Breaking a 17-Year-Old Record
The 400-meter sprint is the most challenging sprint event to discern an athlete's strengths and weaknesses. Particularly, some subtle advantages and disadvantages are nearly impossible to identify unless you're a professional. For the average spectator, the best way to judge an athlete's strengths and weaknesses is by observing their times when entering the straights or curves.
Zhang Guan entered the second curve slower than Mitsuhiro Sato, but compared to Yuzo Kanemaru, they entered the curve almost simultaneously. This suggests that although Zhang Guan's technique might not be as refined as Kanemaru's, he does have an advantage in terms of pure speed.
For 400-meter runners, the first 200 meters are essentially just an appetizer. During this phase, everyone has sufficient energy, so even if someone takes the lead, it doesn't mean much. There are countless examples in real races where someone who had a significant advantage in the first 200 meters ended up finishing last.
"Today's pace is quite good, and my energy reserves are alright. Maybe I can start accelerating a bit earlier!" With this thought, Yuzo Kanemaru began his sprint, immediately standing out from the other athletes.
"Kanemaru-kun has started his sprint! He seems to have begun a bit earlier today," shouted Kobayashi Keikazu, clenching his fists. The fact that athletes had started their sprint signified that the final decisive moments of the race were imminent.
"Kanemaru-kun has started sprinting, Zhang Guan, how will you respond? At what point will you start your sprint?" Kobayashi Keikazu turned his gaze towards Zhang Guan, noticing that he was still running at his original pace.
At the 250-meter mark, a South Korean athlete also began his sprint, while Zhang Guan's pace remained unchanged.
"Still not sprinting? What kind of running strategy is this? Is he going to wait another 20 meters? If he starts sprinting at 270 or 280 meters, he might have a chance to sprint all the way to the finish!" Kobayashi Keikazu was already a bit puzzled.
At the 280-meter mark, Zhang Guan's pace was still unchanged, while Kanemaru Yuzo, running at the front, was already preparing to enter the straight.
"Why hasn't Zhang Guan started to accelerate yet? What kind of running strategy is this?" Kobayashi Keikazu was filled with questions, while Kanemaru Yuzo had already surged into the straight.
"He's in the lead! Entering the straight!" Takano Jin suddenly shouted.
Kobayashi Keikazu was initially stunned, then realized that Kanemaru Yuzo not only led Zhang Guan but had about a one-second advantage.
"Kanemaru-kun has already started his sprint on the straight, while Zhang Guan hasn't even entered the straight. The gap will only widen. With such a big lead, he won't lose. He's definitely going to win!" Kobayashi Keikazu started cheering.
The entire Japanese team also erupted in cheers, with encouragement for Kanemaru Yuzo spreading all around.
However, the atmosphere among the spectators in the venue noticeably deflated. They had come expecting Zhang Guan to win, but now they saw that he was falling behind.
Shortly afterward, Zhang Guan entered the straight and began his sprint. Even Mitsuhiro Sato had already entered the straight before him.
"Maintaining the same pace until the end before starting to sprint—this is like my father's generation's running method. I can't believe Zhang Guan is using such a primitive approach. This strategy has long been outdated! Starting the sprint now is too late! With Kanemaru-kun's substantial lead, there's no way he can catch up!" Kobayashi Keikazu wore a smug smile.
But the next moment, his smile suddenly transformed into a look of incredulity.
"What's happening? How can he be this fast? It's impossible! This is a 400-meter race, not a 200-meter sprint. How can someone have such speed at the end? He has already run 300 meters; his energy should be nearly depleted. How can he still be this fast?" Kobayashi Keikazu's eyes widened as he realized that Zhang Guan's speed was due to his preserved stamina.
From Zhang Guan's current speed, it was clear that the first 300 meters hadn't consumed much of his energy. While for other athletes, the final 100 meters of a 400-meter race is usually near their limit, for Zhang Guan, it seemed as though the race had just begun.
"Why? Why does Zhang Guan still have so much energy left at this point?" Both Kobayashi Keikazu and Takano Jin were stunned, unable to comprehend what was happening.
In the next second after Zhang Guan accelerated, the entire crowd erupted with thunderous cheers. The sudden display of speed was spectacular, making other athletes appear like turtles in comparison.
Zhang Guan easily surpassed Mitsuhiro Sato, without any suspense.
Mitsuhiro Sato only felt a blur passing by him, completely unaware that it was Zhang Guan.
"What was that? So fast! Was it a person? A cameraman on wheels? When did the cameraman get so close?" Mitsuhiro Sato squinted and realized it was Zhang Guan.
"How is that possible? Is he sprinting? How can he run so fast? Is he running a 200-meter race? Did I enter the wrong event? No, this is definitely the 400 meters!" Mitsuhiro Sato had a look of disbelief. Although he was also sprinting, compared to Zhang Guan's sprint, he seemed to be taking a leisurely stroll.
"Such quick strides can only be made with ample energy. This means he still has a lot of stamina left! He's run 300 meters and still has this kind of energy—what a monster!" Mitsuhiro Sato watched in astonishment as Zhang Guan rapidly closed in on Kanemaru Yuzo. Given the current situation, it was inevitable that Zhang Guan would overtake Kanemaru Yuzo before the finish line.
At that moment, Kanemaru Yuzo, unaware that Zhang Guan was closing in, was focused on the finish line, his mind filled with thoughts of victory.
"The finish line is just ahead. I'm in first place right now! I'm going to win! I'm about to win! The coach was right; Zhang Guan doesn't know how to run the 400 meters. So what if he holds the world record for the 100 meters? So what if he's the fastest man in the world? I've still beaten him! I've defeated the world's fastest man! I'm going to be a hero in Japan!"
Kanemaru Yuzo started to smile, but in reality, his speed was beginning to decrease.
Even the top Black athletes from Europe and America rarely maintain a sprint from 250 meters to the finish. Many athletes lose their explosive power around 350 meters. However, due to their previous sprinting rhythm, inertia, and sheer willpower, their final 50 meters, though slower, doesn't drop off drastically. Most 400-meter runners spend the most time in the last 100 meters.
World-class athletes like Michael Johnson in the past or Jeremy Wariner now can maintain some explosiveness even in the final 50 meters. They might even run their last 100 meters faster than the first. That's why they can run under 44 seconds. However, Kanemaru Yuzo clearly lacked this ability. Around the 350-meter mark, he had already lost his explosive power, his stride frequency had decreased, and his speed had subsequently slowed down.
Despite this, Kanemaru Yuzo believed he could win. In a 400-meter race, at this distance, other athletes would slow down as well, maybe even earlier than he did. None of the athletes Kanemaru Yuzo had faced before could maintain their explosiveness in the last stretch of a 400-meter race.
While Kanemaru Yuzo was fantasizing about his victory, Zhang Guan caught up to him.
"Ah!" Kanemaru Yuzo was startled by the person who suddenly appeared beside him. He turned to see Zhang Guan, who gave him a cheeky smile that seemed more like a devil's grin to Kanemaru Yuzo.
"That's Zhang Guan! He caught up! He actually caught up!" Kanemaru Yuzo no longer cared why Zhang Guan had managed to catch up; his instinct was to accelerate. But at this point, his body was already at its limit. The so-called acceleration was just an idea in his mind. This idea translated into commands, transmitted through nerves to his limbs, but his body couldn't execute the commands. His speed did not change.
Then, Zhang Guan overtook Kanemaru Yuzo effortlessly and without any suspense.
What is the most thrilling in a racing sport? Of course, it's overtaking!
What is the most exhilarating in a racing sport? Of course, it's overtaking!
What is the most entertaining in a racing sport? Of course, it's overtaking!
At that moment, Zhang Guan completed an overtake!
At that moment, the whole stadium erupted as if a volcano had exploded!
At that moment, Kobayashi Keikazu and Takano Jin were ashen-faced.
But Kanemaru Yuzo, unwilling to accept defeat, was like a wounded beast, wanting to take his enemy down with him.
Yet, he did not have the right to do so. Zhang Guan remained fast, his speed did not drop, and the distance between them continued to grow. Kanemaru Yuzo watched as Zhang Guan approached the finish line while he could only struggle powerlessly.
At this point, Kanemaru Yuzo finally regained his ability to think and began to ponder why Zhang Guan was able to run so fast.
"Why? Why is this happening? This is almost at the finish line. Why can he still maintain such speed? It doesn't make sense! After sprinting for 300 meters, how can anyone still run this fast in the end? Is Zhang Guan an alien?"
Kobayashi Keikazu watched as Zhang Guan steadily approached the finish line. If he hadn't seen it with his own eyes, he would never have believed that someone could sprint so fast in the final stage of a 400-meter race.
Not only Kobayashi Keikazu but also coaches and athletes from other countries found it unbelievable. Even the Chinese team's athletes watching the race were astounded.
This defied all known common sense and exceeded human physiological limits.
Suddenly, Kobayashi Keikazu realized that Zhang Guan had maintained a consistent pace from the start, whether it was on the straights, the curves, or entering the final straight. Zhang Guan's pace was precisely the same, without the slightest change. It was as if he was running like a machine from the start.
"Could this be a completely new running method?" Kobayashi Keikazu speculated as he watched Zhang Guan cross the finish line.
Meanwhile, the commentator on the television excitedly shouted, "44.50 seconds! 44.50 seconds! Zhang Guan has broken the Asian record! The 17-year-old Asian record has been shattered!"
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