Chapter 9: Record-Breaking

Today, Zhang Guan's reaction time at the start was 0.1 seconds faster than yesterday. In the 100-meter event, a difference of 0.1 seconds is undoubtedly significant, especially as the race progresses into the latter half, where the impact of this 0.1 seconds becomes increasingly apparent. If it occurs at the starting phase, 0.1 seconds is hardly sufficient for the athlete's reaction time. However, at the finish line, a difference of 0.1 seconds can clearly be observed with the naked eye, indicating a gap of several body lengths.

Zhang Guan performed poorly in his reaction time at the start, which was expected by everyone. All the athletes and coaches present knew that what truly made Zhang Guan formidable was his speed. His remarkable ability to surge from last place to first would excite all spectators, raising their adrenaline levels.

He closed his eyes and carefully recalled the situation when he just crossed the finish line, then made a judgment: "The two of them were probably about 0.05 seconds apart!"

Moreover, yesterday, Zhang Guan achieved the Olympic B standard, which deeply stimulated Chen Jian. Chen Jian's goal has always been to participate in next year's Athens Olympics, so over the past six months, he has been diligently adjusting his condition in preparation to meet the Olympic qualifying standards. However, he did not expect Zhang Guan to take the lead, so today, Chen Jian is fully determined to compete with Zhang Guan.

The guidance position is located on the podium, perfectly parallel to the 100-meter track, making it the best observation point in the entire venue. Therefore, he is able to clearly see that Zhang Guan has a slight lead.

Finally, the electronic scoreboard displayed the competition results of all the athletes

However, it is unfortunate that his start was still the slowest. It is likely that the reaction times of the other athletes were within 0.15 seconds, while Zhang Guan was clearly lagging behind by a significant margin, exceeding a difference of 0.1 seconds, which could be easily discerned even by the naked eye

How could I forget about Zhang Guan, this rising star? It seems that the second place is no longer secure. Shen Bao felt a slight sense of regret, but soon realized that Zhang Guan had already caught up with him

The level of domestic athletics sprinting is not high enough to compete for rankings internationally, so being able to participate in the Olympics is undoubtedly the greatest dream of domestic sprint athletes

"I remember that Zhang Guan didn't catch up to me this quickly yesterday. This kid really changes every day, his potential is limitless! We, the older generation, may gradually have to step back from this stage." Shen Bao watched as Zhang Guan surpassed him, but suddenly felt an inexplicable pang of sadness in his heart

Almost simultaneously, another scream was heard

In this competition, apart from Zhang Guan, no other dark horses have emerged, and the finals feature familiar faces. At this stage, those remaining in the arena are the top athletes in the men's 100 meters event in the country, representing a contest of the highest level domestically.

This is Chen Jian's normal state; he originally had the capability to run within 10.20 seconds. According to historical trends, the second half of 2003 was the period when Chen Jian was at his strongest and in the best condition. Shortly thereafter, he would achieve his personal best of 10.17 seconds at the National Athletics Championships, tying the national record set by Zhou Wei in 1998. Following that, until 2010, no domestic athlete was able to run within 10.20 seconds.

The eight athletes in the final stood with both feet on the starting blocks, ready for the start. The starter also called out the command to prepare for the start and raised the starting gun

However, at this moment, Shen Bao had already begun to view Chen Jian with new respect. Shen Bao's first fifty meters were world-class; he believed that in the first half of the one hundred meters, no one could outrun him. Based on his past competition experiences with Chen Jian, Shen Bao had always led in the first half, only to be caught up by Chen Jian in the latter half.

In the front, leading the way are Chen Jian and Shen Bao, who are almost neck and neck, making it difficult to discern who is ahead and who is behind at least from a visual perspective

Unfortunately, plans cannot keep up with changes. Zhang Guan started 0.1 seconds faster than yesterday, thus catching up with Chen Jian earlier.

Chen Jian has demonstrated his expected level of performance, truly deserving of the title of the current top sprinter in the country for the 100 meters. It is evident from his guidance that Chen Jian's physical condition is quite good, and if he continues to maintain this, he will undoubtedly achieve even better results.

With a crisp sound of the starting gun, the athletes surged forward from the starting line

The key is the start; as long as the start can be 0.12 seconds faster, the national record can be broken. Zhang Guan is currently calculating while constantly reminding himself to stay focused.

Meanwhile, Zhang Guan's mind was filled with thoughts of accomplishing the task of breaking the national record

On the track, the athletes are preparing. Shen Bao approached Chen Jian and said, "That newcomer Zhang Guan is quite fast. I believe if his reaction time at the start could be quicker, he would definitely be faster than you."

As the schedule reaches its midpoint, a noticeable gap has emerged between Chen Jian and Shen Bao, and it is at this moment that Zhang Guan has closed in on Shen Bao

Zhang Guan, this suddenly rising dark horse, has naturally become the focus of everyone's attention. Almost everyone present knows that this young man has an unusual speed, but his start is incredibly poor. Moreover, some well-informed individuals have already discovered that Zhang Guan is an athlete unearthed by Coach Chen during the national second-level athlete testing, having undergone only two months of formal training

Chen Jian smiled and said: "I heard our team’s Old Yin (Yin Hanzhao) mention it. I watched your match yesterday as well. That kid runs really fast; in a couple of years, he will definitely surpass me. However, for now, he still lacks a bit of refinement"

Chen Jian had watched Zhang Guan's semifinals and finals yesterday, and he had a thorough understanding of Zhang Guan's characteristics of fast speed and slow start. Chen Jian also formulated a plan for the finals. According to his original plan, Zhang Guan's speed was expected to close in on him before the finish line, but by that time, he had already reached the finish line, and Chen Jian would finish with an advantage of 0.1 seconds.

At this moment, it is precisely this 0.1 seconds that has placed immense pressure on Chen Jian

What is even more delightful for Coach Yu is that Zhang Guan, a mere seventeen-year-old novice, is actually running faster than Chen Jian. At this moment, Coach Yu is already able to confirm that Zhang Guan is a hopeful candidate for the future national athletics team.

"You, Chen Jian, have been hiding your strength all this time! When I get back, I need to intensify my training, or I won't even be able to secure the second position!" thought Shen Bao.

So quickly they have caught up! This deviates from the plan!" Chen Jian realized that Zhang Guan was vaguely about to match his pace, and he was taken aback. Looking ahead, the finish line was already in sight, and he knew he had to give it his all.

The referee at the finish line only felt a blur in front of him, and then saw both individuals rush past the finish line

Chen Jian ran for 10 seconds and 22 milliseconds! Immediately, someone exclaimed.

Chen Jian is the national champion, and he is currently the number one in the country. Although he only joined the national team last year, he has nearly swept all competition events this year. At the age of twenty-three, he has just entered the golden age of a sprinter, and this is his strongest moment! It is precisely for this reason that he does not want to lose. This is not only because of the Olympic ticket but also a battle for the glory of an athlete

Everyone knows that Zhang Guan is a newcomer in athletics, yet no one considers him a weakling. Yesterday, Zhang Guan secured a spot to compete in the Olympics. Although top domestic athletes would certainly surpass the Olympic B standard by a significant margin if they perform well, competitive sports are influenced by numerous on-site factors. If, by chance, no one manages to meet the Olympic B standard in the coming year, Zhang Guan could become the sole participant in the 100-meter event at the next Olympic Games. Although top domestic athletes would certainly surpass the Olympic B standard by a significant margin if they perform well, competitive sports are influenced by numerous on-site factors. If, by chance, no one manages to meet the Olympic B standard in the coming year, Zhang Guan could become the sole participant in the 100-meter event at the next Olympic Games

Chen Jian suddenly leaned forward, hoping that his head would cross the finish line first, but Zhang Guan made this move just a moment earlier than him

It has been a long time since I have seen such an exciting competition! The coach looked at the athletes at the finish line with satisfaction.

However, this time, Chen Jian's speed in the first half was surprisingly on par with Shen Bao. This indicates that in the second half, Chen Jian will definitely surpass Shen Bao

Only the instructor clenched his fist tightly and excitedly said: "Zhang Guan has won!"

Chen Jian is currently the top athlete in the country, and this year has been his best year in terms of performance. Running times under 10 seconds during training has become routine for him, and his official competition times are generally around 10.3 seconds. Based on Chen Jian's current level and condition, his actual competition results should be between 10.20 seconds and 10.25 seconds. Therefore, when facing Zhang Guan, who has recorded a time of 10.28 seconds in the semifinals, Chen Jian remains confident in his ability to secure victory. Based on Chen Jian's current level and condition, his actual competition results should be between 10.20 seconds and 10.25 seconds. Therefore, when facing Zhang Guan, who has recorded a time of 10.28 seconds in the semifinals, Chen Jian remains confident in his ability to secure victory

The starting reaction was a bit faster than yesterday! There has been progress compared to yesterday. On the stands, Coach Yu's brow relaxed.

The finals have now arrived. If Zhang Guan is unable to break the national record in this match, it is uncertain when he will have the opportunity to participate in a formal competition again. In pursuit of the task in the system to "break the national record," Zhang Guan has also decided to give it his all in this match

Because Zhang Guan is already in the lead, he is closer to the finish line

As everyone expected, after Zhang Guan started running, a spectacular display of overtaking unfolded once again. The competitors who fell behind had no means to counter Zhang Guan's speed; the difference in speed between the two sides was simply not on the same level. They could only watch helplessly as Zhang Guan overtook them.

Zhang Guan's condition today is much better than yesterday. He can feel that his reaction time at the start is definitely within 0.3 seconds, which is already considered a relatively good starting reaction for him

The finals for the sprint and long-distance events were held first on the morning of the second day, while the men's 100 meters final was scheduled for the afternoon

Who won? The spectators watching from the sidelines all turned their gaze towards the scoreboard. They were positioned at various locations around the field, some far from the finish line and others closer, all at the same level as the athletes. Observing was inherently imprecise, and even more so when it came to moving objects. The human eye's direct observation could lead to significant errors, making it difficult to determine who was faster in that moment.

Look quickly, 10 seconds 16! A new national record!