Shen You’an coughed lightly, "I practice occasionally."
Occasionally practice? Is this the confidence of a genius?
Swimming casually achieves results that others might never reach in their lifetime.
Hong Cuiting has seen many swimming prodigies. Compared to ordinary athletes who struggle through arduous training, prodigies achieve unattainable results with ease. But swimming, being such a competitive sport where talents emerge endlessly, means that even geniuses dare not slack off. Behind the glory that outsiders see lies countless efforts to make winning seem effortless.
Someone like Shen You’an likely practices very little in private. Coupled with her heavy academic workload, she certainly doesn’t have much time to train. Just now, watching Shen You’an swim that lap, it was clear she didn’t even use her full strength. Yet with such casual effort, she shattered a national record...
They’ve truly struck gold.
"Coach." Jiajia ran over, "Is your stopwatch broken? 52.17 seconds—this is absolutely impossible."
Her tone seemed to firmly reject the possibility of Shen You’an achieving such a result.
Hong Cuiting frowned and glanced at her, "It’s late. Go back and get some rest."
"Coach..."
Hong Cuiting couldn’t be bothered to respond to her, "Chen Duo, you should head back too."
Chen Duo didn’t say much. She glanced at Shen You’an, turned around, and left, dragging the disgruntled Jiajia with her.
Hong Cuiting sighed, "That kid has a stubborn personality. Don’t take it personally."
Shen You’an nodded, "I’m used to it."
Hong Cuiting choked for a moment before understanding.
The exceptionally talented are always subject to more scrutiny. Mediocre minds cannot comprehend the world of a genius.
"Tomorrow’s meet—members of the provincial team will be watching. You know what I mean, right?"
"I understand."
Hong Cuiting rubbed his hands together excitedly, "Shen, if you can maintain your current performance, making it to the national team won’t be a problem. Next year’s Olympics—you have a real shot."
He spoke cautiously. A talent like Shen You’an is sought after everywhere. If she joins the national team and undergoes more professional training, her level of performance will accelerate even further.
Of course, blind confidence isn’t ideal either. The national team is filled with prodigies. If Shen You’an can’t maintain peak form, she might blend into the crowd.
Shen You’an’s gaze flickered slightly. The Olympics are the pinnacle of competitions. Winning an Olympic medal would award substantial system points, and winning a gold medal would yield even more.
A single Olympic gold medal brings more points than over a hundred smaller competitions combined.
Shen You’an raised her head and looked at Hong Cuiting with determination, "Coach Hong, I want to join the national team."
Hong Cuiting noticed the intense ambition in the young girl’s eyes and was momentarily stunned before breaking into a wide smile, "Good, I love that tenacity in you."
Shen You’an tossed the towel aside, "Coach, I want to practice a little longer."
Hong Cuiting smiled with satisfaction and nodded, "We’ll train until 9:30. Afterward, I’ll explain the key points for the meet. By 10:00 sharp, you’ll go back to sleep and recharge."
Shen You’an swam a few more times, consistently maintaining her performance. This reassured Hong Cuiting immensely.
In competitions, aside from skill, mindset is paramount. Many athletes perform well in private training but falter under pressure during official meets. This is where their mindset breaks down. Shen You’an, thus far, seems to have a solid mental fortitude. A talented athlete willing to put in hard work with a strong mindset is unstoppable.