Zizhao Chuan: The Biggest Sportsman

Chapter 416 A Strong Opponent

On August 8, the Athens Olympics entered the second day of competition.

The Chinese delegation's original gold rush event was men's 56 kg weightlifting and women's 10-meter air pistol, but in the end, these two events fell short and only won a silver medal.

In the women's 52kg judo final, Chinese player Xi Dongmei unexpectedly defeated a Japanese player and won a hard-won gold medal for the Chinese team.

This time, the Chinese team, which was caught in the frenzy of winning four gold medals yesterday, suddenly woke up.

Moreover, in today's men's basketball game, the Chinese men's basketball team actually lost to the Spanish team by a big score of 58-83 in the first game, which also caused an uproar from the outside world.After the game, Yao Juren even publicly complained in front of the media that some teammates were not active in the game, and even said that if everyone still performed like this, he would not need to participate in the national team game!
Seeing the Chinese team in such an impatient mood, Director Yuan held another emergency meeting that night, asking all team leaders and coaches to correct their attitudes, overcome paralysis, and lead the athletes to devote themselves to the game with all their strength.

However, the performance of the Chinese men's basketball team today is not the most tragic.The American men's basketball team, known as the "Dream Six Team", also lost to the Puerto Rico team 73-92 in the first game, which caused everyone to complain.

This is the first time the U.S. men's basketball team has failed in the Olympics since the 1992 Barcelona Olympics.This "Dream Team Six" also became street rats for a while, and was scolded bloody by the media all over the world.

However, only Guo Zizhao knows that the tragic fate of this "Dream Team Six" is not over yet!If history has not changed, the "Dream Six" won only one bronze medal in this Olympic Games.Since the 2002 Men's Basketball World Championships, after the "Dream Five Team" came back, this will be another disastrous defeat for the US men's basketball team in the World Series!

……

At the same time, at the Olympic Aquatics Center in Athens, 4 gold medals in swimming events were decided today.

The South African player unexpectedly took away the gold medal in the men's 4x100m freestyle relay, while the Japanese "Frog King" Kitajima Kosuke also set a record and won the gold medal in the men's 100m breaststroke.

The rise of the Japanese in swimming has also put a lot of pressure on the Chinese team.

"Everyone except Luo Xue was wiped out in today's swimming events. Lao Shang is also under a lot of pressure!" Song Ping also complained to Guo Zizhao after the game.

"Well...Luo Xue has already entered the finals tomorrow night. If she can win this gold medal, the women's swimming event can be regarded as a harvest. At least it is much better than being shaved bald in the last Olympic Games." Guo Zizhao He also nodded.

"Yes! Luo Xue's gold medal is still very promising!" Song Ping also said with emotion, "The life of the swimming team has been difficult in recent years! From 92 gold medals in the Barcelona Olympics in 4 to 96 One gold medal in the Atlanta Olympics, and nothing in the last Sydney Olympics. If there is no breakthrough in this Olympics, hehe... I guess the travel management center will have to change!"

"Don't worry! I'm still here!" Guo Zizhao also said carelessly, "With my two gold medals guaranteed, the tourism management center can sit back and relax!"

"Haha... That's what I say, but don't be careless! You will be on the field tomorrow, and your opponent is not weak! Don't capsize the boat in the gutter!"

"Don't worry! Now that I'm out there, I'm sure of it!" Guo Zizhao also said, patting his chest, "It's my first time participating in a swimming competition, so of course I have to shock these guys!"

……

On August 8, the Athens Olympics entered its third day.Having learned from yesterday's mistakes, the Chinese team calmed down and once again challenged the championship in several events.

However, Guo Zizhao didn't have the heart to care about other people's competitions today. The men's 100-meter freestyle preliminaries will be held this morning, so Guo Zizhao and his team also came to the water center early to start preparations.

"The two-meter-tall big man next to him is Popov." Head coach Zhang Dongya watched Guo Zizhao doing preparations with the help of his father, and quietly introduced Guo Zizhao's opponent for the game later, " Popov was the double champion in the 92-meter and 96-meter freestyle in the 50 Olympics and the 100 Olympics. He was the only athlete to defend these two Olympic championships at the same time and was the world record holder at the time."

"Since 92, this guy has been dominating the world's men's short-distance freestyle events. He has also won numerous World Championships and European Championships, and is known as the "Swimming Czar." However, at the Sydney Olympics, Bo Bove only won a silver medal in the 100-meter freestyle, and even the world record in the 100-meter freestyle was broken by Hoganband."

"But the current world record and Olympic record in the 50-meter freestyle are still held by Popov." Head coach Zhang Dongya also said seriously, "Although Popov is getting older now, and his performance this year is also average, but he He is still the most powerful contender for the championships of these two events! So, don't underestimate him..."

Guo Zizhao also nodded silently. How dare he underestimate this old man? This senior was known as the "King of Short Distance Swimming" back then!Even the three top flying fish, Hoganband, Thorpe and Phelps, who have dominated the world of swimming for nearly an era, were once fans of Popov!
It's just that Lian Po is old. Popov, who is now 33 years old, is probably approaching the age of retirement.I just don't know what kind of level he can swim in this year's Olympics...

……

"The player who is pressing his legs is "Dutch Flying Fish" Hogenband, who is also the current world record holder in the men's 100-meter freestyle!" Zhang Dongya then introduced other players to Guo Zizhao, "In 99 and 2002 He won the European Championships in 100 and the men's 200-meter and [-]-meter freestyle champions at the Sydney Olympics. It was him who overthrew Popov's dominance in the short-distance freestyle."

"Hogenband's main event is the 100-meter and 200-meter freestyle, and the sub-event is the 50-meter freestyle, both of which are at the top level in the world. In yesterday's men's 4x100-meter freestyle relay, Hoganband lost to the South African team , just won a silver medal."

"However, this guy's luck in the World Championships in the past two years has been a little bit bad, and he has never won a gold medal. Tonight, he will compete with Thorpe and Phelps for the gold medal in the 200-meter freestyle, so today The game should be reserved."

Hmm... Guo Zizhao still had some impressions of Hoganband, the world's top flying fish, in his previous life.

However, Guo Zizhao remembered that this buddy's career was a bit sad.Due to the impact of injuries, Hoganband's competitive state has been declining since the Athens Olympics. Later, he participated in the 2008 Beijing Olympics, but there was nothing to gain.

"The guy next to you, the one who has been staring at you and gnashing his teeth, you don't need to introduce me!" Zhang Dongya was also joking and said thiefly, "Australia's "Torpedo" Thorpe, this is you An old rival!"

"Hehe..." Guo Zizhao also glanced in Thorpe's direction, and said in a low voice, "You don't have to make fun of him. There is still a 400-self final, the strength should not be underestimated!"

"It's good that you know," head coach Zhang Dongya also said cheerfully, "In addition to these three, there is another South African player who needs attention, that is Roland Schumann."

After Zhang Dongya finished speaking, he also gestured to the other party, and then said, "In yesterday's 4x100m freestyle relay, he led the South African team to defeat Hoganband's Dutch team and broke the world record in this event. .In addition, there are two American players, Lezak and Crocker, who are not weak opponents."

Speaking of this, head coach Zhang Dongya also gave a serious warning, "You have to be careful in the preliminaries later and don't use too much energy. The promotion rules for swimming competitions and track and field competitions are different, so don't be careless. The boat capsized in the gutter!"

"understand!"

(End of this chapter)