Chapter 66

At 11 PM Athens time on August 22, which was 4 AM Beijing time on August 23, the final of the men's 100 meters at the Athens Olympics was about to begin.

The men's 100 meters final was the last event of the day and the grand finale. Tens of thousands of spectators had endured for several hours, mostly to witness this sprint showdown. Even more people were glued to their televisions, waiting for a new sprint champion to be born.

At 11 PM in Athens, it was between 8 and 10 PM in Western European countries, prime time for watching TV. Across the Atlantic, it was a weekend afternoon in the United States, where people had prepared various snacks and were waiting by their televisions. Only in the Far East, it was the deepest part of the night, and with the need to work the next day, few people were willing to get out of bed to watch, even though the event was being broadcast live on multiple channels.

For the 100 meters final, Europeans were more interested in the spectacle, while Americans had been eagerly anticipating it. American sprinters had long monopolized the world record and had won the Olympic 100 meters title in multiple consecutive Olympics. With three American athletes in the final, American viewers felt that the Olympic gold medal was already theirs.

Americans have always been fond of speed competitions, and the broadcast time was perfect. With the American athletes being strong contenders, the event received immense attention. The ratings skyrocketed, approaching those of the Super Bowl.

In a high-end villa in the suburbs of Charlotte, North Carolina, 14-year-old Seth Curry walked into the living room and saw his older brother, Stephen Curry, sitting in front of the TV.

"Brother, you're not practicing!" Seth Curry approached, puzzled, and noticed that the TV was broadcasting the live final of the men's 100 meters at the Olympics.

Their father, a former NBA player who had retired two years ago, had instilled a love for basketball in the Curry brothers from a young age. However, neither of them had shown exceptional basketball talent yet. Even though 16-year-old Stephen Curry was an excellent three-point shooter, his and his brother's slender builds were not favored by scouts in the era of muscular athletes.

On the TV, the athletes were already on the starting blocks, and the commentator began introducing them.

In lane one was Barbadian athlete Obadele Thompson, the weakest of the eight athletes, and the camera only lingered on him for five seconds before moving to the next. In lane two was Ghanaian athlete Aziz Allizadeh, who also received a brief introduction, and the camera quickly moved on.

In lane three, an athlete in a white vest with "USA" prominently displayed was American Justin Gatlin. The broadcast gave him a ten-second close-up, showing respect to the American athlete.

"This is Justin Gatlin, who is only 22 years old. He is the youngest of the three American athletes. He won the 100 meters and 200 meters at the 2002 U.S. Indoor Championships and the 200 meters at the 2002 U.S. Outdoor Championships. He also won the 2003 IAAF Golden League in Zurich."

The commentator's voice came from the TV, but the Curry brothers were not overly excited. At this point, Justin Gatlin was not well-known, and they were not familiar with him.

In lane four was another American, Shawn Crawford. The organizers had placed two American athletes next to each other, clearly favoring the U.S. team.

"Shawn Crawford, the 2001 World Indoor Championships 200 meters champion, is 26 years old and at the peak of his career. We also look forward to his performance in the 200 meters."

"In lane five is Portuguese athlete Francis Obikwelu, originally from Nigeria and later naturalized to Portugal. He is the only athlete from a European country in the final!"

As the commentator introduced Obikwelu, the crowd erupted in cheers, showing their enthusiasm for the European athlete, even though he was a naturalized one.

After giving Obikwelu plenty of screen time, the broadcast moved to the next athlete. When Seth Curry saw an athlete in a black vest, he complained, "Why isn't it Maurice Greene yet?"

"Don't worry, the next one is!" Stephen Curry said.

"In lane six is Jamaican athlete Asafa Powell..." The commentator did not give much introduction to this future world champion, and the camera quickly moved to the next athlete, as lane seven was the defending champion Maurice Greene.

The crowd roared with cheers, showing their support for the defending champion. The Curry brothers in front of the TV also became excited.

Maurice Greene had won the 1999 World Championships double and set the then-world record in the 100 meters. He also won the gold medal at the Sydney Olympics and was hailed as a hero in American athletics. In the United States, Maurice Greene's fame rivaled that of the top stars in the major sports leagues.

"Stephen, I bet Maurice Greene will win the gold," Seth Curry said.

Stephen Curry nodded, clearly agreeing with his brother.

The broadcast focused on Maurice Greene, and the commentator continued to praise him. After a long introduction, the camera reluctantly moved to lane eight.

"An Asian!" Stephen Curry suddenly widened his eyes. Black athletes had dominated the 100 meters for over a decade, and the first seven athletes were all darker-skinned than the Currys. The sudden appearance of a different skin tone made the Currys feel out of place.

"How is this possible? An Asian, how did he get into the Olympic 100 meters final?" Seth Curry was equally surprised. He had been training in basketball since childhood, and his training partners were mostly black, with some Latin American mixed-race and fewer white athletes. As for the Asian students in his school, they were not known for their athletic prowess and were more interested in academic clubs.

The commentator's voice came, "In lane eight is 18-year-old Chinese athlete Guan-Zhang. He is the current Asian men's 100 meters record holder."

"This ignorant commentator. According to Chinese naming conventions, he should be called Zhang Guan. In China, the surname comes first, followed by the given name," Stephen Curry said.

"Stephen, this Chinese athlete is only two years older than you," Seth Curry said.

Stephen Curry's face showed a look of frustration. He understood what Seth meant. This Chinese athlete, only two years older than him, was already on the Olympic 100 meters final stage, competing against world-class athletes like Maurice Greene, while Stephen Curry was still struggling for playing time on his school team.

Among his peers, Derrick Rose was a media sensation; Russell Westbrook had already gained fame; Kevin Durant from Oak Hill High School was a candidate for the All-American high school team; the Lopez twins from California had the opportunity to attend the Adidas training camp; Kevin Love was considered the best high school player at the time; and Greg Oden was a monster. But when it came to Stephen Curry, people only thought of him as Dale Curry's son.

Thinking about the coach's evaluation, Stephen Curry shook his head in disappointment. Compared to his peers, he had no physical advantages; he was too thin. If it weren't for the coach knowing his father, he might not even have a chance to play.

"Ah, maybe I'm just not cut out for basketball!" Stephen Curry laughed self-deprecatingly and then turned his attention back to the TV.

...

"Hello, everyone. We are now live at the final of the men's 100 meters at the 28th Olympic Games. Notably, our athlete Zhang Guan has made history by entering the final of the men's 100 meters, a significant breakthrough for our country's sports. However, the Olympic 100 meters final is full of strong competitors, and it will be very challenging for Zhang Guan to win a medal. Even so, Zhang Guan's entry into the final has already made history, and we wish him the best of luck."

The commentator's tone was calm. It was already 4 AM in Beijing, and the commentator had been working for over 20 hours. He was tired, but as a professional, he tried to stay energetic and not let the audience hear his fatigue.

However, at the Athens venue, despite it being late at night, the audience was as excited as ever. This would be the last and most thrilling event of the day's track and field competitions.

The eight athletes were on the starting blocks, their faces serious, waiting for the starting gun.

The Jamaican sprinter Asafa Powell in lane six looked particularly nervous. Despite his extensive competition experience, the Olympic final still made him anxious.

The two Americans, Justin Gatlin and Shawn Crawford, were side by side but did not exchange words. They knew they were each other's biggest competitors and chose to remain silent.

The defending champion Maurice Greene looked slightly tense. He could feel that his physical condition was not fully recovered to his peak. The semi-final had drained him, and he might struggle to run under 9.8 seconds. Nevertheless, he was determined to fight for the gold.

As for Zhang Guan, who was in top form, he was brimming with confidence and eager for the race to begin.

"On your marks..."

At this moment, the starter finally gave the command to prepare.

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Chapter 2 is here, please give me your recommendations. Thank you to Loli Green Town for the generous support, and to the readers Xiao Li Fei Dao 1000, Fashion Feng Ge, Zhang Que, Super Jianghu Hun Hun, Shen Lan Tian Fang, Hu Jiu Jiu, Ada 146, Xin Wei Xue, Gigiliu 5277, Shu You 150801184845491, Hong Huang Chang Sheng, Fu Er Mei Luo Zhi Lan, Lan Yue Feng Wu, Hua Ge ZJH, Da 1 Cheng, Xing Xue Rou, Hong Lou Yan Yu, Shu You 140313153657066, Li Ba Shang You Hao Zi, Lie Ri Xia De Pu Tao Gan, ↖Sargeras ↗, Kuang Feng Pang Xiang, Mei Zhu Ju Shi, Rong Nai Da, Yu Ren Yong Bu Bai, Jiu Ji Bei Ji Te, Zheng Jin Xuan, Shu You 160112213059891, Bao Zi Ba Ba, and J**A for their support.

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