After Leaving the Sports Circle, I Became a Cooking God (Completed BL)

Chapter 197-198

Translator: dapotaturs

Release Date: 10/02/2023

Chapter 197: Trial Team' Performance Testing (2)

The selection of male athletes is divided into a total of 6 groups, with each group taking about 15 minutes, and the athletes in each group begin warming up and preparing during the testing of the first 1-2 groups of athletes.

The overall test process is arranged very clearly, and the overall testing progress of the trial team members is quite smooth, but the test results are not ideal.

As of now, in the first two groups, the best performer is Zhang Jiale, with a time of 46.49 seconds, surpassing all the trial athletes in the first two groups. The remaining athletes with times of 47 and 48 seconds are far from their usual performance levels. However, Wu Tian's performance impressed many coaches who were not present—49.88 seconds. This time is close to the national standard for senior athletes! Many adult athletes don't reach this level.

Considering Wu Tian's age, only 16 years old, many coaches who originally thought he had a background in long jump were somewhat surprised. They were well aware that Wu Tian had a foundation in the 100 meters, especially in the initial burst of acceleration, which required explosive power. Research has shown that this type of power has more than a 60% impact on a sprinter's 100-meter performance during the acceleration phase.

However, there is a significant technical gap between the 100 meters and the 400 meters, involving aspects such as rhythm control and energy distribution. For a young athlete like Wu Tian, mastering these skills in just 10 days while also learning curved running techniques and the transition from curves to straights is undoubtedly challenging.

Despite these difficulties, Wu Tian's performance undoubtedly has significant room for improvement. Considering that he has already achieved a time of 49.88 seconds, coaches at the scene have marked him as a key athlete to watch.

In the subsequent third group of athletes, they generally appeared to be somewhat ordinary. After observing the earlier performances of many athletes and going through the warm-up and preparation, most of them were no longer as nervous as the first group of athletes when they made their debut. However, the majority of them could not regain their form and ran relatively average times, regardless of whether they were originally 400-meter specialists or athletes from other disciplines.

It wasn't until the fourth group of athletes took the stage that one of them, named Hou Mingye, caught the attention of the coaches present, giving them a bright outlook.

Hou Mingye is 20 years old this year and originally competed in both the 800 meters and 1500 meters. For middle-distance runners like him, running the 400 meters is undoubtedly within his physical capabilities, and he doesn't need to worry too much about adapting to curved running techniques. The only challenge lies in his accustomed race pace.

Athletes like Hou Mingye, who specialize in middle-distance running, typically use a pacing strategy that involves conserving energy during the early part of the race and accelerating in the latter stages. This strategy is well-suited for events like the 800 meters and 1500 meters.

However, the rhythm and pacing in the 400 meters are fundamentally different from those in middle-distance races. Over the past ten days, the national team's coaches have been working with Hou Mingye to help him adjust to the new pacing demands of the 400 meters. They aim to make him more comfortable with the faster and more aggressive pace of this event.

While this adjustment has been challenging, Hou Mingye has a strong foundation in terms of endurance and fitness. Despite the increased speed in the 400 meters, he hasn't pushed himself to the point of exhaustion during training.