CHAPTER XIII: Olympic A standard

By breaking the national record Zhang Guang got a week vacation to go home with his parents, after a brief gathering he return to the athletics team for a new training.

Zhang Guang on track with his feet in the starting blocks.

Chen lao up the gun and shouted “Steady, Ready ………………..”

gunfire sounded, Zhang Guang immediately release all its strength and after a few steps stopped.

This was the Start practice of Zhang Guang.

Chen Lao frowned, mumbling, said: “I feel that your start is very fast, rest for 5 minutes, let’s try again”

Zhang Guang nodded, but in his heart secretly laughed, his new Skill: “Rapid Response” helps improve response time in the beginning, and now his reaction time is between 0.15 and 0.17s, and is similar to other professional athletes.

“Rapid response” not only improves the starting reaction time, other motor responses became faster.

A whole morning, 10 consecutive start times, Lao Chen said: I feel that the starting reaction time of Guang Zhang not lost compared to other professional athletes, this performance looks like a completely different person.

“How he will rest at home for a week and your reaction time gets faster” Lao Chen scratched his head and said go get the equipment to measure time,

The device for measuring time of the players in international competitions is very complex, the start time of the start pistol are connected to a sensor, while the starting blocks also have a sensor that determines the time from when the gunfire Sounded and the feet are off the starting blocks, used to determine whether athletes have a false start, but eventually the sensor is used to calculate the athlete`s finish time, according to the international standard, this equipment requires have an accuracy of one thousandth of a second, considered a precision instrument, so the price is not low, the provincial team only has a set of these instruments.

The technical staff spend an hour to ask the equipment, followed by Zhang Guang in the starting blocks and Lao Chen sitting next screen viewing data

the starting shot rang, Zhang Guang started fast, and the electronic screen immediately showed the reaction time of Zhang Guang.

Chen Lao opened his eyes watching the screen, the time that showed made him feel surprised and was hard to believe.

“0.159 seconds”

Even in competitions worldwide, a reaction time of 0.159 s or less is considered a qualifying time.

“This instrument is not right” Lao Chen asked to the technical staff,

The staff immediately responded: ” Chen Lao we can ensure  that the equipment is well , we take care of every day, there is certainly not a problem”

Chen Lao turned and said:  Zhang Guang you left before the shot rang?

Zhang Guang shook his head.

“No, how can that be faster, it’s only been a week.” “Rests for 10 min, let’s try it again, this time personally giving the order”

………..

Lao Chen will give the order to observe Zhang Guang and determine whether he is starting before shooting.

the beginning of the Sprinters is critical, the normal start listening to them the gun and runs, but also may have gotten used to the pace of the examiner to exit before listening to the gun, if this method of beginning is successful could ensure 0.02s .

Some professional athletes use this method to beat them better players or players at the same level, this method is simply a bet.

As a coach he is not allowed to encourage the new athletes to use this method, they need new players to train its foundation and work hard to improve their levels, so I do not want that  zhang guang is using this method.

“Steady, Ready …….”

Chen Lao raised the gun, but still not giving the order, he is deliberately disrupting the rhythm, if Zhang Guang is using this method I’ll know by the sensors in the starting blocks.

Zhang Guang did not move, but was hoping that  Chen Lao gave the order.

“Bang”

the gun sounded, Zhang Guang began to move quickly.

“I did not feel I was using the method and did not move until the gun sounded”  Chen Lao ask the technician immediately: what is the reaction time?

“0.161 s” responded

Although the reaction time is 0.002 seconds slower than before, but those are 0,002 milliseconds are negligible, these two times can be regarded as the same level performance.

“How is this possible?” the decades as a coach and  Chen Lao never found a similar situation.

Sprinters have a reaction short time is entirely by training, it is impossible to reach a reaction time of 0.2 s untrained, the reaction speed of humans is affected by the brain and nerves, so greatly improve the reaction time in short time is a violation of the laws of nature, so  Chen Lao was so confused …..

“This week what did you do in your house” asked Chen Lao

“Eat, sleep, play With peas” Zhang Guang answered and said “peas is my dog”

Chen Lao apparently did not believe him and said, “Then how your reaction time improved so much”

“Old Chen, you say I’m a genius so i will create some miracles” said Zhang Guang

………………….

August, the athletes trained to resist heat, sweat, and tears that fell on the field representing the dreams of athletes.

At the end of August the results of the 9 World Athletics Championships have been released in the country, the national team achievement 2 bronze medals, 7 people reached the top 8. Draft walk that is where athletes are in a higher level occupied the top 10 in the 5000 meters women won the 9th place. womens triple jump won the 13 place, and the track team did not qualify, let alone get a position.

But in these games there are some stars, in the decathlon of men’s broke the national record in the women’s 10,000 meters Xing Na created a world junior record, another female athlete Sun Ying won a bronze medal in the 10,000 meters, it worth mentioning that Liu Fei in the 110 m hurdles won the bronze medal for the national team and made history.

Two bronze medals in these last years been regarded as the best results in the world championships, compared to the other projects made great progress not to mention the 110 m hurdles men. The track team went back to Beijing and received a warm welcome, and after a short break they will returned to the 15 Asian athletic championship.

……….

Early September

the training ground for the provincial athletics team, there not many people here only a new athletas and some coaches.

The tournament national championships, in the Huangpu station is completely filled, most are athletes for the track and field team, they did not have the opportunity to stand a top of the world stage, for the national track and field team this level of competition is a good platform.

Zhang Guang at first he was not qualified to compete in this event, would only have a chance next year, and stayed with the provincial team training with  Chen Lao.

At this time in autumn heat had the clothes Zhang Guang completely full of sweat, so he took off the shirt to keep training.

Chen Lao looked at Zhang Guang and saw those muscles and thought it was impossible that this was a 17-year-old kid, he could not contain himself and said: ” Zhang i see you more robust than before ”

At that time, Lao Chen’s cell phone rang, it was the coach Zhou on the phone.

“Hey, Xiao Zhou, it’s me. You are not preparing for the competition? how do you have time to call me ? How is the team’s performance? Asked Chen lao

on the other side of the microphone, the coach Zhou spoke quickly and Chen lao suddenly began to smile.

After a while, Lao Chen put down the phone took a deep breath and look at Guang Zhang said, “there is good news, the Olympic Games in Athens next year, you can probably participate”

“Why? Asked Zhang Guang. He knew this involved local interests and thought he had to commit to something.

Chen Lao replied: “I told the coach Zhou you ran 100m in 10.17 s equaling Chen Jian creating your own record and with that you can get the standard A to the Olympics”

According to the rules of the Olympic Games, Zhang Guang , Chen jian both are able to achieve the standard to enter the Olympics and obviously the national team will not miss the opportunity to send 2 athletes to the games.

Zhan Guang took a deep breath, the story is still in its course, there is no butterfly effect. Chen Jian in the national championship ran 10.17 s, but in the original story in the Olympics Chen jian lost in the first round, and then for 7 years no Chinese athlete could run less than 10.20s.

“Olympic Games” previously unthinkable even go to the competition “determination and hope that was what Zhang Guang had in his mind