Chapter 31

"Accelerate through the curve, increase the speed in the curve. I wonder how much it can improve, and whether I can win the 4x100m relay championship."

Zhang Guan looked at the new skill in the skill bar, feeling somewhat uneasy.

It takes 6 skill points to synthesize the 'Enhance Physical Fitness' skill, and Zhang Guan knew he couldn't get 6 skill points in the short term. He needed more competitions to accumulate them, and it was impossible to gather 6 skill points in this Asian Athletics Championship.

Therefore, Zhang Guan decided to learn the 'Curve Sprint' skill to improve his speed in the curve. Improving the curve speed could enhance the 4x100m relay performance. Zhang Guan hoped to win the Asian championship in the 4x100m relay, which would earn him 2 skill points. If he could break a record, he would get even more skill points.

Investing one skill point could gain a new skill and at least 2 skill points, possibly more. This was a very good deal.

Moreover, in Zhang Guan's future plans, he definitely needed to participate in the 200m sprint, not only for the honor but also to have more ways to earn skill points. Therefore, learning the 'Curve Sprint' skill was necessary.

Zhang Guan also had some understanding of his opponents. Although Endo Shingo was injured, the Japanese team was still the strongest, as their athletes were comprehensively strong, with the top four positions in Asia.

Additionally, the Saudi Arabian team also showed strong power in the preliminary round. Two of their athletes entered the 100m final, making them the strongest team outside of China and Japan, with a chance to win the gold medal.

Furthermore, the veteran strong team Kazakhstan, and the Middle Eastern sports powerhouses Qatar and Iran, all had the potential to win medals.

Notably, the Thai team also entered the final. This young Thai team was not highly regarded before the competition, and it was thought they were just there to fill the numbers. However, they ran the fourth-best time in the preliminary round, which was impressive.

But Zhang Guan knew that this Thai team would defeat the Japanese team in the 4x100m relay at the 2006 Doha Asian Games.

Team events often have a high degree of uncertainty, and the 4x100m relay is no exception. A team of the four fastest runners in the world might not necessarily win. Each athlete's performance on the day, the timing of the baton pass, and the speed of the pass all affect the final result. Therefore, for the 4x100m relay at the Olympics or World Championships, for an Asian team to win a medal against European and American teams, it requires not only strength but also outstanding luck.

Similarly, to break the 4x100m relay record, it's not just about strength; it also requires luck. The current national record is 38.81 seconds, set in 1995 in Gothenburg. Zhang Guan's goal this time is to break this record. As for the Asian record, it is too far away. Although Zhang Guan is outstanding, the other three athletes are not strong enough to break the Asian record.

Thinking about the future national team that broke the Asian record—Su Bingtian with a 100m time of 9.99 seconds, Zhang Peimeng with a 100m time of 10.00 seconds, Xie Zhenye, the national 200m record holder, and the youngest Mo Youxue, who reached the Olympic A standard at 16 and won the first World Youth Championship for the country at 17—it took this powerful combination to barely break the Asian record. The current national team, apart from Zhang Guan, has Chen Jian, who ran 10.17 seconds, which is far from breaking the Asian record.

"Winning the championship is enough." Zhang Guan thought to himself.

...

The starting gun sounded, and the race began!

The competition for the first leg was exceptionally intense. Facing the veteran Japanese athlete Tsuchiya Masahiro, Chen Jian did not gain any advantage, but he also did not fall behind.

Tsuchiya Masahiro is the oldest of the four Japanese athletes. If there were no accidents, he would retire after the 2004 Athens Olympics. However, he was part of the golden generation of Japanese sprinters, and although he was past his prime, his speed was still comparable to Chen Jian's peak.

The Japanese team's second leg was run by Endo Shingo, who was originally supposed to run the fourth leg but switched with Asahara Nobuyuki due to his injury, running the shortest second leg.

Endo Shingo won the 200m sprint at the 2003 Asian Games and broke the Asian 200m record in June of this year. He could have run the first or third leg, but he is currently the strongest and in the best form on the Japanese team. He was supposed to run the last leg, but due to his injury, he had to run the second leg.

Shen Bao, who was also running the second leg, glanced at Endo Shingo's left leg and thought that with his injury, he would likely run conservatively, giving Shen Bao a chance to beat him. The thought of possibly defeating Endo Shingo made Shen Bao smile slightly.

Shen Bao did not notice that Endo Shingo also glanced at him, and his smile caught Endo Shingo's eye.

"What is this Chinese athlete smiling about? Does he think I can't run because I'm injured? Does he look down on me? He can't even make the Olympic A standard. How dare he look down on me! I am the best in Asia! How dare this Chinese athlete look down on me! This is a disgrace, and I cannot tolerate it! I will show you in the race that even with an injury, I am still faster than you..."

At the moment of the baton pass, everyone was watching Endo Shingo. Everyone knew he was injured, but no one knew the extent of his injury. By observing his performance, one could judge the severity of his injury.

The acceleration, baton pass, and straightaway sprint were smooth and fluid, but as the saying goes, amateurs see the excitement, while experts see the details. There were many experts in the audience, and they noticed that in the curve acceleration zone, Endo Shingo's left leg did not dare to exert force. Although he looked fine on the surface, his injury was definitely not good. It was estimated that he would not be able to participate in the 200m sprint in the afternoon.

Surprisingly, after entering the straightaway, Endo Shingo was still the fastest, especially near the end of the straightaway, where he was clearly faster than Shen Bao.

Endo Shingo's best 100m time is 10.03 seconds, set last month, while Shen Bao's best 100m time is 10.23 seconds, which he will achieve next year. The 0.2-second difference is a significant advantage in a 100m race.

However, Coach Kobayashi and Coach Takano frowned.

"How can he run so fast! Is this okay? Can his Achilles tendon hold up?" they both thought.

Even running in a straight line at high speed puts enormous pressure on the Achilles tendon. Endo Shingo, with his injured tendon, should have run more conservatively. Coach Kobayashi had instructed him to avoid overexertion, but Endo Shingo was clearly not following the coach's advice, having been provoked by Shen Bao before the baton pass.

"I, Endo Shingo, will never be a burden to the Japanese team!" Endo Shingo thought as he ran into the baton pass zone and handed the baton to the third leg runner, Kōhei Shinsu.

Afterward, Endo Shingo gradually slowed down and came to a stop. When he stood still, he felt a sharp pain in his left leg, almost falling to the ground. He knew his injury had worsened.

The human body, when under high stress or intense focus, may not feel pain, but once it stops, the pain becomes more intense.

Endo Shingo was already running with an injury. If he had run more conservatively, it would not have worsened his injury, but his all-out effort and high burst of speed had undoubtedly aggravated his Achilles tendon.

Seeing Endo Shingo's condition, Coach Kobayashi felt uneasy, while coaches from other countries were pleased. Endo Shingo's injury meant he could not participate in the 200m sprint in the afternoon, reducing the competition and increasing their chances.

The third leg for the Japanese team was Kōhei Shinsu.

Kōhei Shinsu is a young athlete, only 19 years old, but he is a very versatile athlete.

Sprinters usually compete in two events, such as 100m and 200m, which have similar requirements for explosive power. Athletes who compete in 200m and 400m are fewer, and they are usually stronger in the 400m, like the legendary American sprinter Michael Johnson.

However, very few athletes compete in all three events: 100m, 200m, and 400m. This is because the techniques and rhythms required for 100m and 400m are completely different and do not transfer well.

Kōhei Shinsu is one of the few who competes in all three events and has achieved good results in domestic and Asian youth competitions.

Kōhei Shinsu may seem versatile, but in high-level competition, being "versatile" often means being "not specialized." Even with his outstanding talent, Kōhei Shinsu was still slightly inferior to Yang Yao, who focuses on the 200m sprint. By the time they reached the curve, the lead Endo Shingo gained with his injured leg was largely lost. Yang Yao successfully narrowed the gap between the two teams.

Due to the different starting positions, it is difficult for ordinary spectators to determine the true leader before entering the straightaway. Observing who enters the baton pass zone first is a good way to judge the leader.

The Japanese team still had a slight lead and entered the baton pass zone first.

The Chinese team and the Saudi Arabian team entered the baton pass zone almost simultaneously.

The decisive fourth leg runners were starting their acceleration.

The fourth leg for the Saudi Arabian team was the small black athlete Habib.

The fourth leg for the Japanese team was the veteran Asahara Nobuyuki.

The fourth leg for the Chinese team was Zhang Guan.

The final showdown was about to begin...

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Chapter 2 is here. First, I would like to thank the readers gigiliu5277, Fengxuepiaolin, fqlaogao, and Chang Sheng for their support. My review section is named "Author Passes Through Challenges," as "Passes Through Challenges" was already taken. Finally, I request your support in terms of collections and recommendations. Thank you!

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