Crossing the Finish Line

Instructor Yu's face remained calm, but he was extremely nervous inside. With athletes like Zhang Guan in the mix, winning a medal in the 4x100m relay was no issue. However, Instructor Yu wasn't satisfied with just a single medal. Endo Shingo's injury had given him hope for the gold.

But even with Endo Shingo injured, the Japanese team remained formidable. Chen Jian, at his peak, barely matched stride with the aging Tsuchie Hiroyuki in the first leg, and Shen Bao still couldn't outrun the injured Endo Shingo. Although Yang Yao managed to regain some face against Takahiro Takashi, the baton exchange between the third and fourth legs still worried Instructor Yu.

"Zhang Guan won't excel in the curve, widening the gap once again!" Instructor Yu thought helplessly.

The same thoughts occurred to Habebe and Asahara Nobuharu.

For high-level sprinters, energy distribution is crucial. As the fourth leg athlete, one must conserve both energy and focus for the final straight. The standard straight track is 80 meters long, where the fourth leg athlete truly exerts themselves.

But in the current situation, neither Asahara Nobuharu nor Habebe were match for Zhang Guan in the straight. Allocating energy to the curve segment seemed more beneficial against Zhang Guan, even if it meant gaining just 0.1 seconds, it would be worth it.

So when Asahara Nobuharu took the baton, he began accelerating with all his might, accumulating as much advantage as possible. Because the advantages gained in the curve had to be repaid in the straight, Japan's chances of winning depended on accumulating enough advantage beforehand, enough to 'repay' in the final 80 meters straight.

Watching from afar, Instructor Yu furrowed his brows. He clearly felt the difference in Asahara Nobuharu's pace, instantly grasping Japan's intentions. He speculated that the Saudi Arabian team, also vying for the title, would adopt a similar strategy.

Sure enough, Habebe of the Saudi Arabian team was doing the same thing as the Japanese team, pushing hard in the curve area.

"During the heats, the Saudi Arabian team didn't know that Zhang Guan struggles in the curve. So on the straight, Zhang Guan managed to overtake Habebe, although it was a close call. But now that Saudi Arabia knows Zhang Guan's weakness, and with Habebe's improved speed in the curve, can we only settle for third place?" Instructor Yu clenched his fists nervously.

The next moment, he realized that Zhang Guan's speed in the curve wasn't as slow as he had imagined.

"Huh? His speed in the curve isn't inferior to top domestic athletes!" Instructor Yu widened his eyes, looking at Zhang Guan. Besides feeling joy, he felt incredulous.

Despite not mastering curve techniques, Zhang Guan's 'Curve Sprint' skill compensated for some technical deficiencies. Although only a basic skill, it significantly boosted Zhang Guan's speed in the curve. Of course, this 'significant' improvement was measured in tenths of a second. But due to the lack of curve technique, it only worked for a short distance. It wouldn't suffice for a long curve.

Athletes positioned on the outer lane would seem relatively ahead, while those on the inner lane would seem relatively behind. But once they entered the final straight, the order became clear.

"Entering the straight! Leading is Japan's Asahara Nobuharu!"

Cheers erupted from the stands, with some Japanese fans already waving their flags.

Shortly after, Zhang Guan and Habebe entered the straight almost simultaneously. However, similar to the heats, Habebe still maintained a slight lead.

"Why is it like this? Just like the heats, why is the lead only this much?" Habebe couldn't help but feel a bit panicked.

Habebe had noticeably increased his speed in the curve, so he expected to have a more significant lead. But seeing the current situation, with the same lead as the heats, he was certain he would inevitably lose in the upcoming straight.

"Not gaining a significant lead means it's over! I've lost!" This thought flashed through Habebe's mind, just as Zhang Guan surpassed him.

Asahara Nobuharu also noticed this, but being more experienced, he wasn't as panicked as Habebe.

"It doesn't seem like I've widened the gap much. It seems our strategy failed. Since that's the case, let's have a direct confrontation!" Asahara Nobuharu decided to focus solely on giving his all.

Asahara Nobuharu had been low-key in the past year, but that didn't mean he lacked strength. Last year, he even clocked 10.02 seconds in the 100m, and this year, despite being a year older, his performance hadn't declined. Qualifying for the Olympics seemed like a routine task.

Although Asahara Nobuharu realized he might not match Zhang Guan's speed, competitions weren't absolute. Even world record holders had lost races. Moreover, he still had some advantages, giving him the capital to gamble.

As part of Japan's golden generation of sprinters, he wasn't afraid of challenges, no matter how formidable the opponent!

Asahara Nobuharu's speed was impressive!

If Zhang Guan wanted to win, he had to be faster!

Zhang Guan needed faster steps, stronger pushes, and more rhythmic arm swings...

And then he did everything he needed to do, becoming faster.

At that moment, Zhang Guan was running desperately, even more so than in the men's 100m final just moments ago.

Time flew by rapidly, but Asahara Nobuharu felt it was dragging on, feeling his slight lead slipping away, faster than time itself!

"His speed is really fast. This slight advantage probably won't last until the finish line! The finish line is so close now, I have to hold on!" Asahara Nobuharu looked at the approaching finish line, hope rising in his heart.

Within ten meters of the finish line, Asahara Nobuharu still led.

At this moment, onlookers like Instructor Yu and Coach Kobayashi clenched their fists, holding their breaths, eyes fixed on the track, afraid to miss the moment of crossing the finish line.

The 4x100m relay held a special significance for them. As national team coaches, their value lay not just in coaching individual athletes but also in training an excellent team. The team's victory was the most important manifestation of their work's value.

On the track, Chen Jian, in the second leg exchange zone, trembled with nervousness as he looked towards the other end. Beside him, the first leg Japanese athlete, Tsuchie Hiroyuki, clenched his teeth tightly, as if his heart might jump out at any moment.

In the third leg exchange zone, Shen Bao roared, but even he didn't know what he was shouting. It was an instinctive release of tension; he was just too nervous. Perhaps shouting was the only way to release that feeling. As for Japan's second leg, Endo Shingo, he didn't say anything. He just watched as Asahara Nobuharu was caught up by Zhang Guan, feeling a hint of regret. He felt that Japan might lose this time. And if Japan lost, his sacrifice of running with one injured leg would become meaningless.

In the fourth leg exchange zone, Yang Yao struggled to suppress his excitement. He still had the 200m sprint final to participate in, and his task was to secure a medal. Therefore, he had to restrain himself. Meanwhile, the Japanese athlete, Takahashi Takashi, shouted, "Senior, come on!"

But Asahara Nobuharu on the track couldn't hear Takashi's shouts. In such a tense moment, how could he possibly discern what others were saying? Even though the surrounding cheers were deafening, Asahara Nobuharu, for whom only the finish line mattered, remained oblivious.

"Finally reaching the finish line!" Asahara Nobuharu felt excited, but then he realized Zhang Guan had caught up.

"He caught up!" A sense of urgency flashed in Asahara Nobuharu's eyes, and he leaned his upper body forward.

...

"I finally caught up! This Asahara Nobuharu is truly remarkable. He can run so fast at the age of 31!" Zhang Guan's peripheral vision had already seen the two of them neck and neck, and the finish line was right before them. Then he and Asahara Nobuharu chose the same action, leaning their upper bodies forward.

...

The two of them sprinted side by side, making the same motion at the finish line.

Crossing the finish line!