บท 78: Chapter 78: Final Push

The day of the finals arrived faster than Rohan had expected. The heats had been grueling, but now the real challenge was before him. The best of the best had all qualified, and now it was a showdown. Every single runner in the final was at the top of their game, and the competition was fierce. Rohan had seen their times from the heats—there was no room for error in this race.As Rohan laced up his shoes in the locker room, he replayed the last few months of training in his mind. The countless hours on the track, the intense sessions with Ms. Mehra, the mental work with Dr. Kapoor. It had all led to this moment. There was no turning back now.Ms. Mehra met him before the race, her expression serious but calm. "This is it, Rohan," she said. "You've done everything you could to prepare. Now, you just need to run your race. Focus on your strategy, and don't let the pressure get to you."Rohan nodded, though the nerves were swirling in his stomach. "What if… what if I don't make it?" he asked, voicing the fear that had been gnawing at him for days.Ms. Mehra placed a hand on his shoulder. "You've already made it. You're here. The rest is just a matter of execution. Don't think about the outcome. Think about the race—one step at a time."With that, she left him to his final preparations, and Rohan walked out to the track, the roar of the crowd growing louder as the athletes were introduced. His heart was pounding in his chest, but he focused on calming his breathing. He had faced pressure before. He had come back from worse. This was just another race.But as Rohan lined up at the starting line, the weight of the competition settled on him. The runners beside him were legends—names that he had admired for years. Men who had broken world records, who had stood on Olympic podiums. And now, he was standing beside them, ready to prove himself.The starting pistol fired, and the race began.The first lap was a blur. Rohan surged forward with the pack, moving at a pace faster than anything he had experienced before. The runners around him were incredibly fast, their strides almost effortless as they glided across the track. Rohan held his position, staying with the lead group, but he could feel the strain building in his legs.By the second lap, the pack had started to spread out. The pace was relentless, and Rohan was beginning to feel the toll it was taking on his body. But he pushed on, refusing to fall behind. He could see Arjun ahead of him, running with his usual grace and power, but even he looked strained. This was a race that pushed everyone to their limits.As they entered the final lap, Rohan knew it was time to make his move. He had been holding back, conserving his energy for this moment, and now he had to give everything he had. His legs burned with exhaustion, but he ignored the pain, pushing himself harder than ever before.He surged forward, passing one runner, then another. The crowd was deafening, their cheers a blur of sound as Rohan sprinted toward the final turn. He was in fourth place now, but the podium was within reach.The final stretch was a battle. Rohan could feel the lactic acid in his legs, the burning in his lungs, but he kept going, his eyes locked on the finish line. The runners ahead of him were barely a step away, but they were running at full tilt as well.With every ounce of strength left in his body, Rohan pushed forward, closing the gap between him and the runner in third. He could see the finish line now, but his body was screaming in protest, begging him to stop.He gave one final surge, his legs churning, his arms pumping. The finish line was there, just meters away. He could see the third-place runner, feel the distance closing.But it wasn't enough.Rohan crossed the line, his chest heaving, his body trembling with exhaustion. He had finished fourth.