Chapter 10: Breaking the City Record! (Major Chapter—Please Favorite and Vote!)

Afternoon, semifinals.

Su Shen clocked an impressive 11.7 seconds in the 100 meters this time, improving by 0.05 seconds compared to the preliminaries. Yet, in the final sprint, he eased up, conserving his energy. He was far more experienced in this than the other high school athletes.

He was the first to enter the final round in the semifinals. This time, he was definitely on the prime lane, which, based on his performance, would greatly benefit his explosive effort in tomorrow’s final.

The student who topped the preliminaries that morning was shockingly eliminated in the afternoon semifinals, failing to make the finals — a true pity. But that’s the nature of the 100 meters: strategy, technique, mentality, and ability all matter; none can be absent.

Unless... you are Bolt.

In the 200 meters semifinals, Su Shen ran a 23.88, improving by 0.11 seconds from the preliminaries.

This earned him second place and entry into the 200 meters final.

So far, his performances were excellent. Yang Yongqiang wore a faint smile but restrained himself for the sake of tomorrow’s final — he couldn’t let Su Shen sense his joy too much.

As a physical education teacher who managed to nurture a city-level medalist, Yang Yongqiang was already somewhat renowned in the old town and even in Xiangshan City. Many young athletes seeking a solid foundation would surely come to him.

It was somewhat like “a mother’s status rising with the child’s success.”

...

At seven in the evening, at the XXX Grand Hotel in Xiangshan City.

This was one of the city’s finest establishments. Yang Yongqiang arrived here half an hour early with Su Shen, his goodwill clear — hoping to leave a good impression. But Su Shen knew well that with Coach Bao from Ningde, these gestures meant little. Without real ability, no amount of flattery would work.

She was truly a heroic woman dedicated wholeheartedly to the nation’s athletics cause.

At exactly seven, neither early nor late, Bao from Ningde appeared. Su Shen appreciated her punctuality — no pretense, just on time. Seeing her, Yang Yongqiang promptly patted Su Shen’s back and led him forward to greet her.

Bao noticed they were already waiting and guessed the reason but said nothing, smiling as she led the group inside.

To be honest, Su Shen was quite familiar with this hotel. During many visits back to Xiangshan City, he had stayed here multiple times.

At the dining table, Bao pushed the menu toward them, inviting Yang Yongqiang and Su Shen to order whatever they liked. Yang immediately declined, saying he and Su Shen were fine with anything and that Bao should choose.

She casually ordered several classic Cantonese dishes and the essential soup, then sat down and began chatting with Yang Yongqiang. They reminisced about past memories and stories — a technique to break the ice and ease unfamiliarity. After this, Yang relaxed considerably, and Bao then cut to the chase.

“Xiao Tian, you recruited him into the Old Town Junior Middle School’s athletic training team in the second year of junior high, right? Your eye for talent is quite good.”

“No, Sister Ning, this kid is just very diligent in training. I’m only helping out with coaching,” Yang replied honestly. Indeed, Su Shen’s regimen was sometimes even more meticulous than his teacher’s — every warm-up and stretch was executed with precision, showing no typical adolescent laxity.

“So his family doesn’t have anyone involved in sports?” Bao asked Su Shen. It was common practice to check for athletic lineage since most sports programs scouted from poorer families — wealthier ones often raised single children who were pampered and ill-suited for the hardships of athletic training.

“Yes, my father is a farmer who does small jobs and sells scraps. My mother works at a cigarette factory in town besides farming.”

Bao noted Su Shen’s clear, composed answers — not typical for an ordinary township student. Even among the many middle schoolers she’d encountered in Xiangshan, few could speak so articulately.

“Have you ever thought about becoming a professional athlete, Xiao Tian?” Bao asked, already guessing the answer. The reason for scouting in poorer families was that only those accustomed to hardship could endure athletic training’s demands. Even Su Shen himself had tried to quit several times at the start.

Selecting athletes required careful consideration. Since his family fit the criteria, the remaining factor was his own willingness. Without it, no matter the talent, one’s potential was limited, and sports schools rarely welcomed such students.

It was 2004. Talent alone could only take you so far.

People still debated whether East Asians were suited for athletics.

Before Yang could even give a cue, Su Shen answered immediately.

“Yes, I want to.”

“Oh? That was quick. But being an athlete is tough — not like your school training. Do you understand, Xiao Tian?” Bao was frank, believing sports required mutual consent — no one forced anyone else.

“I understand. I just really like running and hope for professional training opportunities.”

Yang chimed in, “Sister Ning, you don’t know — when I first recruited him, he told me he loved the feeling of rushing like the wind, being a boy chasing the breeze. Then he even stole the family motorcycle to ride secretly.”

Hearing this youthful anecdote, Bao smiled. Frankly, she already liked this boy — neither arrogant nor timid, speaking clearly and decisively, with a pure light in his eyes. She nodded and said to Su Shen, “But you still have to prove yourself in tomorrow’s final. If you don’t perform well, I might not keep you.”

This was a form of encouragement, a reminder not to become complacent just because she showed interest.

For an athlete, that was vital.

...

“I will do my best, Coach Ning.” Su Shen nodded, then stared at the dishes before him, eyes gleaming. Due to his family’s situation, he had rarely tasted such a feast in the past half-year. How could he not be tempted? Bao noticed, paused, then laughed again.

“Eat up. Food should be enjoyed hot. Try this hotel’s soup — their skill in making broth is top-notch. Xiao Tian, have some more.”

After a satisfying meal, Su Shen and Yang returned to the hotel for a good sleep. Then, early the next morning, Su Shen began his stretching and traction exercises.

These were excellent habits — a pity Yang himself hadn’t had the patience in his youth.

If he had another chance, he wouldn’t make the same mistakes.

After breakfast with Bao, they headed to the Xiangshan City Sports Arena. Though there were no events that morning, Yang wanted Su Shen to experience the atmosphere of a major competition. Unfortunately, the city’s best students were preparing for the provincial games, so the city-level competition lacked strong contenders.

This, however, gave Su Shen a chance to shine brilliantly.

After an early lunch, Yang let Su Shen rest before warming up again.

“Xiao Tian, don’t rush in the race. It’s okay to false start once. Try to restrain yourself on the first gun. If someone false starts again, then adjust,” Yang said, referencing the new IAAF rule effective January 1, 2003 — only one false start allowed per race; the second leads to immediate disqualification.

Since it was a rule, Su Shen was well aware and knew how to handle it.

At the venue, the crowd was already packed, much livelier than on the first day’s preliminaries.

Media and reporters had arrived, conducting interviews and filming on the infield grass.

Although it was mostly for the city’s TV station — a small platform — it was still unimaginable for many ordinary people.

Su Shen was assigned the golden lane, standing in lane five — a prime spot conducive to great results.

As it was the final, there was a modest introduction of the athletes.

“Lane 1, Sun Weiguo, from Xiangshan No. 2 High School.”

“Lane 2, Chen Hu, from Xiangshan No. 11 High School.”

“Lane 3, Zhao Bing, from Xiangshan No. 8 High School.”

“Lane 4, Lu Yiqiang, from Chuyun County No. 1 High School, Xiangshan.”

“Lane 5, Su Shen, from Old Town Junior Middle School, Guyi Village, Xiangshan.”

“Lane 6, Chen Feng, from Xiangshan Affiliated High School.”

“Lane 7...”

Honestly, seeing this lineup, Su Shen’s school wasn’t within Xiangshan City proper, and sports resources had gradually shifted towards urban centers. Though recruitment targeted poorer areas, the training resources were not necessarily there. Most sports students came from city or county schools. So, Su Shen’s presence surprised many athletes on the track.

Before the race, Yang even tactically analyzed the speeds and threats posed by the competitors, telling Su Shen that he could realistically overpower them with pure strength. As an ordinary middle school teacher, Yang’s efforts warmed Su Shen’s heart immensely.

As he had said in a previous interview, Su Shen had met many good people in this life.

Yang Yongqiang was undoubtedly one of them.

“On your marks.”

“Set.”

Su Shen lifted his hips, shifting his center of gravity forward, listening intently for the gunshot.

“Bang——————”

The starting gun fired. Su Shen exploded off the blocks with tremendous power training paying off. His start was faster than both the preliminaries and semifinals, his nervous system reacting superbly.

Bang, bang, bang, bang, bang.

His elbows swung powerfully; his explosive angle was higher than the others, signaling he would establish an early advantage.

Bao’s analysis was accurate and professional: Su Shen had already left the others behind within the first few steps. His speed was beyond that of an amateur student without professional training. But the problem had yet to surface.

Due to his height, Bao knew well that Su Shen might not have the late-race advantage over taller competitors with longer legs and strides.

---

The acceleration phase ended, and the longest segment of the race—the midsection sprint—began.

This was when a runner pushed their top speed to the limit.

Bao’s eyes had shifted to focus solely on Su Shen, wanting to see if this country boy was truly something special...

Still not at top speed? Still accelerating???

Had he already passed 40 meters?

Had he held back not only during the final sprint but throughout the midsection too?

Now entering the maximum speed zone.

Maintaining it, no obvious slowdown, still holding steady, still holding.

Speed dipped slightly but remained at a very high level.

At this point, Su Shen had already opened a 2 to 3 meter gap behind him. His speed today would likely inspire personal bests among the rest. Yet none of that mattered — the boy in lane five, with his sunny, honest demeanor, was undeniably the star of this 100 meters.

Entering the final sprint zone, Su Shen had completely distanced himself from his opponents, still accelerating, tensing his whole body to avoid stiffness that would slow him down. For sprinters, the key in the latter stages was to maintain peak speed and keep inertia despite muscle rigidity.

At 85 meters, 88 meters, 90 meters.

Su Shen gritted his teeth; in his eyes, only the finish line remained.

From the outside, he seemed to transform into a “human cheetah,” especially given how much faster he was than the others.

His feet appeared to leave afterimages, no longer flesh and blood.

Even if Bao were foolish, she now understood: this boy truly had a chance...

To break the Xiangshan City high school 100 meters record.

Su Shen felt his stamina waning and muscles stiffening... but the finish line was right there. He knew he still lacked some strength to break the record. But that didn’t mean he had no chance today while in peak form.

Breaking your personal best in competition was the most thrilling and joyful moment for a sprinter.

Run.

Don’t stop.

Don’t waste the chance to do it again.

Push... push through!

Whoosh————————

Crossed the line.

Su Shen didn’t even know how far he had run before coming to a stop. He immediately looked for his time on the digital screen.

There was a pause. Behind his name in lane five was written—

Su Shen, 11.18 seconds.

The old Xiangshan City high school 100 meters record was shattered. A new record was born.