[Short track speed skating] From academic master to Winter Olympic champion

After the game, Gu Ran went straight to the exit of the ice rink, quickly put on her skates, and walked out of the field.

When passing by the coach's command area, he didn't lift his head. Director Wang called him from behind: "Gu Ran, Gu Ran..."

Gu Ran just waved her hand, didn't stop, and went directly to the locker room.

Xu Qing said, "Leave him alone for a while."

"But..." Director Wang looked up at the big screen, "But the results haven't come out yet."

At this moment, Xu Qing glanced sideways at Gu Ran's back: "It doesn't matter anymore."

Gu Ran changed his clothes and shoes directly in the locker room. When he walked past the stands, he found that many people were looking at him and talking about something in a low voice.

The 500-meter semi-final for the adult group was going on on the field, and their results had already been released, so Gu Ran didn't watch it, and didn't care.

At this time, all the team members in province J looked up at him.Everyone seemed to want to say something, but nothing was said.

Gu Ran put down her backpack and skates, and said hello to Gao Ziyi: "Brother, I'm going to the bathroom, please help me look at the things."

Gao Ziyi nodded: "You go."

"Xiaoran!" He suddenly pulled Gu Ran back, and asked tentatively, "Are you all right?"

Gu Ran smiled at him, showing two dimples on his face, and patted the back of his hand: "Don't worry, brother, I'm fine."

Gao Ziyi was worried: "Are you all right?"

"It's okay, I just can't hold back the urge to pee."

Gao Ziyi quickly let go: "Go."

Gao Ziyi didn't realize something was wrong until he turned around and left.There is obviously a bathroom in the locker room, why didn't he go after changing his clothes?

Looking back, as expected, Gu Ran ran straight up to the end of the stands, which was the exit of the skating hall.

The weather is fine today, the sun is shining brightly outside.Outside the skating hall is a corridor surrounded by 360 degrees. Gu Ran walked around the corridor for a while, found a place where no one was lying on the railing, squinted and looked into the distance.

The location of the skating hall is very special, with high-rise buildings on one side and the sea on the other.The sea breeze brought the salty smell of the sea from far away, blowing up the broken hair in front of him, revealing a smooth and full forehead.

Standing under the sun, even with the sea breeze blowing, it is a bit hot.Gu Ran took off his tracksuit, and inside was a pure white T-shirt, which made him clean and bright.Pedestrians passing by from time to time couldn't help but look sideways at him.

Gu Ran put her coat on the railing casually, lowered her head and sighed heavily.

He didn't need to look at the results to know that Meng Yuqiao crossed the line before him, and he only ranked third in the group and missed the final.

The 500 meters is the main event that he is most proud of and has the most advantage. He has always been confident that even if he can't win the championship, it will always be no problem to enter the final.

But now that he lost, it seemed that he lost to his opponent by just a small gap, but in fact, he secretly glanced at the results on the big screen.

42 seconds 112, which is his normal level during training.Although there are mental factors caused by the two recalls for rematch, in the final analysis, this is because of his own lack of on-the-spot adaptability. Due to external factors, he failed to slip out of the ideal result.

Indeed, this result is not worthy of entering the finals in such a competition.

This feeling was really bad, and he began to doubt his ability.From the time he contacted short track speed skating, everyone said he was a genius, a rare genius.

Although he has experienced unexpected exits, injuries, and losses to Chi Lang in the U-series competition, he has never doubted his own strength.He believes that he is the fastest among players of his age.

But now he understands that it was an illusion created by the platform. He came to a bigger arena and met more opponents. He is just a novice who has practiced short track speed skating for more than a year.

The results that he can only slide with great effort, but others can achieve with just a simple skating.

He remembered the words Xu Qing said to him at the beginning: "Little friend, if you lose, you lose. What does this mean? You still have to practice!"

Gu Ran sighed again, in his previous 13 years of life, he had never experienced what it was like to fail.

Ever since he started practicing short track speed skating, this feeling has to pop up from time to time to remind him--wretched development, don't mess around!

"Big Joe, let's have a chat."

There was a large pillar not far away, and the sound of someone talking suddenly came from behind the pillar.

Gu Ran was startled, why did he just silently read a game voice in his heart, and even the heroes who practiced came out.

Then came another clear and cold voice: "You are defeated, what do you want to talk to me about?"

The man said again: "Did you do it on purpose during the match just now?"

"What did I do on purpose? You are incompetent. You can't even skate with a 14-year-old kid. What qualifications do you have to compare with me now?"

If Gu Ran guessed correctly, the "14-year-old kid" in the population should refer to himself, and these two people, one is the number 35 in R province, and the other is Meng Yuqiao.

"Why do you have to speak so harshly? We used to be teammates and best friends."

At this time, Gu Ran heard a chuckle, still so coldly: "It's not now, and it won't be in the future."

"Don't be so absolute, maybe we will become teammates of the national team in the future?"

"Don't disgust me, I'd rather not be in the national team as a teammate with you."

After finishing speaking, Gu Ran heard footsteps today, and someone came out from behind the pillar.

At the same time, someone behind him called his name: "Gu Ran!"

Gu Ran turned around and saw Chi Lang running towards him, and hooked him by the shoulder: "Don't be sad, isn't it just a loss of a game, my brother gave you a skin, and Da Qiao made a new one, You help me."

As soon as he finished speaking, Meng Yuqiao came out from behind the pillar, glanced at them calmly, and paused for a moment on Gu Ran.

Gu Ran: "..."

Meng Yuqiao stopped a few steps away from them: "Your name is Gu Ran."

Gu Ran nodded: "Yes."

His expression, eyes, and voice were all cold, and coupled with the merciless scolding of No. 35 just now, Gu Ran thought that he almost thought that he had offended this elder brother somewhere.

Unexpectedly, the other party came to introduce himself: "My name is Meng Yuqiao, and I heard my little sister mention you before."

It's pretty much the same as what Liu Fei said to Gu Ran yesterday.Then, Meng Yuqiao said: "You are very good, I hope that next time, I can compete with you in the final."

After finishing speaking, the other party turned around and left without waiting for him to respond.

"..."

Before Gu Ran took a breath, that number 35 came out from behind the pillar again.He thought that the other party was about to say something, or introduced himself as the brother of so-and-so.

However, he just glanced at him with a complicated look, then turned his head and walked away.

Gu Ran asked Chi Lang after both of them had entered the stadium, "Am I good?"

When they entered the skating hall one after the other, Gu Ran turned around and asked Chi Lang, "How do you know I'm here?"

"I saw you come out." Chi Lang's arm on his shoulders tightened again, "I'll come out to care for you, what if you can't afford to lose and stop playing?"

"Cut~" Gu Ran sneered, "If I don't play, I will never have a chance to win it back."

He thought for a while, and added: "But I have never been a loser."

Chi Lang said: "It's an honor for you to lose."

Gu Ranbai glanced at him: "I didn't even make it to the finals, what's so glorious about it?"

"Don't you know? They're all talking about you."

"What about me?"

"Speaking of your young age, you are not stage-frightened when you compete with famous players like Liu Fei and Ren Yongjie. Your mental quality and personal skills are very strong. It's just that you are a little younger and you have to practice more."

"Really?" Gu Ran looked at him suspiciously, "Are you trying to comfort me?"

"Of course not," Chi Lang told him carefully, "They all said that since Director Cheng and Director Xu retired, in the past two years, there has been no decent talent in Province J, and only Gao Ziyi was in the 1500-meter race. It’s a good deal for this project.”

"Even several coaches of our team said that they were very envious when they saw you as a good seedling. You don't even know how proud Director Xu is when they talk about you in the coaches' joint meeting."

Gu Ran slapped him on the shoulder: "Thank you, big brother, I was really comforted."

"Whoever comforted you, I'm telling the truth. The elite league looks awesome to us, but in the eyes of the coach, it's just a training session, just a qualifying match for the national championship."

Gu Ran nodded vigorously: "Anyway, I still want to thank you for your encouragement."

The two of them hooked their shoulders and pulled each other towards themselves.Chi Lang was stronger, Gu Ran was yanked by him, lost his balance and brought Chi Lang to fall backwards.

"Damn it!" He turned his head and saw that the coat he had put on the railing had fallen off.

Gu Ran quickly went around to the stairs in front, and ran all the way down to pick up clothes.Looking up, Chi Lang still stayed where he was, mouthing at him: "Stupid."

"!!!"

Gu Ran returned to the skating hall, where the first group of the 1500-meter semi-final was in progress. Gao Ziyi took the lead all the way, took the first place easily, and entered the final.

His strongest competitor in the final was Jiang Hongyi from Province H. Gu Ran had met this person in Shanghai before. He was in the other group in the semifinals, and it was easy to win.

Back at the hotel at night, Gu Ran thought that Xu Qing would talk to him about the 500-meter semi-finals this afternoon, but no, Xu Qing didn't even mention it.

During the regular meeting, he just named those teammates who entered the final list one by one.In fact, there are only a few people, Gao Ziyi, Zheng Wenkang, Wu Kaize, and Liang Kexin, Zhao Ting and other members of the women's team.

At the end, when Xu Qing talked about the relay race, he called Gu Ran's name for the first time, but he also called the four of them: "We can't compete in H province, so let's keep three and win two, at least one medal ,Do you understand?"

Four people said in unison: "Understood!"

After the meeting, Gao Ziyi was left behind by Xu Qing.Gu Ran returned to the room to sharpen the knife, still thinking about today's game.

He really thinks that Meng Yuqiao is so strong, not referring to technical strength, but that this person looks cold on the surface, but there is a lot of energy in him, an unyielding energy.

Gu Ran felt that in tomorrow's 500-meter final, Liu Fei from province H might not be able to beat him.

At this time, Gao Ziyi opened the door and walked in, saw him sharpening the ice skates, and said in surprise: "Xiaoran, what you sharpen seems to be my ice skates."

Gu Ran replied without changing his face: "Yes, I couldn't stand it at the end of watching your game today, so I thought I was idle anyway, so I can help you grind it out."

Gao Ziyi didn't expect him to observe so carefully, and thanked him with a smile.

"Usually you sharpen my ice skates for me, and I'll sharpen it for you once. You're just so polite."

Gu Ran used a small oil stone to trim the edges of the inner and outer blades, and then gently slid her thumbnail over the blade to check if there were any omissions. A shallow mark was immediately left on the nail cover.

Gao Ziyi frowned as he watched from the side. The child's hands were white and clean, and they were especially beautiful when holding a pen to do the questions. The blade of the ice skate was so sharp that it would cut his fingers accidentally.

He quickly helped put away the knife holder and oilstone: "Okay, okay, I will do this job from now on."

Gu Ran chuckled twice: "It's not the same with you, maybe you will cut your hand."

"I have helped my family with farm work since I was a child. I am not afraid of rough skin and thick flesh."

Gu Ran said: "It's still me. I have to practice. After I have practiced, I will go back and help my mother sharpen the kitchen knife. She will keep saying that I don't work at home."

After hearing this, Gao Ziyi burst out laughing with a "puchi".

He had met Gu Ran's parents, they were very kind and loved their son in every possible way.

Other parents send their children to train, and before they leave, they always tell them not to be afraid of hardship and to practice hard.

Gu Ran's parents said that if they couldn't hold on, they would call home and they would come to pick him up.

Gao Ziyi was very envious every time he watched it, he didn't have such a life, no one sent him to train, and no one told him these things.

He can only be alone, with the fate of the whole family on his shoulders, keep moving forward, if he does not advance, he will retreat.

"Senior Brother...Senior Brother, Senior Brother, Senior Brother!"

Just when Gao Ziyi was in a daze, Gu Ran had already leaned in front of him: "Go take a shower and sleep, you have a final tomorrow."

On the third competition day, only the finals of each event were left, all of which were held in the morning.

The first is 1500 meters. When seeing Gao Ziyi enter the field, Gu Ran sat up straight involuntarily.

Gao Ziyi ranked first in the semi-finals.Jiang Hongyi ranked second.

Jiang Hongyi's style is very aggressive. Even in the 1500-meter long-distance race, when he started, he immediately got to the front.

Gao Ziyi didn't fight him, and followed behind him at a leisurely pace. No matter how hard he tried to distance himself, he couldn't get rid of Gao Ziyi.

In the thirteen laps of the race, Jiang Hongyi took the lead for ten laps. Gradually, the other two opponents could no longer keep up with him, but Gao Ziyi still followed behind him.

Until the last two laps, Jiang Hongyi spent too much energy trying to open up the distance, so he slowed down a little later.

Taking advantage of this moment, Gao Ziyi took advantage of the curve to pass him cleanly, and after several powerful ice climbs, he firmly occupied the first position.

Although Jiang Hongyi was also working hard to overtake, Gao Ziyi did not give him a chance, and finally won the championship with a clear advantage.

Seeing his senior brother win the championship, Gu Ran in the stands was even more excited than his senior brother: "Stable! It's too stable!"

Afterwards, Gu Ran took part in two more Group B races. She finished fifth in the 500m, and lost to Chi Lang in the 1000m by a small margin, only taking sixth.

Chi Dali really didn't make much progress technically, but his achievements were visible to the naked eye, and he didn't know how he did it.

The 1000m champion is Liu Fei, No.2 is Ren Yongjie, and Wu Kaize is No.3. In the 500m, although Zheng Wenkang also participated in the final, everyone is optimistic about Liu Fei winning the championship.

Only Gu Ran, he firmly believed that Meng Yuqiao would win the championship.

The teammates didn't understand. That Meng Yuqiao had never heard of him having outstanding achievements. Why did Gu Ran think so highly of him?

Gu Ran couldn't say it himself, but he just had a strong feeling that this Meng Yuqiao belonged to the same type of person as him, the kind who wouldn't admit defeat when beaten to death.