[Short track speed skating] From academic master to Winter Olympic champion

If he could see a little hope, Gu Ran would desperately strive for victory.Gritting his teeth, he rushed forward while taking advantage of the curve!

But just as he was about to try to pass by Chi Lang, he was noticed by the other party.Chi Lang's body calmly moved towards the inner position, no matter how hard Gu Ran's small body tried, he couldn't get past it.

Chi Lang is tall and strong, and Gu Ran looks like an immature elementary school student in front of him.It can't be squeezed and can't be squeezed, and it can't be bumped.

Chi Lang originally only planned to use a little bit of strength to ensure that the first place in the group will advance to the final.Unexpectedly, a kid rushed up behind him, and even competed with him.

Therefore, he also began to exert strength, first using his physical advantage to occupy a position, and planned to accelerate the sprint after passing the curve smoothly.

The cornering speed is fast, and the body is inclined to a large extent. Frequent body contact is easy to fall.Most people try once or twice, and give up if they don't succeed.

But in Gu Ran's dictionary, there are never two words of giving up.

When he grows up so big, whatever he wants to do, there is no failure.

After returning to the straight after exiting the corner, the track becomes open in an instant.After sprinting four laps with all his strength, Gu Ran's physical energy was almost exhausted.

But he is still trying to find opportunities and try to outdo each other.

Just a little bit, just a little bit...

When Gu Ran rushed up with all his strength, before he could overtake Chi Lang, he found that the opponent's forward body suddenly straightened up—they had just crossed the finish line, and the race was over.

He groaned helplessly, although he was a bit unwilling, but he could only accept this result.

Fortunately, this is only the semi-finals, whether he can surpass it will not affect his entry into the finals.

Two teammates behind him leaned over, one left and one right, and someone patted him on the shoulder: "Let's go, Director Xu let us go."

Gu Ran turned her head and saw Xu Qing outside the track waving to them.

One of the teammates said: "Sorry, we didn't get two promotion places."

Xu Qing shook his head: "It's okay, just try your best, you two will have a match later, go and rest first."

They still have to participate in the quarter-finals of the 1000 meters. Only Gu Ran didn't even have a relay, and only reported for 500 meters.

Gu Ran was still panting. After the two teammates left, he took off his helmet. His hair was already soaked in sweat, and the broken hair was messily pasted on his forehead.

Just as they expected yesterday, province J has one and only one place to advance.

Gu Ran was a little bit unconvinced: "Give me one more lap, and I will definitely overtake him."

Xu Qing smiled and said, "Then you should go skating 1000 meters."

Gu Ran bit her lower lip and said nothing. With his current physical fitness, he couldn't slide down 1000 meters at all.

Xu Qing continued: "Chi Lang also applied for the 1000-meter race."

Gu Ran said, "According to my observation, he should be better at 1000 meters than 500 meters."

"Oh?" Xu Qing was a little surprised, "You have seen it all."

Gu Ran spread her hands: "Is this hard to see?"

Xu Qing chuckled: "You should think about how to skate in the final."

In tomorrow's final, isn't Chi Lang still the opponent?

"I'm going to change clothes." Gu Ran turned to leave, but suddenly remembered something, and turned her head again, frowning, with a worried expression on her face, "By the way, Leader Zhao...he won't think that I'm going against him on purpose , Don’t put the collective interest in your eyes.”

"With me here, what are you afraid of?" Xu Qing waited for him to glance, and said angrily, "Get out!"

Back at the hotel at night, Gu Ran lay on her back on the bed in a daze for a while.Then he took out his phone and was about to watch the video of today's game when a call came in.

He glanced at the caller ID and picked it up in a hurry: "Master!"

Jiang Yan called to ask about Gu Ran's match: "How is it?"

Gu Ran chuckled: "Very good, Shanghai, a big city, passed by the Bund that day, and saw the Oriental Pearl Tower."

Jiang Yan reprimanded: "You and I are poor, did I ask you this? I asked you how the game was!"

Gu Ran sat up from the bed and told Jiang Yan what happened yesterday: "The three of us all entered the 500-meter semi-finals yesterday, and we were in the same group. The team leader Zhao, he thought I was the youngest and ranked the lowest. He is also the shortest, so let me assist the other two teammates to ensure that they can enter the finals. He also said that this is for collective honor, and there must be a spirit of sacrifice.”

Jiang Yan defended his shortcomings, and he was a little angry when he heard it, but he still asked calmly, "And then?"

Gu Ran smiled and said: "You said that this is a team sport. If my two teammates are strong enough, I will obey the coach's arrangement without hesitation. But the opponent is stronger. The three of us combined I couldn’t beat others. In the end, I won the second place and entered Group A of the final, and my two teammates went to Group B.”

Jiang Yan asked: "Are you confident of winning the final?"

Gu Ran answered irrelevantly: "The opponent is really strong!"

"I asked you if you have the confidence to win the championship?"

"After I go back, I want to start practicing 1000 meters?"

Jiang Yan was angry: "Don't talk about it with me, I'll just ask you if you have the confidence to win the championship."

"Yes!" Gu Ran laughed out loud, "But the other party is taller and stronger than me, so I can't hit him."

"Who told you to bump into him? How did I tell you, what is the reason for the internal way to transcend? It's a word 'clever', it's an opportunity! Who told you to fight him?"

Gu Ran didn't dare to say anything, and continued to listen to him: "Olympic champions show their flaws, but I still don't believe that a young player can be impeccable."

That is to say, but on the field of competition, opportunities are fleeting, and those who can really grasp the opportunities are not ordinary athletes.

After hanging up the phone, Gu Ran was thinking about it when he knocked on the door.Someone poked his head in and called him: "Gu Ran, Director Xu asked you to go to his room."

Gu Ran hurriedly got up and went out, and when she came to Xu Qing's room, the other party was on the phone.On the other end, Director Wang also took an iPad and was talking to a female team member.

The two occupied the two ends of the room, without disturbing each other.

After hanging up the phone, Gu Ran walked over and sat next to Xu Qing.The latter found today's game video and played it at a normal speed.

Gu Ran has watched this video several times today. He already knows what is wrong with him and where he is not doing well enough.

Xu Qing analyzed it from the beginning, and then said: "Look carefully, Chi Lang's skills are actually similar to yours."

Gu Ran blinked: "Almost?"

Xu Qing twitched the corner of his mouth: "It's so rough that you can't tell the difference."

Gu Ran: "..."

Xu Qing adjusted the playback speed to 0.5, pointed to the screen and said, "Look, here, here, and here, there are big problems with his handling. It's just that his physical condition is good enough to cover up his technical deficiencies. And , you have some distance from him behind, and there is no threat to him."

Gu Ran frowned: "That is to say, as long as I can grab a favorable position when I start running tomorrow, Chi Lang is not invincible."

Xu Qing snorted and laughed: "In this world, no one is invincible."

Gu Ran's gaze was fixed on the screen, watching the semi-finals over and over again.

"Of course, we are now watching the game from the perspective of God. When you are on the court, it depends on your own ability."

He put his hand on Gu Ran's shoulder: "Remember, little guy, short track speed skating requires not only technique and body, but also brain. On the court, you must keep your mind clear at all times."

Gu Ran thought for a while, and at this time another team member came in at the door.Xu Qing patted him on the shoulder: "Go back and think about it, just watch more videos."

Gu Ran nodded, stood up and left.

That night, Gu Ran had the dream he had half a year ago again, but the Korean player who couldn't see clearly in front of him turned into the burly Chi Lang.

The next day is the last competition day of the U-series competition in Shanghai. All U16 age group events and relay races will determine the gold medal today.

During the pre-match training, Gu Ran saw Chi Lang again. He stood outside the ice rink and stared at him for a long time until the opponent finished training.

Chi Lang raised his head and caught Gu Ran, the "peeper", straight on. The two of them met each other through the goggles, and sparks almost burst out.

In the end, Chi Lang showed an arrogant smile at the corner of his mouth, and took the lead to look away.

Just before the start of the game this morning, two people walked in from the highest part of the stands near the gate.

The older one wears glasses and has a slightly fatter figure.Song Zhixin, deputy director of the Winter Sports Management Center of the State General Administration of Sport.The other is Cheng Sen, head coach of the National Short Track Speed ​​Skating Youth Team.

Cheng Sen glanced at the big screen: "Director Song, next is the men's 16-meter race in the U500 age group, which is also the focus of our investigation this time."

Song Zhixin thought for a while: "That Chi Lang in Province H performed very well last year and even broke the 500-meter race record. He should be 16 this year, so the defending champion should be fine."

Cheng Sen said: "Chi Lang is indeed a rare good seedling in this age group. The main reason is that he has strong physical fitness and strong kicking power. He will be able to compete with those European and American players in the future. I am also looking forward to his performance today."

The first game on the field is the B group game, which is the fifth-No.8. The two players from Province J performed well, taking sixth and seventh, and together they scored 5 points for the team.

And No. 5 was won by the players from province H, and, besides Chi Lang, they had another player who entered the final.

Based on the semi-final results of the two groups, both Chi Lang and Gu Ran were better than the other group.Therefore, in the final, Chi Lang was the first and Gu Ran was the second.

And another team member from province H was in the third lane. He and Chi Lang sandwiched the petite Gu Ran in the middle, looking like a poor little boy who was bullied by seniors.

Song Zhixin squinted his eyes to look at the field, pointed at Gu Ran's figure, and joked to Cheng Sen: "Such a small one, is it a child of a younger age?"

Cheng Sen flipped through the information in his hand: "Gu Ran, from Province J, did not turn 6 until June 30th, which happens to be the last day of U14 registration age, and is the youngest contestant in this group."

Speaking of this, Cheng Sen frowned suddenly, and Song Zhixin turned to look at him: "What's wrong?"

"According to the data, this kid is almost 14 years old, and his height is less than 160 centimeters. He has only been learning short track speed skating for seven months, and this is his first time participating in a competition."

"Only seven months?" Song Zhixin asked in surprise, "Then he is quite powerful."

After all, Director Song is a layman. Hearing that he could enter the final of the national competition in seven months, the most competitive event, he took it for granted that this child must be extremely talented.

But in the eyes of Cheng Sen, a professional, things are not that simple.

After all, it was Gu Ran's first time to participate in the competition, and it was the finals. The attention of hundreds of people at the scene was focused on them, and it was impossible to say that they were not nervous.

The dark goggles darkened everything around him, leaving only the white runway in front of him.

He took a deep breath to calm his heartbeat.The skates are lying across the ice, and the body moves forward, like an arrow ready to go.

In yesterday's semi-final, the contest between the two left a deep impression on the audience. Everyone is looking forward to this final.

"Bulldozer vs Pokemon!"

"I am more optimistic about Chi Lang, he is too strong!"

"I am also optimistic about Chi Lang, after all, he is better in age and body."

"..."

The referee raised his hand to signal the audience to be quiet, and then the starting gun fired, and the game officially began!

Gu Ran didn't take anything into account this time. He had already thought about it last night. He would compete with Chi Lang for the first corner, and he must not let him get away from him.

So, just as the audience expected, this was a very intense game at the beginning.

The four contestants, none of them allowed, were all kept in the inner lane, and the scene was in chaos.

However, what Gu Ran didn't expect was that Chi Lang had a helper, but he didn't.

The three-lane team member from H province has consciously leaned towards Gu Ran from the start, blocking his route with his body, so that Chi Lang, who is in the first lane, can grab the first place.

It was extremely uncomfortable for Gu Ran to be caught between the two of them. She was almost squeezed out at the second bend.

Fortunately, he quickly adjusted his center of gravity and pulled his body back.

But in the blink of an eye, Chi Lang has already rushed out.

Gu Ran sees no one else but Chi Lang, and it's not so easy to get rid of him.

After leaving the corner, he began to speed up the frequency of pedaling, and soon caught up with Chi Lang.

At this moment, with a glance out of the corner of his eye, the team member of H could no longer be seen.

Chi Lang was also a little surprised. Yesterday, when he was about to enter the fourth lap, the other party started to catch up. Why did he appear beside him before the first lap was over today.

The two started chasing after each other, Chi Lang still wanted to rely on his physical advantage to get rid of Gu Ran.

However, Gu Ran was too flexible, he couldn't get rid of it at all.

Just when he was wondering what was going on, suddenly, a shadow quickly passed by beside him - that was his opponent, Gu Ran. Gu Ran overtook him at the last corner of the first lap and came to the first corner. One!

"Wow!!!" There were exclamations one after another from the stands, but their voices hadn't finished yet. On the field, Chi Lang sped up again, preparing to overtake Gu Ran at the next bend.

In the youth competition, it is still a 500-meter competition. It is really rare to see such frequent overtaking.

Only two laps into the race, Gu Ran and Chi Lang had already put the other two opponents out of the way.

And the two of them bit each other tightly, neither of them would let the other go.

Chi Lang couldn't figure it out, yesterday this little guy only knew how to bury his head and rush forward, why is it different today?