Chapter 122: Haiquan Fang's Competition
Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The end of August had arrived quickly. The Province Youth Games began on the 29th. There were 36 athletes in total participating in the long jump event. They were all from different districts of the cities in the Hanbei Province, so the competition was relatively fierce. Everyone first had to get through the qualifying session. The thirty-six athletes were divided into two groups, and each one had three attempts to complete a trial jump. The twelve best athletes would go through the next round. The rules were the same as in the Olympic Games.
Haiquan Fang had been put in Group A of the qualifying session, so he would come to the stage first. It was the first time he had participated in a match of this level, so he was a little nervous. Dai Li tried to comfort him and said, "Take it easy. You are the best."
Dai Li was not boasting. He had already observed the other surrounding athletes. None of them could compare to Haiquan Fang. The abilities of most of the contestants were below the national first-class athlete level.
National first-class athletes in athletics events had to get the corresponding achievements in formal competitions to qualify. These formal competitions included national competitions, competitions held by the National Track and Field Association (NTFA), and comprehensive sports meetings held by provincial institutions. If one wanted to become a National Sports Master, he or she had to get the corresponding achievements first. Comprehensive sports meetings held by provincial institutions were not qualified to assess National Sports Masters.
The Province Youth Games were a kind of comprehensive sports meeting held by provincial institutions, so if an athlete could get the corresponding achievements here, the person would be granted the title of national first-class athlete.
In fact, in the U18-level Province Youth Games, national first-class athletes were the highest-level participants. National Sports Masters participated in the U20-level games.
Haiquan Fang was a second-class athlete with Grade-A talent. With Dai Li's training, his ability had already surpassed that of a first-class athlete. Dai Li even believed Haiquan Fang could reach the level of National Sports Masters with his explosiveness.
Many of the other contestants had only barely reached the first-class. Dai Li could see Haiquan Fang surpassing the others completely.
But Haiquan Fang was a bit unlucky. He had gotten drawn first, which meant that he would be the first to make an attempt.
"Come on! Relax and think about the main movements. No mistakes. It is the first attempt. Your goal is to finish it smoothly," encouraged Dai Li. It was only the first attempt, so Dai Li had low expectations for Haiquan Fang. He was just hoping that Haiquan Fang would not make any vital mistakes.
Haiquan Fang entered the run-up area. Surrounding contestants and coaches' eyes were fastened on him. Because he would be the first one making a trial jump, it was normal for everyone to see how it would go. Some coaches even began to whisper to each other about him.
"The first to go usually does not have much luck. Youngsters never have enough experience, and get stage fright in large competitions. It is difficult to behave normally as the first contestant."
"This athlete is from the Province Youth Team. He must be skilled, otherwise they would not have sent him here."
"I'm not sure. I saw the data for the contestants just now. He is only 16-years-old."
"16-years-old? What a young boy! I guess he just came here to try and reach the standard. Still, to get this far at 16, he must be a good athlete."
The age restriction for the youth athletes was from 16 to 18 years of age. If one was older than 18, they had to join the U-20 or adult competitions. But even though the official requirements stated anyone from 16-18 years of age could compete, almost all the contestants were 18-years-old. It was rare to see 17-year-old athletes, let alone 16-year-olds.
For ordinary people, there were big differences in physical development between the ages of sixteen and eighteen. For athletes, however, physical development was identical. Many athletes had adult bodies by the time they were 18-years-old, while 16-year-olds were normally only slightly stronger than younger competitors. Because of this, most players who participated in the Youth Games were eighteen. If they participated in the games at sixteen, there were many physiological disadvantages.
Upon hearing that the first contestant was only 16-years-old, everyone lost interest in Haiquan Fang's attempt. In their opinions, a 16-year-old athlete had to have been a bystander. His performance was irrelevant in their eyes.
Haiquan Fang took a deep breath and began to run up. With Grade-A talent and excellent explosiveness, plus the power of the explosive force halo, he ran quickly.
"He has respectable speed," someone said. The next second, Haiquan Fang reached the takeoff board, and jumped high into the air.
Haiquan Fang was still extremely nervous, and was worried about making the mistake of stepping on the line, so he did not make full use of the takeoff board. He had taken off when his toes were far from the edge of the board.
It was not a successful takeoff. All the professional long-jumpers knew how to make full use of the board, but Haiquan Fang had not achieved it because he was nervous.
But it did not influence his rise. He flew like a bird, and made the walking-in-air movement with his arms and legs. Once he had taken off and felt the adrenaline rushing through his body, he was no longer nervous.
"Whew!" Haiquan Fang's body fell to the sand. He stretched his legs forward and kicked sand into the air. The sand formed a yellow wave that rose up, and then fell down all at once. Haiquan Fang used his waist to stand up from the sands right away.
"Not bad, no big mistakes," commented a coach. At the same time, he turned to the line markings outside of the sands. He was shocked.
"He jumped further than 7 meters, and not just barely further!" he gulped.
An athlete whose performance was better than 7 meters could be selected in the qualifying session even in the National Youth Game. In the Province Youth Game, a 6.60 meter jump could put the player in the top twelve. According to this standard, it was safe to say that Haiquan Fang would go through the next round.
The inspector gave the official result for Haiquan Fang. "7.33 meters!"
The standard for national first-class athletes in athletics events was 7.30 meters. Haiquan Fang would be able to apply for the national first-class with his score.
"Did you hear that? 7.33 meters! He reached the standard!"
"What a lucky guy! He achieved the standard on his first jump!"
Haiquan Fang was looked at enviously by those around him. Most of the contestants were here for the national first-class. But Haiquan Fang did not look very happy. He walked over to Dai Li and said in low spirits, "Coach, I did not do well."
"It does not matter. It is only the qualifying session. And you can enter the next round with your score now," Dai Li smiled.
7.33 meters was not a good mark for Haiquan Fang, but Dai Li knew that at least twenty of the thirty-six players could not obtain a score higher than seven meters.