CHAPTER IV: First Match

Two months later the track team rode the train to the city of Tianjin.

not far from the provincial capital is the city of Tianjin,  just 4 hours and in a few years after the completion of the high speed train will reduce the time to only 1 hour.

after the athletes arranged their accommodation, they began training to get used to  this place.

Track and field is not one of the strongest sports in this country, so the domestic tests are not taken seriously because of this the registrations are not limited, usually a coach can send three contestants to the same project and in this competition the players can send four.

Sprint has always been the project with the lowest threshold, and 100 m the provincial team 4 players are participating. in addition to the 22 provinces of the island, 5 autonomous regions and 4 municipalities, together a total of 35 teams, 140 players are participating in the preliminary competition will be only 18 games.

for this reason when  Zhang Guang came to the meeting place, this is already a crowded stadium, participants can only look around the room, there is no opportunity to make a trial run.

Many teams are aware of each other, after meeting they talk but Zhang Guang is new in this place, just his roommate Wang Kai who is serving as teacher introducing them to nearby players.

Wang kai pointed to the distance a man and said. “That’s a veteran Eastern Han Zhao Yin, 2 years ago was shortlisted for the project 100 m, last year won the fourth place in the championship track and field to his side his teammate Liu Yang, a finalist last year in addition also his teammate Chen Jian, he is the first person in the 100 m household.

“There is a team East China Sea.” Pointing to another group of players said the flat head is Shen Yang, He is a world level player in 60m indoors, it is estimated that one of the posts of this competition will belong to him.

See That over there “Kang Kai pointed to a mountain of athletes

Zhang Guang said I know this man is Xia Hu “glasses”

You also know that “glasses” is his nickname? but having said that among all athletes sprint is the only one with glases. This is Hu Xian began two years ago originated in the province after he was admitted to Tsinghua University and now represents the Yamashira team in this competition, “said Wang Kai

Zhang Guang nodded at this time Hu Xian not yet to become famous “glasses man” his nickname in the capital, after two consecutive years winning games in Asia this nickname will be well known.

Wang Kai currently is pointing to other players “Huangpu team”

“Huangpu team”? Zhang Guan watched carefully and ask, I do not see Liu Fei Fei.

he did not come this time, this secion is the Ninth Asian Athletics Championships and world athletic games are in conflict so Liu Fei will not participate in these games or tests 100m. just two weeks ago Huangpu championships were carried out so that this selection is not a competition. said Wang Kai

“The project of 100 m who is going to carry out? Old Chen? Zhang Guang wonder

Wang Kai smiled and shook his head “100 m in our country still not reached the standard level world championship. The real strength of the track team are women walking distance, the 100m sprint is a hindrance to classify.

………………

Wang Kai followed with the presentation until late Zhang Guang not remember many of the players, they followed a group of people to the dining room for dinner and then sleep until dawn.

The next day after breakfast Zhang Guang was with track and field team to the stadium.

Since the tournament arrangements were made hastily, several players missing the first day, of course not many people were concerned, nor the reporters raised the camera to take pictures or to write a story.

100m men had 140 players, 18 preliminaries will be carried out to determine the semifinals only the top 2 of each game will classify so more than 100 players will be eliminated.

Zhang Guang was in the first group on the second track,

in many games the first group can be considered as cannon fodder, because they are beginners where failure and emergency situations easily arise. If unexpected problems occur the game the cannon fodder has to deal with the consequences, until the timer is running perfectly then the famous players appear.

Another reason is that the game is starting and the atmosphere is bad so it is difficult for athletes to enter a state of play and produce satisfactory results, wait until the game has begun at a time when the atmosphere is strongly coupled with the enthusiasm athletes and the screams of the audience is easier to get better results. so the organizers usually organize the strongest players after half the prelimiares,

but this is also a benefit for the first group is that the strength of the athletes is low, the race organizers do not let strong players enter the first group so that this group usually is made up of new players.

Players with some experience not want to participate in this group but Lao Chen thinks it’s a satisfactory result. what more need Zhang Guang is adapted to the atmosphere of the game, and the level of athletes here in this group is low so Zhang Guang will qualify.

Boy, the strength of this group is very weak, so if you use some force sure you qualify” Lao Chen stood looking at Zhang Guang talking quietly

at that moment . a man shot his arm to shoulder at Chen Lao

” Chen Lao”

Chen Lao  turned to look at a man standing behind him a  bald man, smiling at him, this man looks about 60 years old, a big nose, a little fat.

“Less Than” you remember this man, come here.  Chen Lao said with a smile

This man is the Deputy national track and field team coach, but also the national coach of track and field team.

This contest is sponsored by the National Athletic Federation and coach of the national athletics team is here to oversee the event.

Chen Lao  for your information is a born sprinter, who repeatedly broke the national record of 200m in the ’80s.

After retirement Chen Lao became the national team coach, it is an honor for a person who became the pinnacle of an athlete after retiring into coaching, both with almost 4 decades of friendship call each other “Prebysterian” and “less than”.

when old friends meet it is natural to recall old stories but Chen’s Lao mind is focused on the field.

“Chen Lao go to the rest area for a cup of tea, the strength of this group is mediocre this group is the cannon fodder are nothing good.” Less than “said

“Cannon fodder” maybe will have bad luck I have a good seed ” Chen Lao said seriously

According to Chen lao understanding of a good seed He was shocked and asked out of curiosity: witch one?

It is the one in the second track,  Chen Lao replied

Then he  carefully look at Zhang Guang in the distance and said : good is quite young is promising?

look and decide for yourself ” Chen Lao said with a smile