stonecrandall Chapter 394 World Athletics is so stingy! 50 kilograms of gold...
Chapter 394 World Athletics is so stingy! 50 kilograms of gold...
Although Yu Weili and Liu Xiang were incredibly noisy, Lin Tian at least managed to understand from them what kind of competition he was participating in.
The renowned World Athletics Golden League!
The Golden League is an annual world athletics competition held by World Athletics since 1998. This event brings together the world's top, most powerful, and most famous track and field stars to pursue the highest honor!
The current Golden League consists of seven stops: Oslo, Norway; Rome, Italy; Paris, France; Berlin, Germany; Zurich, Switzerland; Brussels, Belgium; and Monte Carlo, Monaco.
The seven-stop race runs from June to September each year, with an average of two races per month!
At the same time, each competition features 12 gold medal events, 6 for men and 6 for women. However, these events are not fixed. The Athletics Federation will make some adjustments to the specific events every year based on various factors.
For example, in some years there is a 200-meter section but not a 400-meter section, and in other years there is a 400-meter section but not a 200-meter section.
But the details, classifications, and rules of various events have changed again and again. The only thing that remains unchanged is the 100-meter dash, the king of track and field events. It will always be there!
It's always the final battle!
In addition, the reason why this competition is called the Golden League is because the organizers prepare a full 50 kilograms of gold before the start of the competition each year. All participants, regardless of their event, can share the 50 kilograms of gold if they win the championship in 5 out of 7 competitions after all the competitions are over!
If only one person wins all five events, then that person takes all the gold. If two people do it, then they split it equally. If no one can demonstrate dominance in their event and win at least five events, then the organizers save the gold.
The organizers can happily take the gold home!
However, Lin Tian thought it was highly likely that because people had been able to take the gold away in previous years, the stingy organizers felt bad and changed the rules this year.
The player must win all 7 races simultaneously before they can take home the gold!
From winning 5 out of 7 times, it became a 100% winning streak!
Taking into account all aspects such as the athletes' physical condition, form, competition intensity, and schedule, this increase in difficulty is definitely not as simple as just requiring athletes to do it a couple more times!
For example, before this year, if an athlete had won 2-3 times in a row, he could have chosen to skip two of the races, go home to relax, rest his tired body, readjust his condition to its best, and then go all out to win the remaining championships.
But starting this year, athletes will have no chance to adjust. If they want gold, they must participate in all 7 tournaments and win them all in order to take the money!
Lin Tian's reaction to this rule change was quite simple.
You little rascal, if you drink cold water, your mother will slap your mouth when she gets back.
These people from the Athletics Federation, they're just not good enough for the table!
However, judging from Yu Weili's words, he obviously did not want Lin Tian to run all 7 races. He only wanted Lin Tian to run 2-3 of them, get a good ranking, qualify for next year's World Athletics Championships, and then participate in the World Championships next year.
As for the ultimate goal, it is of course the 2004 Athens Olympics or even the 2008 Beijing Olympics!
He genuinely hoped that a Chinese person could stand on the 100-meter track and showcase their style and speed!
After all, there are no wildcard entries for the World Athletics Championships and the Olympics; you must have internationally recognized achievements to participate. But the Golden League, on the other hand, can be manipulated!
It's not too difficult to buy a spot and squeeze in one or two people if you pay enough.
This is also why Yu Weili is under so much pressure this time.
He applied to his superiors many times for this funding. Originally, the superiors thought that since his track and field team had no one else, why did he need to get involved in this mess? When they learned that he was planning to let Lin Tian participate, they said even more, "What nonsense are you talking about?"
If Lin Tian gets injured again, who will be responsible if the team's performance in the Basketball World Championship collapses?
It can be said that Yu Weili started frantically trying to find a way to make this application after discovering Lin Tian in 2000.
He begged and pleaded, asking from the Southern Heavenly Gate to the Lingxiao Palace, from the Lingxiao Palace to the Dou Niu Palace, and finally he was just short of asking the Guanghan Palace if Chang'e had any happy relationship with any big shot who could help him out.
Lin Tian neither knew nor was interested in how Yu Weili managed to win over the leadership, obtain the funding, and ensure Lin Tian's successful participation in the competition.
But Lin Tian could guarantee that since the old man was risking his life like this, he couldn't let him down.
It's just a championship.
Run!
If I'm in a good mood, I'll take all seven championships and bring you the gold medal!
50 tons! That's a huge number!
I have to help them out no matter what!
What?
Just 50 kilograms?
That works too. We'll see what the men's basketball team's schedule and training destinations are like, and see if we can find the time to visit a couple more stops.
Just let things take their course.
"By the way, Xiaolin, how's your speed these days? Have you tested your 100-meter speed? What's your current sprint time? Can you break 10 seconds? I heard that Green from America has some injury problems lately, so he might not be able to run very well!"
"If you can finish in 10 seconds, we might just win the championship if we're lucky!"
After the three returned to the hotel, Yu Weili continued to ask Lin Tian with great concern, wanting to know what level he was at now.
But how do I put this seemingly simple question?
Lin Tian was stumped!
How many meters can I run again in 100 meters?
Or rather... how much running is appropriate?
"What's the world record now?" Lin Tian scratched his head and asked. He really didn't know what the current world record was; he could only remember Bolt's 9.58 seconds.
"9.79!" Yu Weili exclaimed, "That's the world record Maurice Green set in Sydney, the one I just mentioned! He's also competing this year; he's only 28 years old and is at his peak!"
"Many people say he might break the world record at one of the races!"
9.79 Ah!
Lin Tian muttered to himself, wondering how far he should run.
After all, Lin Tian now possesses the explosive power of Su Bingtian and the acceleration of Usain Bolt. Logically speaking, running 9.4 shouldn't be a problem.
But Lin Tian also knew that if he said the number 9.4, Yu Weili would either immediately take him to see a neurologist or suspect that Lin Tian was a complete idiot who didn't know anything about running.
Regardless of which one, Lin Tian didn't like that feeling.
"9.8-9.9 should be no problem," Lin Tian thought for a moment and gave a rather conservative figure.
Well, I haven't practiced starting, and I've never actually been on a track. It's all based on talent, so this number should be pretty reliable.
Lin Da Guanren felt that the numbers he revealed were very reliable, logical, and rigorous, and that they wouldn't get him dissected.
"Really?!" Yu Weili's eyes widened. He knew Lin Tian was fast, and he also knew what Lin Tian had achieved two years ago while wearing basketball shoes, but it was too much to say that he was close to the world record.
"It's been a while since we last tested it, shall we go run one and give it a try?" Lin Tian scratched his head, stood up, and said, "Let's go, practice makes perfect!"
"Come on! Where's your gear? Here!" Upon hearing that Lin Tian was about to head to the track, Yu Weili immediately woke up and busied himself getting ready to leave. He even wanted to reach out and help Lin Tian get his gear.
"I forgot to bring it." Lin Tian was unusually embarrassed at this moment, so he lied.
Yeah, it's not that I forgot to bring it, it's that I don't have this thing!
He never wears spiked shoes normally!
He has no need for things like running compression clothing!
He's the spokesperson for AND1, so he has to wear baggy shorts and a big T-shirt to promote it!
Wearing tight clothes, isn't that just ruining the business?
Yu Weili looked at Lin Tian, opened his mouth several times but couldn't say a word.
I forgot to bring it.
Damn it, I forgot to bring it.
What if everyone is like you?
What if all the students forget to bring their pens to the exam? What if all the soldiers forget to bring their guns to the battlefield?
Then there would be no war in the world! And we could usher in true peace.
Ahem, I've gone off on a tangent.
Anyway, Yu Weili, who looked constipated, wondered for the first time if his desperate efforts over the past two years to get Lin Tian transferred to the track and field team might have been a mistake.
Could he be a complete idiot who will suffer a crushing defeat, or even lose his position as head track and field coach before he's even settled in?
If things go wrong and I lose face big time, I might have to retire early.
Sigh, from now on, I'm pretty much useless! Aside from walking the bird and practicing Tai Chi, I can't do anything else!
It's become a joke!
As for Lin Tian's performance two years ago?
Yu Weili suddenly felt that he might have been dreaming all along, having a beautiful dream that lasted for two years.
"Old Yu, Old Yu?" Lin Tian saw that the old man had started to space out, so he waved his hand in front of him a few times and said, "Is there a place nearby that sells shoes? Can you take me to buy a pair, or do you take a nap? I can go buy them myself?"
"I'll go with you." Yu Weili finally came to his senses, but he suddenly looked 10 years older, clearly filled with confusion and helplessness about his future and life.
What should I do?
What should I do?
An athlete who is about to participate in a top-level competition doesn't even have the necessary equipment!
These are the words that popped into Yu Weili's head at this moment.
Family members, be the judge: when top athletes choose their equipment, they have to break it in well in advance, treating their shoes, clothes, and other gear like treasures, breaking them in and adapting to them every day, almost to the point of sleeping in them, in order to maintain their best condition.
What about Lin Tian?
This guy was even planning to go to the store on the street to buy a pair.
"By the way, what about your sponsor? I remember it's AND 1? Do they have spikes and tights?" Fortunately, Yu Weili was a man of the world, and after a moment of distraction, he quickly realized what was going on and very considerately asked Lin Tian.
"They don't have any of those!" Lin Tian waved his hand and said, "Just wear any pair, it's fine. Who's our national team's sponsor? Just wear theirs, and then I'll get some temporary tattoos or something and stick them on my arm, as a way of saying goodbye to my team."
"Having tattoos doesn't violate any rules, right?"
"It's not illegal, it's not illegal." Yu Weili shook his head weakly. If you can win the championship, it's okay to have tattoos on your face, let alone temporary tattoos.
Then, Yu Weili took Lin Tian downstairs to the sports equipment store to buy him spikes, running clothes, shorts, and other similar items.
Less than an hour later, Yu Weili brought Lin Tian to a nearby track and field stadium, which was a training ground specially prepared for athletes by the Golden League.
At this moment, there were hardly any people on the huge field except for Lin Tian, Yu Weili, the very helpful Liu Xiang, and a few staff members from the Chinese team, who were preparing to run a test race.
"On your marks! 3, 2!"
Yu Weili stood at the finish line, holding a starting gun in his hand. He looked at Lin Tian and Liu Xiang, who were crouching down opposite him, ready to start, and suddenly pulled the trigger.
"Bang!"
After the gunshot, Liu Xiang's starting motion was clearly more skillful and superior!
For the first 5 meters, he was even right in front of Lin Tian.
But that's only 5 meters!
Lin Tian quickly erased the slight gap between the two at the start, and then swiftly left Liu Xiang behind!
Then Lin Tian's speed became even more terrifying. After speeding along, he darted past Yu Weili like lightning.
"How's it going, Lao Yu? How many seconds?"
"10.01." Yu Weili couldn't help but swallow, glanced at the number, and looked at Lin Tian in disbelief, asking, "You ran with all your might?"
"So slow?" Lin Tian scratched his head, quite dissatisfied with his speed.
He didn't hold back at all. He wanted to test his speed with this shot, so he ran at full speed. Lin Tian originally thought that he should at least get a 9.7-9.8 second, but he didn't even get a 9-second shot.
Bolt and Su Bingtian's talents, this time?
But what Lin Tian didn't know was that in Yu Weili's eyes, he was no different from a monster at this moment!
With almost no warm-up, no training, and even shoes bought just an hour ago, how could someone achieve this speed after just one casual run?
This time, Lin Tian's impact on Yu Weili was even greater than it was two years ago!
Two years ago, Lin Tian ran a time of 10.33 while wearing basketball shoes and shorts, which already amazed the entire Chinese track and field team.
I just changed my clothes today and I almost broke the 10-second barrier?
Moreover, judging from this guy's appearance, especially his posture at the start, Yu Weili could tell at a glance.
layman!
A complete novice with absolutely no starting skills, Lin Tian relied solely on his talent and recklessly pushed his way to a 10.01!
Monster! Absolutely a monster!
"Brother Lin, you're so fast! I wish I could be that fast. Shall we try the 110-meter hurdles later?" Liu Xiang walked over at this moment, continuing to be his talkative self.
"Don't speak yet!" Yu Weili waved his hand to signal Liu Xiang to shut up, then beckoned the staff over so he could see all of Lin Tian's data for today!
Then, at first glance, Yu Weili almost collapsed to the ground.
Starting reaction time: 0.31 seconds!
Monster! Absolutely a monster!
It's important to know that in today's world, the reaction time of top male 100-meter sprinters is generally between 0.15 and 0.18 seconds at the start, and anything over 0.2 seconds can be considered a starting error.
Lin Tian? This guy clocked a mere 0.31 seconds, a time that's even slower than some top-tier semi-professional amateurs! This is clearly the result of someone who has never practiced.
However, with such an incredibly amateurish reaction speed, Lin Tian actually managed to run 10.01. What if he had just shortened his reaction time at the start?
Not much, reduced to about 0.25 seconds, so Lin Tian's time today was 9.9 seconds, which directly broke the Asian record to his grandma's house.
That number is enough for Lin Tian to compete for a medal in the Golden League!
With a bit of luck, winning a championship at one of the stops is entirely possible!
And that doesn't even take into account factors like condition, wind resistance, warm-up, or other aspects!
In particular, Lin Tian's muscles are now perfect for playing basketball, but when it comes to running, his muscles are a bit too developed!
If you lose another 3-5 kilograms, you can increase your speed even more!
Yu Weili swallowed hard; he suddenly felt incredibly confident!
It wasn't just confidence; he even started fantasizing about getting promoted, making a fortune, becoming the director of the General Administration of Sport, and marrying a beautiful and wealthy woman. Well, he'd already been married, but let's not dwell on that. Anyway, he was on his way to the pinnacle of life!
Lin Tian will definitely bring me far more benefits than I imagined!
Perhaps an Olympic gold medal?
Anyway, after that one shot, Yu Weili became more and more daring in his thinking!
He originally wanted Lin Tian to participate in the Olympics so that China could be represented on the Olympic track, and then he hoped that Lin Tian could make it to the finals.
Now?
Yu Weili felt that he had been too useless before!
I want the gold medal!
"Kobayashi, how about we practice? There are some details about your starting technique that you still need to work on!"
"Let's practice! Since we're already here, I want to practice my starting position!" Lin Tian nodded, showing no aversion to training.
This also made Yu Weili extremely gratified!
Look at this! Look how ambitious this young man is! He even has a clear self-awareness, knowing that his start is not good and worrying that it will hold him back!
That's genius!
That's talent!
How can it be justified for someone with such talent not to win a championship?
"We're already here, it would be too embarrassing to get disqualified for a false start!" Lin Tian said confidently. "I think I started a bit too fast, Lao Yu, you need to adjust me, don't let me false start again!"
Yu Weili almost coughed up a mouthful of blood.
Is it still fast?
The women's team is almost catching up!
Fine.
I don't have a very clear understanding of myself either.
That's fine, it's normal for young people!
"Let's go!" However, Yu Weili was still full of energy, leading Lin Tian to the starting line and saying, "You really need to practice your start. Come on, these next few days we won't practice anything else, just your start! We'll start from the very basics! Let's try to get you under 10 seconds in the race!"
In the following days, Lin Tian practiced his starting technique with Yu Weili, which was the method he lacked most and the fastest way to improve his performance. At the same time, Lin Tian was also getting used to the spikes and the feeling of running in them.
After all, this was the first time in his two lives that he had ever worn spiked shoes!
He had never worn one of these before.
In just a few days, it would be almost impossible for a normal human to improve his 100-meter time.
Especially after reaching a speed close to the human limit of 10 seconds, any further improvement in performance requires relentless practice and refinement day after day! Only by maintaining unwavering focus can one possibly achieve even greater success!
But clearly, Lin Tian is not a normal person; he's almost not even human anymore!
His dual talents, combining those of Usain Bolt and Su Bingtian, made practicing the 100-meter dash—a sport he had almost never touched before—feel like he was just going home to eat, shower, and sleep.
Familiar! Incredibly familiar!
It's as if you're doing something you already know how to do and are extremely good at.
This feeling, to put it simply, is talent!
In any case, Lin Tian's progress was so fast that even Yu Weili couldn't believe it.
He even wondered if Lin Tian had secretly entered some kind of mental and time capsule to achieve such a terrifying improvement.
This is absolutely incomprehensible!
Yu Weili finally understood once again that there are huge differences not only between people, but also between geniuses!
For example, Liu Xiang and Lin Tian!
Liu Xiang can already be considered the most outstanding super talent in the history of Chinese track and field, but compared to Lin Tian...
Not worth mentioning, utterly not worth mentioning!
At this moment, Yu Weili was no longer thinking about winning the medal.
He started doing the math!
He was calculating which top athletes in each event at this year's Gold Series had a chance to win seven consecutive events!
Why calculate this?
Of course, it's to calculate how much gold Lin Tian can take away after finishing the last leg of the race in September!
50 kilograms! I wonder how many guys I'll have to share it with?
Ideally, there shouldn't be any!
It would be best to give it all to Lin Tian! Let him keep 50 kilograms of gold for himself!
Okay, let's do it this way!
Not a single gram will be left for other athletes!
Yu Weili is that confident now!
As for why he is so confident?
When Lin Tian, wearing the Chinese team uniform, with his logo-covered spikes and a large, conspicuous AND 1 logo on his shoulder, stood on the starting line, Yu Weili knew very well that in one minute, the whole world would know why he was so confident!
This is already the final round of the Oslo leg of the Norwegian tournament!
This is also the first time that a Chinese athlete has stood on the track for the final of a 100-meter race of this level!
Lin Tian looked incredibly relaxed at that moment, constantly shaking his shoulders and joints as he warmed up. When he saw the camera, he even struck a lightning bolt pose with both fingers pointing to the sky.
Yes, that's the move Bolt would later use most often.
Anyway, my little brother hasn't even started playing professionally yet, and it's uncertain whether he can even watch the live broadcast of this match in Jamaica. Lin Tian is taking over the moves without any pressure whatsoever.
No, it can't be considered plagiarism!
How can something that hasn't even been created yet be considered plagiarism? This is my original work, Lin Da Guan Ren's!
Yes, that's it. I, Lin Da Guanren, created my own signature move at the Golden Match.
In the future, this will surely become a legendary tale!
"Coach Yu, what do you think of Lin Ge? Can he win the championship today?" Liu Xiang asked curiously from the stands, sitting next to Yu Weili.
His race is over. Just yesterday, Liu Xiang ran his personal best of 13.12 seconds. Although he didn't win a medal, he broke the Asian record and also broke the world junior record that had stood for 24 years!
Liu Xiang has become the fastest person under 20 years old in the history of the 110-meter hurdles! He has truly made a name for himself in China and has become one of the most watched young sports stars in the country!
"I think it's okay. His opponents aren't in very good shape either." Yu Weili was sitting very straight, clearly in a state of high tension.
No matter how confident he was before the competition started, Yu Weili was still a little nervous when it came to this crucial moment.
Won't they jump the gun?
Don't get hurt!
Will Lin Tian's gang of thugs suddenly unleash their power tonight and set a new world record?
Will Lin Tian be nervous?
Is he alright? Has he been training too hard these past few days? I hope he doesn't overwork himself and get sick.
"Coach Yu, you're so nervous!" Liu Xiang interrupted Yu Weili's train of thought again.
"What nonsense are you spouting, brat? Why am I nervous? You're the one who's nervous! You've broken so many records, so don't be nervous! Relax, you need to get used to this kind of situation!" Yu Weili frowned, still adopting the authority of an elder, to remind Liu Xiang.
"No, you're holding my arm, my sleeve is soaked, and you still say you're not nervous?" Liu Xiang raised his arm and the hand that was tightly gripping Yu Weili's, making Yu Weili quite embarrassed.
"Will people think you're mute if you say less? Shut up and watch the game!" At this crucial moment, Yu Weili had no choice but to use his authority again to shut Liu Xiang up.
"Hello everyone! This is China Sports Channel! We are now broadcasting live from the 100-meter final of the 2002 World Athletics Golden Grand Prix in Oslo, Norway!" In the China Sports Channel's live broadcast studio, the deep, magnetic voice of young anchor Yang Jian rang out as he began to commentate on the race for the viewers!
"I think those who followed our match a few days ago must know very well what special significance this match has for us."
"That's Lin Tian! Lin Tian, on track 7, is representing our country in this race!"
"This is the first time that a Chinese athlete has stood on the stage of a world-class 100-meter final, fighting for glory for us! A first!"
"Moreover, I think everyone is as familiar with Lin Tian standing on the court as I am! He's the Lin Tian who won two gold medals for us in Sydney two years ago, and who has achieved great success in both basketball and boxing!"
"What no one could have imagined is that today he's standing on the third court again, continuing to fight for us!"
"Lin Tian is truly a once-in-a-century top-tier talent! He's absolutely perfect for being an athlete! After becoming a world champion in both boxing and basketball, he's here today to challenge the 100-meter dash!"
"Can he pull off another upset and become champion again today? Let's wait and see!"
"But I also have to say that before today, Lin Tian ran times of 10.05 seconds and 10.02 seconds in the preliminary and semi-final rounds respectively. These times are not actually top-tier among the eight finalists tonight!"
"Of the eight people here, every single one has achieved even better speeds and times than those two numbers! After all, this is the world's top track and field stadium, and these eight are the eight fastest runners in the world today!"
"This is a contest of the limits of human speed, a battle for the pinnacle of human speed! We look forward to Lin Tian bringing us surprises, but we must also maintain a calm mindset and accept all results!"
"After all, Lin Tian has done almost perfectly! He nearly broke the Asian record, and he's only 0.02 seconds away from the 10-second Asian record set by Japanese athlete Koji Ito!"
"Tonight, surrounded by formidable opponents, I have high hopes for Lin Tian; he'll at least break the Asian record! As for the rest, let's wait and see!"
"Before the competition begins, please allow me to introduce the athletes participating tonight!"
「4号跑道是当今短跑届的绝对王者！莫里斯·格林！他是当今世界纪录9.79秒的保持者，1997、1999和2001年三届世锦赛百米冠军！2000年雪梨奥运会冠军！00年黄金赛拿下5个冠军，成为第一个拿到50公斤黄金的短跑选手。」
"He also won the Paris and Rome legs of the 01 Golden Series. He's the biggest favorite to win tonight, and many are hoping he can break the world record again and push his limits once more!"
"He's currently at his peak; he ran a perfect 9.84 seconds in the semifinals! He's very likely to break the record again tonight!"
"Lane 5 is also home to Tim Montgomery, one of the world's top sprinters. He's in excellent form this year, having run under 9.9 seconds. Many consider him Greene's number one challenger!"
"Another formidable opponent is Dewan Chambers from Great Britain, the European champion and record holder, who ran a European record of 9.87 seconds this year. He is also a strong contender for the title tonight!"
"Furthermore, this competition also features outstanding young athletes like Gatlin. It's an absolute showdown of human speed limits, a match that will definitely get your adrenaline pumping!"
"Excellent! We see all the athletes back on their tracks, and they're ready to crouch! The race is about to begin!" (End of Chapter)