Chapter 515: 515
"20 meters 42!" The referee confirmed Vince Jackson's result . It was the best result so far in the final of the women's shot put .
The referee checked again before recording the result . It was the first time in a very active career that he had witnessed a situation like Vince Jackson .
An athlete whose first hurl attempt was short of the 17-meter mark was able to surpass the 20-meter mark by a considerable distance on the second throw . The margin between the results was too great . It was if they were the results of two different people . If he had not personally witnessed it, it would be difficult to imagine an athlete producing such different results in the same competition .
As they saw a result that surpassed the 20-meter mark on the big screen, the live audience did not care who did it, they just gave the person a great round of applause .
Melklov was disturbed by the sudden eruption of applause . He lifted his head and looked towards the big screen . When he saw the numbers "20 . 42" he let out a cold exhalation .
"20 . 42 meters . A great result . Is that the athlete from the U . S . ?"
The world record for the women's shot put was 22 . 63 meters . The Olympic record was 22 . 41 meters . Compared to those, a 20 meters result wasn't that big of a deal . However, those records were achieved during the 1980s, in an era where world records were constantly broken . Modern athletes could hardly throw 21 meters . This throw made her become an instant favorite to win gold .
Melklov's face became stiff . He felt pressured . He realized that the unknown athlete from the U . S . wasn't there to play around and that he should pay more attention to his opponents .
"Coach . That American…" Ignagave's face filled with concern .
"Don't worry, it's only 20 . 42 meters . It's not enough to guarantee a win . Who knows, it might only be a coincidence . That American might have just been lucky," Melklov consoled him .
. . .
"That's what I'm talking about . My luck can't be that bad . There's no way she'd keep being bad . " Dai Li sighed in relief .
Dai Li knew the result of 20 . 42 meters wasn't enough to win a gold medal, but it was enough to get them a chance at another medal . However, what Dai Li was more concerned about was that the result was enough to cement Vince Jackson's place in the top eight . It meant that after the first three throws, Vince Jackson could continue with the following three test throws . Three chances where she would either get lucky or unlucky .
Gambling and luck . The more times, the better .
She has four more throws . She just needs to get lucky one in four of those times," Dai Li thought with confidence .
Vince Jackson walked off the field . She looked excited . The result was very close to her best result in training .
. . .
The third round was about to begin . For the four contestants ranked at the bottom, if they failed to get themselves into the top eight, they would be eliminated . As such, it was their life or death throw .
Nobody passed the 20 meter barrier after a few athletes made their attempts . Vince Jackson maintained her rank in first place .
However, Vince Jackson also knew that a result of 20 . 42 meters was, at best, a result that would get her a medal . It wasn't enough to get a gold medal .
The current Vince Jackson would not be satisfied with just a medal . She wanted a gold medal . She wanted to get the first gold medal for the U . S . National Track and Field Team .
When she once again stood got into position, she was aiming for the Olympic gold medal .
With a 20 . 42 meter result as insurance, Vince Jackson could use relatively extreme techniques . This throw wouldn't matter if it was bad . After all, she had four attempts left .
However, this time, lady luck seemed to be busy doing something else . She did not visit Vince Jackson .
"16 . 95 meters!" The referee announced the result of Vince Jackson's third attempt .
"Awww…" The audience exclaimed in disappointment . As the athlete with the best result, everyone naturally expected Vince Jackson to throw better than that . However, she disappointed everyone . Her result was the second worst in the competition, and the worst result was also hers .
"That's what I said . That 20 . 42 meters were just a coincidence!" Melklov lifted his head and looked satisfied . It was as if he had proven to the world that he was correct .
Dai Li's expression was much calmer . It was like gambling with dice . As long as there was no cheating involved, one would sometimes win and sometimes lose . Under the effect of the state scale, the system would never cheat .
After the first three attempts, Russia's famous Sergeyeva managed a 20 . 33 meters result, temporarily ranking in second place .
The bottom four athletes were eliminated . The top eight rested for three minutes and, after the referee rearranged the appearance order according to the results, the fourth shot put attempt began . As Vince Jackson was ranked first, she would throw last .
On the fourth throw, it was clear that the contestants upped their game . The first two athletes utilized relatively extreme techniques in their throws . They both fouled .
The famous New Zealander, Adams, threw 20 . 28 meters and Hungary's renowned athlete, Malton, got 20 . 25 meters . The Russian contestant, Milkina, finally surpassed Vince Jackson with 20 . 43 meters, moving into first place . Later, her compatriot from Russia, the famous Sergeyeva, got 20 . 45 meters, temporarily moving herself into first place .
The Russians began to show their strength . These two Russians surpassed Vince Jackson, moving her into third place .
Vince Jackson was the last to make her attempt . However,, she stepped on the periphery of the hurling area with her toe, resulting in a foul . There was no score for that throw . In a few short minutes, U . S . team's fortune had reversed .
. . .
"Good job, ladies . Well done!" Ignagave said, excited . It was as if the Russian national team had already won the gold medal .
In the women's shot put event, Russia was among the top two in the world . If the U . S . national team had not been affected by the performance-enhancing drug scandal, they competition would've been more intense . However, with Vince Jackson as their sole contestant, the U . S . national team seemed unable to put up a fight .
"Like I said just now . The American got lucky on that 20 . 42 meter throw . She is definitely not that strong," Ignagave repeated what he had already said . He then continued and said, "There are two more attempts, you're already in the lead . No need for any reservation . Just go all out and do your best! We will take both the gold and silver medals!"
. . .
It was currently night time in the U . S . , which was prime time . A lot of Americans sat in front of their TV, watching the Olympic Games .
In a small bar, the women's shot put was on TV .
At that moment, the atmosphere in the bar seemed a little dull . Many people stared at the TV with a sad look on their face . They looked speechless . She had been seen as an extra, then she had been in first place, and now she was in third . It was these sorts of ups and downs that truly disappointed the American viewers .
The opponent was the mighty Russian athlete Sergeyeva . If the U . S . had a famous athlete as well, the American viewers would still have hope . However, Vince Jackson was, without a doubt, a rookie . People subconsciously felt that she wasn't good enough to be Sergeyeva's opponent .
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"Russia has surpassed us . Not only did our athlete not fight back, she made a foul throw . Shouldn't the coach do something right now?" Someone asked .
"Yeah, the coach should do something!" Another person concurred .
. . .
Dai Li knew there was nothing he could do .
He was gambling . Whether she became excellent, or if it became terrible, it was not something Dai Li could decide . It was like Texas Holdem . He was already all-in . He could now only wait to see what kind of card was dealt .
However, Dai Li still encouraged Vince Jackson .
"Vince, you don't have to be too hard on yourself . This is your first Olympic . Getting a bronze medal is already an excellent result . Besides, your opponents include Sergeyeva and Milkina . They are both internationally renowned athletes . It's not embarrassing if you lose . No one will blame you . There is nothing for you to lose . Now, every centimeter you gain is considered a plus . So, in the upcoming two throw attempts, don't be nervous, but at the same time, don't restrain yourself . Just give it your all . Even if you don't achieve great results, you're still a winner!" Dai Li said .
Vince Jackson nodded . Dai Li's calm demeanor calmed her down a lot .
. . .
The competition between the athletes intensified further .
The athletes from Russia took both first and second place . The two of them were the strongest and the most skilled .
Although the two of them were teammates, they both wanted the gold medal . So, when it came to the real competition, none of them relaxed . They both showed their true strength .
As for the athletes from the other countries like New Zealand's Adams, Hungary's Malton, and China's Xiaona Li, none of them would simply hand over the gold medal to the Russians . They began to fight for their lives .
On her fifth throw, New Zealand's Adams got 20 . 42 meters, tying with Vince Jackson at third place . According to Olympic rules, the results of the shot put event are only determined by the length of the distance and the sequential order is ignored . If the both of them had the same result, they would both be ranked third . As a result, they would both get bronze medals .
This was also true of the silver medal . However, if it were a gold medal, then there could only be one . If two people tied in first, then there would be a need for extra time .
After that, the Russian athlete, Milkina, made an error and fouled . Sergeyeva on the other hand successfully increased her lead to 20 . 48 meters, staying in first place .
Vince Jackson was the last to make her appearance .
Dai Li's words suddenly appeared in her mind .
"Coach Li is right . I'm already a winner after getting here . There's nothing I can lose . Now, every centimeter I gain is a plus!"
Vince Jackson took a deep breath, calmed her emotion, and began her fifth throw .
This time, she also used a relatively extreme move . Her shot put flew steadily past the 20-meter line before landing on the ground .
The result of Vince Jackson's fifth throw was 20 . 54 meters . Her extreme move reaped its rewards . She successfully surpassed Sergeyeva and regained her number one spot .
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. . .
"Pretty decent luck! Another maximized state," Dai Li let out a breath of relief .
The result of 20 . 54 meters was excellent enough . It was a result that could win the gold medal . There was only one throw left and the other contestants would feel extra pressure . Who knows, they might even falter . Vince Jackson's chances of winning the competition just became much higher .
Dai Li couldn't help but look towards the other coaches . At that moment, many of the coaches looked solemn . They clearly didn't have much hope left .
Melklov's previous satisfaction was nowhere to be seen . The throw had not doomed him but it made his job a lot tougher .
He looked at Sergeyeva and nodded .
By then, Melklov had to put his faith in Sergeyeva .
The athletes began the last round . The first to appear felt immense pressure and her throw failed . The following athlete was unable to hit her target distance . At that moment, every athlete that finished increased Vince's chances of winning .
Hungary's Malton and China's Xiaona Li made their attempts consecutively . Their final throws didn't even reach the 20-meter mark . They did not pose any threat to Vince Jackson .
It was now New Zealand's Adams' turn . She was a 32-year-old veteran . Her body was no longer at its peak, but her technique and experience made up for that . It helped her remain among the best in the world .
It was also her last Olympic Games . As such, she was desperately hoping to win the gold medal, but any medal would be great .
At that crucial moment, her wealth of experience helped her . She did not panic . She calmly stepped into the hurling area and executed a perfect shot put technique .
"20 . 44 meters!" The referee announced Adams' result .
She passed Milkina and moved into third place . This was the most she could have hoped for . With that throw, her Olympic career had come to a complete end .
Milkina was extremely anxious . After the fourth throw, she had been in second place and she had a chance at first place . However, she was now in fourth place, not even eligible for any medal . There was only one throw attempt left .
She was a very experienced athlete . At such crucial moments, she forced herself to calm down and walked towards the hurling area .
*"I can do this . I can definitely do this!" Milkina knew that the only thing she could believe in was her strength .
The shot put left Milkina's hand and easily flew past the 20-meter mark . With the naked eye, it seemed as if it fell in the 20 . 50-meter range . It had to be measured to see if it passed Jackson's throw though .
Milkina looked at the surveyor expectantly . A few seconds later, the referee finally revealed an answer .
"20 . 51 meters!" The referee announced the final result .
Milkina looked heartbroken . She had not managed to surpass Vince Jackson's 20 . 54 meters .
Adams was even more sorrowful . She was once again in fourth place . She couldn't even manage to get a bronze medal .
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By then, the only one who could outperform Vince Jackson was the famous Russian athlete, Sergeyeva . If Sergeyeva could not throw farther than 20 . 54 meters, then the shot put gold medal would belong to Vince Jackson .
. . .
Sergeyeva had been ranked in the top three shot put athletes for the past 2 years . There were even a few occasions where she would take the first place seat .
Whether it was strength, experience or technique, Sergeyeva was at the peak of her career . She feared no one in the world and the only thing that could prevent her from winning was luck .
Sergeyeva walked towards the hurling area with a solemn expression . She looked as if she was a little nervous, but the head coach of the Russia national team, Melklov, knew it wasn't nerves . She was serious .
On her final throw, Sergeyeva felt unbelievable pressure, which she used as motivation to improve her concentration and focus .
Finally, Sergeyeva released her final throw of the current Olympic Games .
The shot put hit the ground . The mark left behind was clearly a distance past the 20 . 50-meter mark .
"Woooaaahhhhhh!" Sergeyeva shouted passionately . Although the referee had not announced the result, she knew that it was definitely over 20 . 54 meters .
"20 . 63 meters!" After checking several times, the referee announced the result .
A round of applause erupted from the stands of the stadium . They were congratulating Sergeyeva, as if they thought she had already won .
Melklov embraced his deputy, Ignagave . He lifted both his arms in the air and waved to the audience behind him, as if he had won the gold medal himself .
The TV camera switched from Sergeyeva, to Melklov, to Vince Jackson, and then to Dai Li . Perhaps the broadcasters wanted to capture the sad expression of the head coach of the U . S . team .
However, Dai Li only furrowed his brows a little before returning to his calm demeanor .
For Dai Li, winning the gold medal was the goal, but a silver medal wasn't unacceptable . After all, in the women's shot put event winning wasn't guaranteed . The silver medal would have exceeded the target of the U . S . team before the drug scandal .
Besides, Dai Li still had one more chance to gamble . Vince Jackson might still win .
Vince Jackson stood atop the arena . All focus was on her . The shot put championship title depended on this final toss .
The one who was most nervous was, without a doubt, Sergeyeva . She felt that, although she was in the powerful position, there was nothing she could do anymore .
"Don't worry . That American can't beat you . Her results are too unstable . There were two times she didn't even pass the 17-meter mark," Melklov attempted to console his apprentice . In truth, he was also very nervous .
As soon as Melklov finished his sentence, Vince Jackson released her grip on the shot put .
Bang! The shot put hit the ground with great force .
Everyone looked towards the point of impact .
"I had a feeling . I knew that lady luck was on my side!" Dai Li was the first to smile .Please download our sponsor's game to support us!