Chapter 532: 532
In the previous Olympic Games, the Jamaican team won all three medals in the 200m dash . They had been under the leadership of the "first flying man in the world," which was really a shame for the American team .
Before that, the American team was dominant in this event . Even after the "first flying man in the world" became famous in Jamaica, the American team was still great at the dash . At that time, the American team had hoped to win a silver medal, and it would have been acceptable to win a bronze medal if they were not lucky enough . After all, something is better than nothing .
However, in the last Olympic Games, the American team didn't even get the bronze medal in the 200m dash . It really was a failure .
Now, Gittell had retired . For the American team, their biggest rival had left and they had a good chance in the final .
Shawn Ford stood at the starting line . What he saw made him feel both nostalgic and strange .
After so many years, the previous champion of the World Championship was in the finals once again .
Ford didn't know anyone other than himself, and the other competitors looked at Ford with a curious expression .
Ford, after all, used to be a world champion . Even though he hadn't run in those international competitions during the recent years, the other competitors still took him seriously .
In the coaching area beside the field, Fraser, the Jamaican head coach, was looking Shawn Ford over .
He has not shown up to a competition in years . The public has no information about him . I thought he had retired! When I got the roster for the U . S . team and I saw Shawn Ford, I thought it was some guy with the same name . I didn't expect it to be him . His performance at that World Championship was really impressive . However, I am wondering how good he is now after so many years .
Fraser looked relaxed . Three Jamaican players were in the final, while the American team only had Shawn Ford . Now, the Jamaican team had the advantage .
Besides, the Jamaican team got all three medals in this event last Olympic Games . Although Gittell retired, both the athletes who had come in second place and third place were qualified in this final . The champion had retired, so the next best naturally became the best .
It really depressed Fraser when he lost the gold medal in the men's 100m dash . Fortunately, the Jamaican team got two gold medals for the women's 100m dash and 200m dash . They helped the Jamaican team regain confidence . Fraser hoped he had found the faith needed to win once again .
Fraser couldn't help noticing Dai Li . He was looking at the field confidently with his hands on his waist .
You think you will win again! You are just a Chinese coach! Humph! Fraser couldn't help snorting, full of dissatisfaction for Dai Li .
In fact, Fraser was jealous of Dai Li, who had become the head coach of American track and field team . This American team was excellent, nearly perfect .
As a legendary coach, Fraser had taught several world champions . However, it was natural to feel jealous of the younger coach with the better team .
Downey, the team leader, secretly looked at Dai Li . He saw confidence on Dai Li's face under the reflection of the light, as if he knew Shawn Ford would win .
Downey was used to this confidence . Downey knew that Shawn Ford was one of the first American athletes to follow Dai Li, so Dai Li knew more about Ford .
"Coach Li, Ford can defeat those three Jamaican athletes, right?" Downey asked in a low voice . "The Jamaican team has the second and third place athletes from the last Olympics . "
"That Macnee is an excellent athlete . " Dai Li signaled with his eyes and continued, "Unfortunately, he didn't have me for a coach . "
Macnee, the best Jamaican sprinter, lost to Alexander in the final of the 100m dash, and now he was running the men's 200m dash . He was still the one projected to win the gold medal . Besides, even Dai Li spoke highly of him, so Macnee must be a powerful force .
Downey answered, lightly . "Coach Li, I have known you for a long time and you seldom praise an opponent . "
"Actually, it's a trick . If we praise our opponents but beat them anyways, doesn't that make us even stronger?" Dai Li said with a big smile .
As an American, Downey didn't understand Dai Li's Chinese humor . Dai Li realized that it was a bad joke, so he changed the topic . "In fact, I think Shawn Ford could be the best 200m sprinter in the world . "
"Oh, I'm relieved to hear that," Downey said .
Although Ford's talent was only an , Ford had leg length discrepancy, which gave him a special advantage . Even players with S-level talent were not comparable to Ford in terms of bending speed . Such a physical advantage was not based on talent, but physique .
The straight was Ford's weakness, but with the help of an athlete's patch, Ford could perform like an athlete with talent .
In this 200m dash, Ford was a little faster than those athletes with S-level talent in the bend, while he was as fast as an -level athlete in the straight . This meant that Ford could be regarded as an S-level athlete overall . Therefore, it was quite possible for him to win the gold medal in this Olympic Games .
. . .
The gunshot signaled the start of the final of the men's 200m dash .
Ford was slightly older than the other competitor and his start reaction time was 0 . 168s, which was the third slowest start among all the competitors .
Compared to the 100m dash, the start reaction time in the 200m dash was less important . 0 . 168s was not fast at all, but it was acceptable .
Besides, in the 200m dash, Ford was not expected to have a quick start, but to make up the difference in the bend . Because of his leg length discrepancy, he could accelerate more easily and run faster than other runners in the bend .
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Although he was only a little faster than others, in sprinting such a tiny difference could determine the final winner .
. . .
Fraser started to feel uneasy three seconds into the race .
Ford is really fast! Staring at the track, Fraser could tell that Ford was better than all the other athletes .
Two seconds later, Ford was running faster than ever through the bend .
He is really fast . Even Gittell, at his peak, wasn't as fast in the bend! Fraser couldn't help but wonder at Ford's speed .
One second later, Fraser realized that, if Ford kept this up, he would win the gold medal for the American team .
Macnee, come on! You can't lose! Fraser started to pray .
. . .
Soon all runners were past the bend and entering the straight . Now that everyone was in the straight, it became clearer how the competitors compared to each other .
"Shawn Ford!" The commentator was shouting Ford's name . He was the first athlete in the straight .
He had a quite huge lead .
It's just a bend . Why is he so much faster than me? Looking at Ford's back, Macnee didn't even believe what he was witnessing .
Macnee attended many competitions and had a lot of experience . However, he had never seen anything like this before . Macnee had lost time due to the bend in the past, but this was the most he had ever fallen behind .
Even Gittell wasn't this much faster than me! How can I catch up with him? Macnee stared at Ford's back and was overcome with a sense of helplessness .
Will I lose to Shawn Ford?
At this moment, sadness and determination filled his heart .
Four days ago, I lost to Alexander in the 100m dash . Alexander was the second-best sprinter in the world, and his best performance was better than mine . I accepted that loss .
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Shawn Ford has not appeared in an international race in years . Will I lose to him too?
Later, Macnee realized that Shawn Ford was not some nameless athlete . He had won at the World Championship in Athletics before .
Is this the strength of a world champion? He is so much faster than me in this first 100 meters! Macnee realized that he had looked down on Ford before .
In the last few years, Gittell dominated sprinting . With Gittell, the first flying man in the world, Macnee, along with the whole Jamaican team, had won all the time . With more victories, the team became increasingly confident, to the point of overconfidence . They began to look down on athletes from other countries . In their subconscious, they felt that Jamaica was the best in the world at sprinting .
Although they didn't have Gittell in this Olympic Games, Jamaican team was still so confident that they thought they'd win every sprinting event . They had taken it for granted . Even when they lost the men's 100m dash, the Jamaican team had still felt that they were still invincible .
Now, when Macnee fell so far behind Ford, he finally realized that the whole Jamaican team had made a big mistake in underestimating their opponent .
At last, Macnee realized that his opponent was incredibly powerful . The Jamaican team was not destined to win every sprinting event .
. . .
Ford was in the lead, and once again he felt both like he belonged and was out of place .
He had once had a similar experience when he was the first to cross the finish line and won at the World Championship .
It was so long ago that he also felt out of place . The memory had blurred in Ford's mind .
Over the years, Ford had dreamed about the scene when his win at the World Championship many times . Now, he seemed to return to that moment years ago .
Ford couldn't even recognize whether this was reality or a dream .
If this is a dream, I am in control . I'm the one in charge, so everything that happens here will go as I want it to!
Ford was getting closer and closer to the finish line .
If this is a dream, the result will be what I have dreamt of many times . I'll be the first to cross the finish line and I'll get the gold medal . I will stand at the top of the podium!
With this thought, Ford crossed the finish line .
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Ford's final time was displayed on the side of the field: 19 . 78s .
"Shawn Ford crossed the finish line . He's first! The past champion has come back!" The commentator yelled passionately at the microphone .
The audience began cheering and the Americans waved their American flags . Countless cameras flashed at Shawn Ford . . .
Ford felt this was not real . It was like the World Championship years ago and nearly the same as the dream he'd had so often .
If this is a dream, I hope I don't wake up too quickly . I want to enjoy this as much as I can!
Ford closed his eyes and raised his head . He took a deep breath, as if he wanted to keep this feeling forever .
Ford hoped time would stop and so he could stay in this moment forever . He hoped that he wouldn't wake up from this "dream . "
Several athletes came over to Ford to congratulate him, but Ford kept his eyes closed and took another deep breath with his head raised . He had no intention of responding to the others .
Many journalists came to him with all sorts of cameras . He could hear was sounded like dozens of people continuously tapping keyboards . However, Ford kept his position, taking deep breaths with his eyes closed and head raised . He didn't notice the journalists around him .
The other athletes walked away awkwardly when they saw Ford didn't respond to them .
The journalists stood there and continued to film him . They thought this was Ford's unique way of celebrating, so they didn't disturb him .
"Bang!"
At last, someone hit Ford on his shoulder .
Ford woke up, opened his eyes, and turned to see Dai Li standing beside him .
"What are you thinking about? Get ready for the awards ceremony!" said Dai Li .
Ford nodded slowly and looked around . He saw the journalists, the audience, and the result on the screen .
Ford realized that this was not a dream . All of this was real!
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