The Olympic trials are on the fourth day, and the finals of some events have begun one after another. While champions, runners-up and third-place finishers have been born, quotas for the Olympic Games have also been selected.
At this time, the competition finally entered a fierce stage. At the level of American athletes, no one can reach the finals of the trials. In events where the American team is strong, such as sprints and hurdles, the level of the finals is comparable to the Olympic finals. In other events, the level of the finals is also the same. world class.
The last two races on the fourth day are the highlight. The first is the 400-meter final, in which the legendary athlete Alvin will compete. Once Irvin finishes in the top three, he will compete in his fourth Olympics for Team USA.
The other one is the 100-meter flying contest. This event has always been the most watched event in track and field competitions. It can be said that there are many big names gathered. Whoever can win will become the new number one flying man in the United States. Irwin's popularity is still overwhelming. Whenever he appears on the court, he will always be accompanied by crazy cheers from the audience. For him to qualify and compete in the Olympics again has become something that everyone expects.
Alvin was also a little excited. Before he went on stage, he had just received good news. A well-known sports brand offered him a two-year endorsement contract worth 15 million US dollars. The premise was that he must get it. Qualification for the Olympic Games.
In track and field, a two-year endorsement contract worth 15 million is something that many athletes would never dare to imagine. Especially for track and field athletes, this is definitely superstar-level treatment. Many all-stars No basketball player can get such high endorsement fees. Once he can get this money, Alvin's financial pressure will be much less. Even if the price of oil does not rise, Alvin will not have to worry about being dragged down by shale oil wells.
And in Alvin's view, this is just the beginning. As one of the greatest track and field athletes in American history, as long as he can continue to appear on the field, he will have a steady stream of advertising revenue. If he can get a few more If you are a champion, that would be even more perfect.
To Alvin's left, a black man with a mustache on his chin was secretly observing Alvin.
The black man's name is Brown, who is five years younger than Alvin. Before Alvin retired, Brown had won the 400m runner-up in two Olympic Games and the 400m runner-up in the World Championships once. The reason why he did not win the championship was not because of his Not fast enough, but because of Alvin's presence.
The same is true in other competitions. As long as Alvin participates, Brown can only get the silver medal. As for any international competition with some influence, Alvin will participate in it, while Brown can only be the second player in the millennium. However, in the 4x400m event, Brown has gained a lot and won multiple gold medals with the US team.
In the 400-meter event, Alvin was invincible. No matter how hard Brown tried, he could never defeat Alvin. Until three years ago, Irvine chose to retire. Without Irvin on the field, Brown finally began to taste the taste of a world championship. In the last World Athletics Championships, Brown was the first place in the U.S. trials, and in the subsequent World Championships, he won the gold medal in the 400-meter event.
In this Olympics, Brown's goal is obviously to win an individual gold medal in the 400-meter Olympic event. In fact, he is very close to this goal, because in the 400-meter event, the American champion is the world champion.
But Alvin came back. The mountain that Brown could never cross, the big devil Alvin, was back!
At this time, Brown felt very complicated. On the one hand, he felt that Alvin was already 34 years old and would never be in the same state as before, so Brown felt that he had a chance to defeat Alvin this time; on the other hand, The shadow in his heart caused by Alvin was like a nightmare, always lingering in his heart.
…
To the right of Alvin is a young black guy named Andre, a 400-meter newcomer who has emerged in the past three or four years. But this Andrew's talent is very good. He is only 23 years old this year and is second only to Brown in strength. And Andre's performance is still improving. Last year, he had the experience of running under 44 seconds.
Unlike Brown, Andre seemed very excited at this time because his idol was back again! For Andre, it’s a game and a pilgrimage.
When Alvin won his first Olympic gold medal, Andre was just a primary school student. It is no exaggeration to say that Andre grew up watching Alvin's games. It was also under the influence of Alvin that he embarked on the 400-meter road. As a young 400-meter athlete, Andre's idol was Alvin.
Four years ago, Andre also participated in the Olympic trials and entered the finals. Unfortunately, he failed to qualify. He still remembers that in that game, when he turned to the final straight and started sprinting , Alvin was already far ahead, and the back figure left to Andre was like an insurmountable peak, constantly flashing in Andre's mind.
Today, four years later, Andre is able to run within 44 seconds. It took him four years to gradually catch up with his idol, and he wants to challenge his idol in the competition.
…
Alvin stood on his own track, not talking to the athletes around him, nor making any body movements.
He simply stood there, looking at the track ahead. It's like a lord standing at the top of the castle, looking down on his territory.
Everyone can feel that the self-confidence exuded by Alvin is like a sharp sword, indestructible, and anything that stands in front of him will be chopped into pieces.
At this time, Alvin has not only regained his competitive form before retiring, but also regained the feeling of being the world's number one in the 400 meters.
It was a feeling of victory. As long as he stood on this track, it meant that he would dominate this track.
He is the dominant player on this track.
Alvin took a deep breath, stepped onto the starting block, prepared himself for the start, and waited for the sound of the gunshot.
…
There was a bit of silence in the stands, and the audience seemed to have become mute. There was no even applause, and even the "click" sound of the camera shutter could be heard.
"Bang!" The starting gunshot sounded.
Immediately afterwards, the sound of shouting suddenly resounded throughout the entire venue, as if it was a flash flood, drowning everything. All the spectators stood up and roared at the track.
On the track, the athletes had already started running. The roaring and tsunami-like sound around them made them feel as if they were trapped in an ancient battlefield and were about to collide and fight with the enemy!
Although no athlete can hear clearly what the surrounding audience is shouting, it is an exciting sound that brings an exciting atmosphere to people and will bring extra morale to the contestants.
Brown was inspired by this sound. At this time, he felt that his whole body was full of power, allowing him to run forward unscrupulously.
Brown could feel that he was in very good condition, and he couldn't help but turn his head and look at Alvin on the track next to him.
"I'm faster than him!" Brown suddenly realized this.
An excitement spread in Brown's heart. His career had been firmly suppressed by Alvin, and he could only succumb to the "thousand-year old man". At this moment, he seemed to see the victory. hope.
"Alvin is 34 years old. He can't be as fast as he was four years ago. I can win, I can win today!" Brown began to encourage himself. He had to mobilize his inner emotions and then transform these positive forces into For the motivation to move forward.
…
After starting, Andre's mood was no longer as surging as before. As a professional athlete, once he enters the game, he must adjust his state, put aside everything he cares about, and devote himself wholeheartedly to the game. .
"It feels like Alvin's speed is about the same as mine, and I don't seem to be lagging behind him."
Andre couldn't help but think of the Olympic trials four years ago. At that time, he also entered the finals of the trials. It was the first time he competed with his idol on the same stage. He was full of confidence and wanted to show himself in front of his idol, but the result was... I can only chase the idol’s retreating figure.
At that time, Andre was like a blade of grass, while Alvin was like a towering tree. The gap between them was really too big.
Now, the grass that was there has grown into a big tree, and the beings that could only be looked up to now can now keep pace with each other.
Andre's originally suppressed emotions became surging again at this moment. This time he was no longer the young boy who could only chase his idol's back. He could perform well in front of his idol, challenge him, and then defeat him!
Nothing excites Andre more than this.
…
Alvin has noticed that the challengers on his left and right are a little excited. They are very fast, and the aura exuding from them is like two cheetahs chasing their prey.
This thought flashed through Alvin's mind, but it made him feel a little annoyed. If these two challengers were cheetahs, wouldn't Alvin become the prey they were chasing
In Alvin's career, he has always been the ruler of the 400-meter event, the absolute king of the 400 meters. If other 400-meter athletes are cheetahs, then Alvin should be the leopard king.
How could Wang fall into someone else’s prey!
Alvin knows that he should respond, and he must respond. He wants to tell those challengers that he has not aged yet, and he is still the king of the 400 meters!
The best way to respond is to beat them on the track, beat them completely!