Almighty Athlete

Chapter 182: Rivals in West Asia

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No Chinese athlete has ever been able to run the 1,500 meters within 3 minutes and 36 seconds. The previous national record was 3 minutes, 36 seconds and 49 held by Dou Zhaobo.

Zhang Guan came here to surpass Dou Zhaobo today, and Dou Zhaobo also cooperated very well today. His condition was very good. Although he did not reach the level when he set the national record, he was still much faster than ordinary athletes. This This also made Zhang Guan's follow-up speed improve, and eventually broke the national record. If the leading athletes are not strong enough, Zhang Guan may not have the chance to break the national record.

Although Dou Zhaobo was a little disappointed when his own national record was broken, he still stepped forward to congratulate his younger brother Zhang Guan on the same team. Then he slowly walked to the sidelines, and coach Zhou happened to come over and handed him a towel.

"Don't be discouraged. You have already run well. The failure in the game is not due to you, but because Zhang Guan played so well." Coach Zhou stepped forward to comfort him.

Dou Zhaobo nodded: "Coach, don't worry, I'm fine. In fact, when Zhang Guan ran the 800 meters yesterday, I had already guessed that this might be the result. I was mentally prepared, but at this time, I was still a little nervous. It’s just hard to accept.”

"Don't think too much. The chances of you meeting Zhang Guan in competitions in the future can be said to be very few. This kid is destined not to belong to the domestic competition, just like the 100-meter dash back then. After taking part in the Asian Track and Field Trials, he is basically very Don't play domestic competitions anymore. I believe it won't be long before he goes to the international arena to compete with world-class athletes!" Coach Zhou sighed, and then continued: "Actually, from another aspect, Zhang Guan this time Winning two middle-distance running championships and breaking the national record will definitely be beneficial to the development of the entire middle-distance running industry in China."

Dou Zhaobo was slightly stunned. From Coach Zhou's words, he thought of some things in previous years, many of which he had personally experienced, and he also sighed with emotion.

During an unannounced inspection one month before the opening of the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Ma Jiajun was almost wiped out. The urine test was positive, the blood test exceeded the standard, and 6 of the 7 athletes tested had used doping. At that time, Ma Jiajun was excluded from the Olympic Games.

In fact, the collective use of doping by Ma Jiajun was an open secret long before the Sydney Olympics. At that time, reporters also made corresponding investigative reports, but in the end part of the content related to doping was deleted. The superior department was unable to do so for some reasons. He has always acquiesced in Ma Jiajun's approach.

Until the Sydney Olympics, Ma Jiajun still did not restrain himself and was still using doping. At this time, the superior authorities realized that if Ma Jiajun was allowed to participate in the Olympics and was detected as doping during the Olympics, it would definitely be a world-class scandal. Instead of letting Ma Jiajun go abroad to embarrass himself, it would be better to let them stay at home. That's why Ma Jiajun was deprived of his qualification to participate in the Olympic Games that year.

Ma Jiajun's retirement had a great impact on the domestic middle and long-distance running events. At that time, sports funds were relatively limited, so the management once considered middle-distance running and long-distance running to guarantee one. Compared with the two, long-distance running was definitely more advantageous. At that time, sports funds The general public is even discussing whether to cancel the 800-meter and 1,500-meter middle-distance races at the National Games, and then invest limited resources in long-distance running events.

The two events of 800 meters and 1500 meters are Olympic events. To discuss the cancellation of an Olympic track and field event can really be said to be a critical moment for the survival of this event.

Athletes training needs to be cyclical. In the domestic athlete selection system, many athletes start training in early childhood. Elementary and junior high schools are also spent in sports schools. After completing compulsory education, outstanding talents enter professional teams. , only after adulthood does one begin to produce results, and the whole process takes more than ten years. Therefore, once there is a gap in athletes, it will probably take a generation to re-train athletes for this event.

Just when middle-distance running was about to be cancelled, Dou Zhaobo entered his peak period. He first won the 1,500-meter championship at the National Track and Field Championships, and then also won the 1,500-meter gold medal at the Asian Games. , and then broke the national record of 1,500 meters. A series of results gave people hope for the national team's middle-distance running. The management finally gave up on the plan to cancel middle-distance running in the National Games. However, in terms of resource tilt, middle-distance running is still at the end of track and field events.

Just listen to Coach Zhou say: "Our middle distance running event is not even comparable to the 'Three Girls' in track and field events. There is no attention, and the students in the sports school are not willing to practice, let alone achieve results. Over the years, It’s getting worse year by year. So Zhang Guan’s entry into this field may be good news for the entire middle distance running. With Zhang Guan’s fame, it will definitely bring some attention to the middle distance running project, and it will also Inspire some sports school students to participate in this project. At least in recent years, there is no need to worry about the middle-distance running project being axed!"

Then Coach Zhou changed his voice and continued: "Let's not talk about these heavy things. The award ceremony will be held soon. Our team has won the top two places. Be energetic when you go up to receive the award! I have been preparing recently. You are quite tired from this National Track and Field Championships. I will give you a week's leave after you go back. Have a good rest and go home to see your family."

On the rostrum, Director Ma was extremely average at this time, or in other words, he was numb now.

This National Track and Field Championships has become an exhibition match for Zhang Guan alone, breaking records, breaking records, and breaking records continuously. After four days of competition, it seems that Zhang Guan is the only one who is remembered for breaking records.

"Zhang Guan, why don't you just come and set the record?" Director Ma couldn't help complaining in his heart, and then he asked Director Yu next to him: "Old Yu, do you think Zhang Guan can run over those who are participating in the Asian Games?" Are you an athlete from West Asia?"

"You mean middle-distance running?" Instructor Yu was stunned for a few seconds, then said: "I think it's quite difficult. In the middle-distance running event, even the national record has just reached the Olympic A mark. The middle-distance running level of those West Asian countries is among the best in the world. West Asians are already good at middle-distance running. In recent years, Bahrain, Saudi Arabia, and Qatar have naturalized a large number of Kenyan middle-distance runners. You know the level of middle and long-distance running. In terms of overall strength, it is not an exaggeration to rank first in the world."

Just as Director Ma was about to continue talking, his cell phone rang.

Director Ma picked up his cell phone and looked at it. He found that the call was from the staff of the field management center, and it was still an office phone. He couldn't help but said: "It's already night, why are you still calling from the center? Could something have happened?" matter?"

Director Ma picked up the phone and said, "It's me, what's the matter?"

I heard the other end of the phone say: "Director Ma, there has just been news from Switzerland, requiring athletes participating in the Zurich Golden League to arrive at the venue three days in advance and take a unified blood test."

"Blood test? Why do you need a blood test suddenly? Last year's Golden League didn't have this." Director Ma said.

"That's right. Our center has also contacted the IAAF. According to IAAF staff, we are planning to introduce biometric passports for athletes in the near future. We are now preparing to trial it in the Golden League."

"Biological special passport? Is it the one that tests the long-term blood traits of athletes?" Director Ma then asked.

"Yes, that's it." The other end of the phone continued: "The Zurich Golden League competition also has a 110-meter hurdles event, so Zhang Guan and Liu Feiren both want my blood test."

"Okay, I understand." Director Ma hung up the phone and said to Director Yu next to him: "The IAAF has launched a surprise attack. They will add temporary blood tests at the Zurich Station and prepare to use them as biological special passports for athletes. File creation."

Director Yu suddenly nodded: "I have read information on this. This biometric passport was proposed a few years ago. It is a tool for detecting long-term blood traits. It seems to be able to systematically trace all the erythropoietin and timely urine test results. Atypical athlete.”

"Yes, it seems that after the doping incident broke out last year, some track and field athletes began to rely on frequent blood transfusions and trace amounts of human erythropoietin to increase their red blood cell counts in order to avoid inspections, so that their physical examination results would look more normal. It seems like The IAAF has also realized this and started to take serious measures." Director Ma continued: "But we don't need to be afraid. Both Zhang Guan and Liu Fei are very innocent and are not afraid of their testing."

"But those who have used stimulants will probably be unable to sit still after hearing this news!" Director Yu said with a smile.

As early as the 1980s, scientists developed a way to extract the blood of players, refrigerate it, and then inject it into the players before the competition. This can enhance the oxygen transport capacity of red blood cells and improve competition performance to a certain extent.

However, at the beginning, no athletes used this method. Drawing blood would cause physical pain, and preserving the blood would be costly. It was not as easy as directly using stimulants.

However, as the doping scandal broke out in the United States, many athletes began to use similar methods, such as frequent blood transfusions and infusion of trace amounts of human erythropoietin to increase red blood cell counts. This is also a cheating method, but routine urine tests and physical examinations can't find any problems.

Therefore, the IAAF introduced a special biological passport, which inputs athletes' physical information into the biological passport, and compares the blood test results in the biological passport to determine whether athletes have used cheating methods.

Riyadh, the capital of Saudi Arabia.

The temperature in Riyadh can rise to over 50 degrees Celsius on a midsummer afternoon. However, as a rich country with a lot of money, the electricity price is very cheap. The Saudi government subsidizes 75% of the electricity price for residents, which means that Saudi residents only need to pay 25% of the electricity cost. That’s okay, so in the midsummer season, every household has 24-hour air conditioning.

The daily temperature of more than 40 degrees coupled with the unique dry climate of the Middle East makes people unwilling to stay outdoors at all. Many companies even require employees not to work in the hot midday, and even athletes who have to train every day, this Sometimes I will stay in the indoor training ground, enjoying the central air conditioning while training.

In the training ground, the athletes are sweating profusely.

A tall black coach was particularly conspicuous. He walked from a distance and stopped next to the long jump sand pool.

The black coach is Mike Powell, the world record holder in the long jump.

Today, Mike Powell is the long jump coach of Saudi Arabia. As a world record holder, Mike Powell's worth is not low. Only Saudi Arabia is willing to spend a lot of money to poach Mike Powell from the United States.

And Mike Powell is worthy of his reputation as a world record holder. In the past few years of teaching in Saudi Arabia, he has improved the long jump level of Saudi Arabia to a big level and trained several top long jumpers in Asia. Players, including Al Shaba, Ben Mazuk and Alku Walidi, who broke the Asian record twice.

Alcu Validi broke the Asian long jump record of 8.40 meters held by Chinese athletes in 2005 with a time of 8.44 meters. Last month, Alcu Validi once again achieved a score of 8.48 meters. Broke the Asian record.

Seeing Coach Powell coming over, several long jumpers who were practicing immediately stopped and waited for Powell's instructions.

Powell cleared his throat and said: "Boys, I know you are working hard, and I am very satisfied with your efforts, but you may have to work harder next! Because Asia's long jump record is It was broken yesterday!”

"I think you must be curious to know who broke the Asian record in the long jump!" Powell looked at Alcu Validi subconsciously, and then said: "You should be familiar with this person, he is Zhang Guan! Wang Zhangguan! I have told you before that Zhang Guan is likely to enter the long jump event, just like my old rival Carl Lewis did. But now, he finally entered the long jump event! And he also broke the Asian record," Powell continued.

"Coach, what's Zhang Guan's score?" Alcu Validi asked.

Powell looked at the information in his hand and said, "Zhang Guan jumped 8.49 meters in the fifth trial jump of the competition!"

Alcu Validi breathed a sigh of relief. He broke the Asian record with a score of 8.48 meters. Zhang Guan was only 0.01 meters faster than him, which is 1 centimeter. Alcu Validi felt that this 1 Centimeters are not a difference.

However, Powell went on to say: "In the sixth trial jump, Zhang Guan jumped 8.52 meters. He jumped over the 8.5-meter mark!"

"What! Jump 8.5 meters!" Alcu Validi took a breath of air. At this moment, he finally felt unprecedented pressure.

The second chapter was delivered today. I originally wanted to go home and take a nap first, but I thought there might be many book friends waiting to read, so I decided to finish writing! I'll wait a little longer, so you can wait a little less. Now I'm going to bed. I'd like to ask, do you still have a monthly pass? If you have any, come over with a few!

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(End of chapter)