Chapter 635 - 561: Famous Too Soon? He Still Has a Long Way to Go

Chapter 635: Chapter 561: Famous Too Soon? He Still Has a Long Way to Go

HUFF! HUFF! HUFF!

On the track, Bolt’s face was a mask of grim determination. He clenched his jaw, his breaths coming in quick, short gasps.

The finish line was just ahead, but Bolt felt like his lungs were about to explode. His legs were so numb they almost didn’t exist, moving purely on instinct.

Bolt’s mind was blank; he couldn’t think about anything. The only thought was to endure.

Endure until the finish line, strive to break the world record.

Liu Xiang breaking the world record not long ago had been a huge motivator.

He and Liu Xiang had both trained under Chen Yu, and he had even been with Chen Yu longer.

When people questioned if he was doping or cast doubt on Chen Yu’s reputation, Bolt’s only thought was to vindicate his coach.

He had to break the world record, and he had to do it even faster than Liu Xiang had.

Deep down, he and Liu Xiang were friends, but they were also rivals!

It felt like an instant and an eternity all at once. With a final, powerful surge, Bolt lunged across the finish line.

The next moment, his body went limp. His stomach churned violently, causing him to drop to his knees, on the verge of throwing up.

He took a deep breath, forced himself back onto his feet, and turned his head to look at the timer.

19.36!

"Damn it!"

Bolt swore viciously. He had failed.

Although he had run a better time, he still hadn’t broken the world record.

An improvement of 0.03 seconds, yet it felt like it had drained every last bit of his potential.

In the prep area, Chen Yu stood alone.

There was no one beside him, but when the results of the 200m semifinal appeared on the television, every athlete, coach, and delegation member in the area turned in unison to look at Chen Yu.

Their gazes were all complex.

There was shock.

From 19.43 in the first run, to 19.39 in the second, and now to 19.36.

While others were still hovering around the 20-second mark, Bolt, a teenager who had just turned 19, was already making repeated assaults on the world record.

A gap of only 0.04 seconds—it felt like a single twitch could have surpassed it. How could people not be stunned?

But beyond the shock, there was also relief and lingering fear.

From the moment the track and field events began, Chen Yu had seemingly become the focal point of every competition.

His athletes were uncharacteristically hitting peak form starting in the preliminary heats.

Then Liu Xiang, as if he were using a cheat code, broke the Olympic record in the first round and the world record in the second.

If Bolt had also broken a world record today, Chen Yu would have been deified on the spot.

In the history of world athletics, no coach had ever been so incredible as to train two athletes who could break world records, let alone do so consecutively within such a short competition schedule.

If Chen Yu had actually pulled it off, it would have been terrifying.

Fortunately, Bolt had failed.

Chen Yu’s expression was calm; inwardly, he didn’t feel much regret or disappointment.

’To have my own disciples break world records consecutively in a single day would certainly be shocking, even unbelievable,’ but Chen Yu knew that Bolt had truly reached his limit.

You could tell just by looking at his condition after the race.

The guy nearly ran himself to the point of vomiting.

For a top-tier professional athlete, when the ground temperature wasn’t even that high, to run yourself to the brink of vomiting could only mean one thing: you’ve hit your absolute limit.

And limits aren’t so easy to break.

Honestly, for him to go from a time around 19.5 seconds and break the 19.4-second barrier in one go was already insane.

After being taken for a urine test, Chen Yu met up with Bolt.

The moment he saw Chen Yu, Bolt was like a child who had done something wrong. He lowered his head and stammered an apology.

"Sir, I’ve let you down."

Chen Yu stepped forward and hugged him.

’This kid... If I were disappointed, how would all the other coaches in the world feel?’

"Alright, there’s still the final. You still have a chance."

All Chen Yu could do was offer encouragement.

’A gold medal in tomorrow night’s final is a sure thing, at least.’

After finishing the interviews, he took Bolt back to the hotel, where Chen Yu immediately had him start recovery training.

This time, it was more meticulous and took longer.

Liu Xiang had finished a long time ago, but Bolt was still not done.

They had returned from the stadium close to midnight, and by the time they finished, it was already past three in the morning.

During the final full-body massage, Bolt actually fell asleep.

"What do we do?" Mills was dumbfounded.

He’s a big guy. We can’t just carry him back, can we?

"I’ll wake him up." Mills reached out to shake Bolt awake.

Chen Yu stopped him.

Falling asleep during a full-body massage meant Bolt had entered a deep sleep.

And this period was the optimal time for the system’s effects to take hold, for the body to self-repair and alleviate fatigue.

’Waking him would be a waste.’

"Let’s watch over him for a while."

Chen Yu considered it and decided to let Bolt sleep for at least one full sleep cycle.

Besides, after staying up so late, he wasn’t very sleepy himself.

Chen Yu returned to his room and grabbed his laptop.

At this time, it was nighttime in the United States, just when the workday was ending.

A large number of work emails would be coming in, waiting for Chen Yu to handle them.

From the clinic, the team, and also the show.

Especially the show.

The three-month regular season had reached mid-August, the midpoint of the season. The "Comeback" episode had just finished filming, and the production team had prepared an activity similar to an all-star game.

It was called "Dream Battle."

This would also be the theme for the next two episodes.

The detailed plan was devised by the production team. Chen Yu thought it was pretty good, so he greenlit it.

It was currently being filmed according to schedule, so Chen Yu needed to take some time to check in on it.

While Chen Yu was handling his work emails, Mills, who was watching over Bolt, probably got bored and came over to start a conversation.

"Chen, do you think Usain can really break the world record?" Mills asked in a strange tone, glancing at the soundly sleeping Bolt in the distance.

Chen Yu glanced up at him.

"Why do I get the feeling you don’t want him to break the world record?"

Breaking the world record, becoming such a young world record holder, and in a major track and field event like the 200m at that—Bolt would truly skyrocket to fame and begin a glorious professional career.

Mills hesitated for a moment before nodding slightly. Then, with a complicated look, he said, "He’s too young. Succeeding this early might not necessarily be a good thing."

Chen Yu raised an eyebrow slightly, pushed his laptop aside, and asked him why he would think that.

Mills wrung his hands in frustration and said, "Chen, Usain isn’t the same as Liu Xiang. Liu Xiang is already an adult and more mature, but Usain is different. He’s a mischievous kid."

He started practicing running at 12. Back then, Bolt was playful and rebellious. And because of his height, people always said he was too tall and would never make it as a sprinter.

He started to believe it himself and became lazy in his training.

It got a little better after he met Chen Yu a couple of years ago, but living in the dazzling world of the United States, while Bolt certainly trained hard, his heart also grew wilder.

"Chen, he trusts you. To him, you are a wise man guiding him. He listens to you." Mills looked at Chen Yu.

If Bolt wins gold and breaks the world record at this Olympics, then there’s really no reason for him to stay by Chen Yu’s side anymore.

That’s how the contract was signed initially, and Chen Yu had also stated clearly that he wanted to see if Bolt could probe the limits of humanity.

The world record is the limit of humanity.

And once he wins the championship and breaks the world record, his fame will explode, and the young Bolt will start making money.

It’s not that Mills doesn’t want Bolt to make money. He just feels that at 19, earning millions, or even more, makes it too easy to be blinded by desire.

It would honestly be better if he failed now. He could settle down for a few years and then make a huge name for himself at the next Olympics.

"Doctor Chen, that’s more or less what I’m thinking. Can you understand?" Mills asked.

He had spoken in fragments, but Chen Yu understood.

’To put it bluntly, he’s worried that Bolt will become famous too early, make money too soon, and won’t be mature enough to control himself.’

"Glenn, let’s not even talk about how he hasn’t broken the world record yet. Even if he really did, it’s not that big of a deal."

Chen Yu could only say that Mills was overthinking it.

’Bolt’s achievements right now really aren’t that exaggerated.’

At these Olympics, Chen Yu had truly witnessed what it meant to "make your name while you’re young."

Michael Phelps!

That guy was a true monster.

A few days ago, the swimming events had all concluded.

And Phelps? He had entered 8 events and actually managed to win 8 medals, a full 6 of which were gold.

And he’s only 19 years old!

A 19-year-old Bolt was still struggling to break a world record.

Meanwhile, a 19-year-old Phelps was raking in so much gold his hands were going soft, crazily smashing world records to become the undisputed king of the swimming world.

Compared to him, Bolt still had a long way to go.

For Mills to be worrying at this point that Bolt might squander his talent due to becoming a star too early was truly unnecessary.