focused on maintaining a certain level of physical readiness, keeping their bodies in a stable state of stimulation.
In addition to the low-pressure training for the athletes, they also underwent a series of etiquette and language training. For example, there was an intensive crash course in English conversation so that they could handle a few sentences when foreign reporters interviewed them, preventing awkward situations caused by unreliable translators on the spot. It's worth noting that there had been cases in the past where athletes from one country were interviewed by reporters from another country, and due to translation issues, the questions and answers didn't match, leading to comical results.
Furthermore, they received emergency diplomatic etiquette training. They didn't expect the athletes to master these rules perfectly but tried to give them a basic understanding, so they didn't make glaring mistakes.
Besides this, some athletes who volunteered or were selected to be part of the Olympic delegation had additional training to undergo.
At this stage, Su Bai's workload had eased quite a bit. After all, the athletes had completed most of their required training. In the field of athletics, you couldn't suddenly learn something new at this point.
He would be accompanying the team to the Olympics, which could be considered a business trip. However, Su Bai's actual work would be abroad. As one of the cornerstones of the national athletics team, the team members knew that Su Bai alone could handle coaching for several events. In case there were any last-minute issues while abroad, such as a coach not being able to make it, even if they asked Su Bai to provide temporary guidance on race strategies and the overall race structure, there would likely be no problems.
For all those who are about to participate in the Olympics or eagerly await the start of the Olympics, time seems to pass both slowly and quickly.
Many track and field enthusiasts still remember that at the beginning of last year, the qualifying standards for the Tokyo Olympics were considered the strictest ever. At that time, there were even sports media reports suggesting that in the women's sprint events, no one might be able to meet the standards.
However, as of now, on the women's side, not only has Chen Yadan successfully secured a spot in the Olympic roster for the 400 meters sprint, but in the women's 100 meters sprint event, there have been unexpected qualifiers for two athletes.
In the men's 400 meters sprint, not only Chen Yadan but also Zhang Ziyi and Qiu Wen have met the qualifying standards, which has lifted the spirits of numerous track and field enthusiasts.
Now, whether it's the audience or the athletes themselves, everyone is eagerly preparing for the arrival of the Tokyo Olympics on July 23rd!
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Chapter 254: Schedule Arrangements, Decisions, and Opening Ceremony
The long wait always seems to stretch people's perception of time infinitely, but when the moment finally arrives, people tend to wonder why time passed so quickly.
On July 18, 2020, after completing their final pre-Olympic training, the 63 members of the athletics national team's Olympic delegation, along with the coaching staff, followed the arrangements made by the General Administration of Sport of China and departed on this day to the host city of the Olympics, Tokyo, Japan.
As the Olympics approached, the international airport in Tokyo, Japan, experienced an unprecedented influx of people. There were a large number of tourists arriving from overseas, all eager to participate in this quadrennial sporting event.
When Su Bai and the members of the athletics team landed, they were greeted by a sea of people. However, despite the large number of tourists coming and going, the overall situation appeared to be orderly due to reasonable zoning and planning.
Most of the people in the athletics team had been to Tokyo before. After all, since Tokyo was awarded the Olympics, Japan had organized a number of large-scale events in the past year or two to increase public attention and participation in the Olympics. Additionally, this served as an opportunity for the Chinese athletes to gain experience, so some of them were already quite familiar with the city.
While Su Bai and the others were waiting for the Chinese staff who had arrived early to contact them, there were other passengers passing by not far from them.
Since Tokyo is very close to China, traveling to Japan has become quite common in recent years. With the Olympics being held in Tokyo this time, there were also a large number of domestic tourists taking the opportunity to visit Japan, enjoying the sights and attractions while also attending the Olympics.
The group of tourists who passed by Su Bai and the others had come from China, and most of them had arrived in Tokyo five days before the opening ceremony. They came to Japan primarily to explore the country before the Olympic competitions began, allowing them to fully enjoy both their sightseeing and the upcoming Olympic events.
As this group of tourists approached Su Bai's party, they quickly noticed that it was the Chinese athletics team. Many of them raised their phones to capture this surprising moment.
These tourists were quite excited, but surprisingly, they acted with great understanding. After their initial excitement, most of them only took a distant photo of the athletics team with their phones. As they passed by, they made encouraging fist gestures toward the athletics team and shouted words of encouragement in a low voice.
"Zhang Shuai!! Xiaoxiao Qiu! Go for it, I came here just to watch your competition, and I'll definitely be there to witness your excellence!"
"Liu Jiaonan! You're the best, aim for another gold medal!"
"Xiao Cui, bring back an Olympic gold medal this time!"
After quietly cheering the athletes, they waved at them happily and then continued on their way without disturbing the members of the athletics team.
Su Bai looked at these tourists, then turned to the members of the athletics team and said with a smile, "Give it your all, don't let down everyone's expectations and your previous efforts."
The members of the athletics team all nodded with smiles, but the most serious one among them was Cui Luoheng, who had been following Su Bai. He looked at Su Bai and then said very seriously, "I will definitely bring back the Olympic gold medal."
Su Bai was momentarily taken aback by this statement, and then he looked at Cui Luoheng's seemingly composed expression. He noticed something on Cui Luoheng's earlobe that appeared to be turning slightly red.
Su Bai blinked and then smiled slightly. "Alright, go for it."
Not far from them, Wang Shen observed this scene and then narrowed his eyes, making a amused sound before shifting his gaze away.
It was Qiu Wen, standing next to Wang Shen, who suddenly spoke with a perplexed expression. He said, "What's wrong with Ah Heng? He talks about winning a gold medal as if it's a love confession or something?"
Wang Shen, surprisingly serious, glanced at Qiu Wen and then said with a meaningful tone, "You know what a love confession is?"
Qiu "Forever Single" Wen: ...! Felt personally attacked!
The athletics team didn't have to wait too long at the airport. The staff responsible for welcoming them had prepared in advance. After the team's leader contacted them, the staff provided a clear exit location. Su Bai and his team followed the leader and translator towards the exit. Along the way, they noticed that some ground areas in the airport were decorated with patterns resembling running tracks.
Japanese people have a strong passion for running, and there is a running culture in Japan. Many Japanese individuals have a mysterious and passionate love for running. Even inside this Tokyo airport, there were decorations resembling running tracks, adding a cultural touch to the airport's decor.
After passing by these "running tracks" in the airport, they found the Chinese staff waiting for them. Following the staff's guidance, they boarded two buses that would take them to the Olympic Village.
Japan had put in considerable effort to host this Olympics, but their approach sometimes left people puzzled. For instance...
The Japanese staff who had just accompanied the Chinese team had thoughtfully prepared a small gift bag for each athlete. Inside, there was a manual for navigating the Olympic Village, instructions for some convenient products, and some small items given by the Japanese organizers.
The most peculiar item was a condom. Not just any condom... it was a special edition. The manual even included an explanation, stating that these were enhanced versions specially designed for the Olympics. The highlight was that these condoms featured ukiyo-e (woodblock print) designs.
=_=+
......
............
..................
After reading this explanation, there was a 30-second silence inside the bus as the members of the athletics team processed the information.
It had to be said that the enthusiastic and peculiar thought process of the Japanese people could be quite fascinating at times.
Overall, the facilities in the Olympic Village in Japan were quite good. At least there were no situations like the Rio Olympics, where athletes had to install shower curtains in the bathrooms themselves.
Furthermore, Japan had turned the entire Olympic Village into its first hydrogen-powered community, incorporating environmental consciousness into the preparations for this Olympics. The buildings and indoor facilities displayed Japanese precision and attention to detail.
The Chinese athletes were accommodated in several concentrated buildings. As the competition neared, most athletes from various sports had arrived in Tokyo. They gathered here, and it was easy to spot many star athletes from different events casually walking around the area.
At this point, the competition had not officially begun, and most of the athletes from various events were still quite relaxed. However, the members of the shooting team spent most of their time at the shooting training range. Shooting had consistently been one of the first events at each Olympics, and the Chinese shooting team was known for its gold medal success.
Every Olympics, the shooting team carried a heavy responsibility, as they aimed to secure the first gold medal of the Games in the very first event. In recent Olympics, the members of the shooting team had borne this expectation.
After the athletics team arrived in Tokyo, coaches like Su Bai were immediately called away for a pre-competition meeting to discuss the schedule and medal prospects for each event.
In terms of the overall schedule for athletics, the events would start on July 30th and continue until August 8th. The closing ceremony of the Olympics would take place on August 9th, just one day after the last athletics event. Those athletes who would be competing until the final day included the members of Su Bai's 400-meter team. The final of the 4x400-meter relay was scheduled for August 7th, and even if they didn't make it to the final, the preliminaries for the 4x400-meter relay were on August 6th, so they wouldn't be finishing early either.
The entire schedule for the athletics events had been arranged, and after a quick glance at the schedule, Su Bai had some predictions in mind. The first finals for athletics events included the men's 10,000-meter run, men's discus throw, mixed 4x400-meter relay, women's 100-meter sprint, women's shot put, and men's high jump.
Looking further down the schedule, the events that China had a chance of winning gold in were women's shot put and men's high jump.
Both of these finals were scheduled for August 1st. The women's shot put event was in the morning, while the men's high jump final would take place in the evening. It remained to be seen whether the women's shot put would secure the first gold, or if Wang Shen would come from behind to claim it in the men's high jump.
"On August 1st, in these two events, Sun Dongguo, Li Mingzhuo, each of you should focus on your respective athletes. Make sure the athletes are in excellent condition, and ensure that we secure the first gold no later than August 1st!"
Inside the meeting room, Jiang Wentao was leading the meeting, discussing the issue of winning the first gold.
Compared to other events, there weren't many opportunities for gold medals in athletics, so each potential gold medalist was considered a critical target for the athletics team. The entire national athletics team would do their best to provide support, hoping that the athletes could secure gold smoothly.
After briefing Sun Dongguo and Li Mingzhuo, the coaches in charge of shot put and high jump, Jiang Wentao suddenly remembered something and turned to Su Bai, instructing him, "Su Bai, for the high jump with Wang Shen, make sure to keep an eye on it as well. Do your best to secure that gold medal opportunity."
If women's shot put could be considered a longstanding strong event for the national team, then men's high jump was a relatively new and potentially gold-winning event for the current generation of the athletics team. Although Wang Shen hadn't secured a major gold medal yet, his performance of clearing 2.37 meters alongside Abdallah at the World Championships last year was already considered top-tier among athletes of recent generations. It's worth noting that China's men's high jump record was set in 1984 at a height of 2.39 meters.
Wang Shen's 2.37 meters was just 2 cm away from that record set 36 years ago.
It was Wang Shen's potential that had made the national team pin their hopes for the first gold in athletics on him.
Apart from these two events, the remaining potential gold-winning events for the athletics team were women's hammer throw, men's 110-meter hurdles, and the men's and women's 20-kilometer race walking. However, the finals for these events were scheduled relatively later in the competition. To boost the morale of the athletes, it was essential to secure gold as early as possible.
After discussing the gold-winning events, Jiang Wentao and the team focused on events with the potential to win medals, especially the gold-winning events mentioned earlier. The Chinese Athletics Association had set a minimum target to secure medals.
"At the recent press conference, the General Administration of Sport stated that the goal for this Tokyo Olympics is to surpass the total medal count from Rio. In the realm of athletics, we have our corresponding task. Four years ago, we won two golds, two silvers, and two bronzes. This time, I'll set the bar here: we must win more than 6 medals. That's our mission!"
While Jiang Wentao was usually strict as the team leader, his temper was generally good. However, this time, he spoke with rare seriousness. The coaches in the room exchanged glances and nodded in agreement.
They knew that Jiang Wentao had issued such a strict command because the General Administration of Sport was overseeing the Chinese Athletics Association, and failing to meet their target would have consequences. This performance target was set as a bottom line for the athletics team.
After agreeing to the coach's directives, the coaches had one more task: to communicate the importance of these medal targets with their athletes. However, they needed to handle this communication with care. If the athletes were put under too much pressure and ended up making mistakes, it would be challenging to determine whether it was the athletes or the coaches to blame.
Once they left the meeting room, the coaches, especially those in charge of medal or potential medal-winning events, wore somber expressions. Even the coaches of other events didn't seem particularly cheerful.
While some coaches aimed for medals and gold, others could only hope for their athletes to achieve respectable results. In the world of sports, everyone aspired for excellence, and these coaches wished they had a star athlete in their discipline.
Despite facing challenges in winning medals, they still had tasks to complete. Their goal was to achieve the best historical rankings in their respective events at the Olympics. Overall, each coach had a specific mission to accomplish.
For Su Bai, he also carried his own set of goals. Under his leadership, the 400-meter sprint event for both men and women had made its debut at the Tokyo Olympics. This achievement alone was a significant accomplishment for Su Bai as a coach.
Furthermore, at last year's World Championships, Zhang Ziyi, Qiu Wen, and Li Junhao all made it to the semifinals in the 400-meter sprint. Zhang Ziyi even reached the finals.
With their performance at the World Championships as a reference, if Zhang Ziyi and Qiu Wen failed to make it to the semifinals, Su Bai's coaching success would be called into question.
Each coach was deep in thought, considering the tasks they needed to handle. After returning to his dormitory, Pei Jin'an, the head coach for sprint events, gathered Su Bai and the other two sprint coaches to discuss their respective responsibilities.
"How's it going? Do you see any challenges with the tasks this time?" Pei Jin'an furrowed his brows and asked the coaches in his room, specifically addressing the issues they were facing.
While he personally oversaw the 100-meter sprint, he was also keeping an eye on the 200-meter and 400-meter events. These events were delegated to other coaches. Pei Jin'an was now inquiring about the opinions of the 200-meter coach and Su Bai.
The 200-meter coach, who was solely responsible for that event, had no issues to report. Since the 200-meter was a single event without any relays, it was relatively straightforward, and the coach expressed confidence in their preparations.
Su Bai, on the other hand, took a moment to think before speaking, "Regarding the 400-meter sprint, I'm considering strategically withdrawing from the mixed-gender 4x400-meter relay."
Upon hearing Su Bai's words, everyone in the room focused their attention on him.
It was unusual to discuss withdrawal before the Olympics even began. However, the members of the sprint team were familiar with Su Bai and trusted that he had a good reason for his decision.
Pei Jin'an paused for a moment, then lowered his head to examine the schedule in his hands, furrowing his brows as well. He looked at Su Bai and said, "Go ahead, tell us your thoughts."
Su Bai sighed lightly and pointed to the schedule that Pei Jin'an was examining. He began, "The organizers have made changes that were beyond our expectations."
"The preliminary rounds for the mixed-gender 4x400-meter relay have been scheduled for July 30th, the first day of the entire athletics competition. If we make it to the finals, they will be held on July 31st. Zhang Ziyi and Qiu Wen both compete in the men's 400-meter sprint, with the preliminary round scheduled for August 1st. Given their performances, they are likely to advance to the semifinals. This means they'll have a high-intensity race on the 2nd as well."
"If we don't withdraw from the mixed-gender 4x400-meter relay," Su Bai continued, "the best-case scenario would be that the mixed relay makes it to the final but finishes poorly, Zhang Ziyi and Qiu Wen make it to the semifinals but not the final. Finally, after four days of high-intensity competition with only a two-day rest on the 3rd and 4th, it would be challenging for them to recover their form. There's a significant risk that we might lose the spot in the men's 4x400-meter relay final."
"Of course, this is the best-case scenario. The worst-case scenario is that the mixed relay doesn't make it to the final, and the individual event performances are affected due to energy consumption. Ultimately, this could also impact the men's 4x400-meter relay."
After hearing Su Bai's analysis and considering the schedule in their hands, the coaches couldn't help but furrow their brows. It was evident that pursuing all events might not yield the best results.
The updated and confirmed schedule was released later than expected. Initially, they assumed that the mixed-gender 4x400-meter relay would be scheduled at the end of the athletics competition, just like the traditional 4x400-meter relay. However, it turned out that the time available at the end of the athletics schedule was not sufficient to accommodate this new relay event. As a result, the mixed relay was placed on the first day of athletics competition.
Pei Jin'an pondered for a few seconds, then nodded decisively, "Alright, so how do you plan to handle the mixed relay on the first day?"
He agreed with Su Bai's strategic decision. It was better to make a clear choice now rather than risk confusion and poor performances later.
"I'll put Ah Hao (Li Junhao) and Lele (Zhang Jiale) in the race. They can give it a try," Su Bai had already considered this approach when preparing for the strategic withdrawal. He wanted Li Junhao and Zhang Jiale to experience the atmosphere of competing on the Olympic stage early on.
Furthermore, the preliminary round for the mixed 4x400-meter relay was on July 30th, while the men's 4x400-meter relay preliminary round was scheduled for August 6th. Given this schedule, there were no issues with Li Junhao and Zhang Jiale's participation.
Upon hearing Su Bai's decision to use the Olympic competition as a learning experience for Li Junhao and Zhang Jiale, Pei Jin'an couldn't help but smile and commend his boldness. However, he didn't object to the decision, and the plan was set in motion.
Five days later, on the evening of July 23rd, the opening ceremony of the Tokyo Olympics officially began. Amidst the dazzling fireworks and various high-tech performances, the Tokyo Summer Olympics in Japan officially kicked off.
On the opening night, athletes like Qiu Wen were part of the Chinese team's lineup, taking part in the Olympics' opening ceremony for the first time. Even composed individuals like Zhang Ziyi couldn't help but wear smiles on their faces.
As the camera scanned the Chinese team's formation, sharp-eyed viewers at home who were watching the live broadcast of the Olympic opening ceremony noticed that Zhang Ziyi was walking side by side with Chen Yadan, their hands naturally intertwined. This moment sparked a wave of discussions on Chinese social media.
Some excitedly commented:
【Wait, what?! Did Zhang Shuai successfully win over our goddess Yadan?】【=口= Wow! When did they get together?】【 (Nine-grid screenshot) I'm dying of laughter. Zhang Shuai holding hands with his significant other, why does he look so silly with that smile on his face? I finally get to see Zhang Shuai's cute and silly side!】【Ahhh! Mom, I'm okay now. The top CP of the 400m men and women's team has become a reality!!!】
Apart from those discussing the "Yi-Pian-Dan-Xin" (Zhang-Yadan) CP, others humorously captured Qiu Wen's excited waving in front of the camera. Some even captured Cui Luoheng, who was originally a 110m hurdler but seemed to have squeezed himself next to the coaching staff and Su Bai, as if he were looking at Su Bai with his hand resting on Su Bai's left shoulder, seemingly helping him with something.
After someone shared this screenshot, there was a brief moment of silence under the #TokyoOlympicsOpeningCeremony hashtag.
...
???
【Has anyone else's mind gone in the same direction as mine?】【Sister, count me in...】【Emmmm, I have a bold idea. Didn't they say during the Diamond League that Cui Luoheng's demeanor and playing style changed? Some even speculated that he might be... in love?】【Emmmm... Sister, your idea is quite bold. How about we call this ship 河图洛书" (HeTuLuoShu)?】
While the Olympic opening ceremony ended after over two hours, various topics related to the opening ceremony continued to spread on the internet. On the second day, the Tokyo Olympics officially began with various competitions taking place
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dapotaturs note:
(1) "义片丹心" (Yi Pian Dan Xin) is a Chinese phrase that can be roughly translated to "Loyal Hearts in the Same Frame" or "Devoted Hearts in the Same Scene."
(2) 河图洛书" (HeTuLuoShu)
——"河图" (Hé Tú): This could symbolize a river or a map, suggesting a journey or path.——"洛书" (Luò Shū): This may represent a book or writings, possibly indicating a shared story or narrative.
It suggests that their relationship is like a journey or story that is important and worth following or exploring.
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