Chapter 629 - 555: Break the Olympic Record Today, Break the World Record Tomorrow

Chapter 629: Chapter 555: Break the Olympic Record Today, Break the World Record Tomorrow

When Liu Xiang stood at the starting line, it was 2:30 in the afternoon in China.

The commentator for this preliminary heat was Yang Jian.

"Alright, the third heat of the first-round preliminaries is about to begin, and the cameras are now on Liu Xiang."

"In the second heat that just ended, Dudley Dorival from Haiti took first in his group with a time of 13.39 seconds."

"Here comes Liu Xiang. As a seeded athlete, he’s in lane four. Beside him in lane five is his main competitor for this heat, Charles Allen from Canada."

"But we all know that at this year’s Osaka Grand Prix, Liu Xiang ran a personal best of 12.93 seconds. That’s absolutely a gold-medal-contending time, so I don’t believe Charles Allen poses much of a threat to him."

"But this is just a preliminary heat, so Liu Xiang’s goal should be clear: play it safe, advance, and conserve energy for the races to come."

Next, Yang Jian briefly introduced the athletes in the other lanes.

Naito Makoto from Japan and Park Tae-yeong from South Korea.

Yang Jian clearly wasn’t fond of these two athletes, casually adding that they were too weak and not in the same league as Liu Xiang.

In the 110m hurdles, Liu Xiang was in a class of his own in Asia.

Since it was just a prelim, Yang Jian didn’t get too technical. Instead, he made some small talk while waiting for the race to begin.

"Liu Xiang has had a tough couple of years. Many viewers might not know that he had a latent Achilles tendon injury and went to the United States for surgery."

"I’m sure many basketball fans are familiar with the lead surgeon, the world’s best orthopedic surgeon, Chen Yu. So, viewers, you can rest assured that Liu Xiang has recovered exceptionally well."

"Afterward, Liu Xiang continued training with Dr. Chen in the United States. I interviewed him once, and he repeatedly told me how much Dr. Chen helped him during his time there. He said he was introduced to many advanced training philosophies in the US, which led to a huge improvement in his times."

As he said this, the camera focused on Liu Xiang.

Unlike the other athletes who were pacing near the starting line, he just stood there quietly, gazing ahead at something unseen.

"I really wonder what Liu Xiang is thinking right now. He’s shouldered so much to get to this point."

"I remember him telling me he wanted to prove something—to prove that in track and field, Asian athletes can also win championships, can be the best."

"This belief has always driven him to work tirelessly, to strive to be faster and better."

"Viewers who have followed Liu Xiang over the past two years might know that he hasn’t competed much. For instance, he withdrew at the last minute from the Celestial Brocade stop of the National Athletics Championships, citing physical reasons."

"In his own words, he was biding his time, building up his strength to unleash it all at these Olympic Games."

"Now he’s finally here in Athens. So to all of you watching at home, please join me in wishing him the best. Let’s hope he runs a great time and proves what he set out to prove."

As he said this, Yang Jian’s tone grew more solemn.

"Alright, the race is about to start."

On screen, Liu Xiang had already crouched down, getting into his starting position.

As the starting gun fired, Liu Xiang shot out like a bolt of red lightning.

He shot to the front.

His reaction time off the blocks was 0.109 seconds.

A phenomenal reaction time.

Eight steps, and he was already airborne over the first hurdle.

"Liu Xiang is flying! He’s in first place as he goes over the hurdle."

"Over the first hurdle! Liu Xiang’s form is excellent. He’s already opened up a half-body lead on Charles Allen."

"He’s picking up speed!"

On the track, as Liu Xiang accelerated, so did Yang Jian’s commentary.

"He’s got this. Liu Xiang should easily take first in the heat."

Yang Jian’s pace slowed.

A quick start means a quick race. As long as Liu Xiang didn’t make a mistake, he would certainly advance in first place.

It was just a prelim, so Yang Jian didn’t go into excessive detail about the race.

But just then, Yang Jian noticed with a sharp eye that Liu Xiang’s speed between the hurdles had soared to an unbelievable level.

Charles Allen was no longer just half a body length behind—the gap was now one length, then two, and growing ever wider.

"What is Liu Xiang doing!"

Yang Jian couldn’t help but exclaim in shock.

That speed was terrifying!

Most importantly, he wasn’t running at a pace just to qualify. His cadence, his control of the rhythm—it was as if he were running a final.

"The final hurdle!"

"Liu Xiang isn’t slowing down! He’s sprinting to the finish!"

Yang Jian’s voice rose uncontrollably. On the track, Liu Xiang had opened up a crushing lead, leaving his opponents several body lengths behind as he blasted across the finish line like a gust of wind.

"12.92!"

The moment Liu Xiang crossed the line, the time flashed on the screen. Yang Jian’s voice cracked as he screamed at the top of his lungs.

"Liu Xiang!"

He shouted Liu Xiang’s name three times in a row, then screamed, "Oh my god! What just happened?! 12.92! In a first-round preliminary heat, Liu Xiang has run an unbelievable, astonishing time of 12.92 seconds!"

"He’s broken the Olympic record! Liu Xiang has broken the record!"

"The wind reading is a legal +1.2 m/s! The time is valid! Liu Xiang! Liu Xiang has broken the Olympic record!"

"12.92! A monumental time! Only 0.01 seconds off the world record!"

"Liu Xiang!"

The entire broadcast booth was filled with Yang Jian’s ecstatic shouts.

On screen, Liu Xiang pointed to the sky, running wildly down the track in celebration.

12.92. He had broken through his own limits once again.

The reporters and staff on site were thrown into a frenzy.

No one had expected the record to fall so suddenly.

’It’s only a preliminary heat!’

As for the other athletes in his heat who crossed the line behind him, their faces were all masks of bewilderment.

’Who runs like that?!’

’It’s a prelim, why are you running like your life depends on it?’

’You peaked today, what are you going to do in the final?’

’Breaking a record is one thing, but what about the gold medal? Don’t you want the gold medal anymore?’

They were completely dumbfounded. In the call room, the other top 110m hurdlers were in the same state of shock.

French athlete Laki Dukure, who had run a 13.18 in the first heat, glanced at Liu Xiang’s time on the call room screen, then turned to his coach.

Just moments ago, his coach had been telling him off for running too hard, saying he’d shown his hand too early. A time around 13.3 would have been enough to qualify.

’So what does he have to say now?’

’If I peaked too early, then what do you call what Liu Xiang just did?’

"He’s insane!"

Not far away, the star Cuban hurdler Anil Garcia stared blankly. He knew Liu Xiang had been on a tear the last two years and had the momentum to challenge for Olympic gold, but he couldn’t comprehend the strategy of running a time like that in a preliminary heat.

He subconsciously looked towards Allen Johnson on the other side.

Allen Johnson was up in the fourth heat. Would he feel the pressure after Liu Xiang posted a time like that?

Allen Johnson silently watched the television, his expression complex as he stared at the newly minted Olympic record.

He remembered Liu Xiang as the rookie from back in the United Kingdom, when Chen Yu had asked him to help out by deliberately provoking the kid to force a better performance out of him.

But this year, Liu Xiang’s performance had skyrocketed, his times improving by a massive margin.

He’d run 12.93 in May, and at the time, Johnson had dismissed it as a flash in the pan, a one-off fluke. He never expected Liu Xiang to post a time like that again, especially not in a prelim.

’But what’s the point? Saving it for the final makes sense, but going all out in a prelim? Why go through the trouble!’

He couldn’t figure it out, but he felt a profound sense of being threatened.

’12.92!’

’That’s my own personal best.’

’And with the shape I’m in this year, it’d be a stretch to run a time like that.’

If Liu Xiang could maintain this form in the upcoming races, then this year’s gold medal was as good as his.

He joined everyone else in turning to look at the China Team’s section across the stadium.

At that moment, all eyes were on the China Team.

Sun Haiping, Feng Shuyong, and the others were already jumping up and down with excitement.

’Well, he’s already run the race, it’s too late to say anything now.’

’At least he broke the record.’

Even if, by some fluke, he didn’t win the gold medal, the Olympic record was real and tangible.

’Worst case, he’s an uncrowned king!’

"Dr. Chen, Liu Xiang did us proud! He really did us proud!" Sun Haiping exclaimed, hugging Chen Yu, tears of joy streaming down his face.

Coming this far step by step over so many years, no one knew better than him how difficult it had been for Liu Xiang.

A world championship, an Olympic record—things like that don’t come easy.

Every fraction of a second was built on Liu Xiang’s blood and sweat.

Chen Yu chuckled and patted Sun Haiping on the back, then gently pushed him away. He smiled and said, "Coach Sun, we’re just getting started. We broke the Olympic record today; tomorrow, let’s break the world record. It’s only 12.91, right? We’re right on the doorstep. I’m sure he can do it."

Sun Haiping was left speechless. The way Chen Yu said it, it sounded like breaking the world record was a trivial matter.

But if that really happened—breaking the Olympic record today and the world record in the second preliminary round tomorrow—then without a doubt, Liu Xiang’s name would echo across the entire globe.

Truly unprecedented in the history of the sport!

Liu Xiang would leave an indelible mark on the 110m hurdles, and indeed, on the entire history of world athletics.

"Alright! Dr. Chen, I believe you!"

Sun Haiping nodded forcefully.

At that moment, he threw caution to the wind.

’Strategy? What strategy? Forget about strategy. Just run.’

Just as Chen Yu had said: break the record, surpass himself, transcend human limits, and become the best 110-meter hurdler on the planet.

Just the thought of it was enough to make one’s blood boil with excitement!