fictionpage Chapter 61 I really have no intention of joining the national team
Chapter 61 I really have no intention of joining the national team
It was still Su Bingying.
Holding the starting pistol, he stood to the side of the starting line, focused, and shouted in a loud voice, "On your marks—get set—!!!"
"Bang!"
The gunshots rang out sharply and loudly in the empty track and field early in the morning.
Almost at the same time the gunshot rang out, Chen Zhiyuan's tall and agile figure was released like a taut bowstring, and he shot out instantly!
Lin Jun, standing by the starting line, narrowed his eyes and was once again amazed: This reaction speed is unbelievably fast!
Even without any starting technique, his natural reflexes and explosive power alone make him a professional-level prospect!
Yes, the speed is still astonishing, like a cheetah sprinting at full speed.
But... Lin Jun frowned almost imperceptibly, his eyes like those of a hawk capturing every detail of Chen Zhiyuan's running: the angle of his arm swing, the range of his hip thrust, the coordination of his stride frequency and stride... It still seemed amateurish and uncoordinated, full of raw power, but lacking the smoothness and efficiency that comes with refined technique.
It is a strange sight where talent and roughness coexist.
Lin Jun's eyes followed the speeding figure closely, watching him cut through the air with a fierce and vibrant energy, crashing hard into the finish line a hundred meters away.
On the electronic timer, the red numbers jumped rapidly before finally freezing—
9.99 seconds!
We've broken through! We've truly broken the 10-second barrier!
And it's improved by a whopping 0.01 seconds compared to the previous 10.00 seconds!
Lin Jun felt as if his heart had been struck by a heavy hammer, followed by a surge of scalding heat rushing from his chest to the top of his head!
He had seen too many talented athletes, but he had never seen a "monster" like the one in front of him who could break through continuously without any training and touch the threshold of Asia's top level and even the world level!
This is no longer a "good seedling". This is a rare and unparalleled gem buried underground, only the tip of the iceberg has been discovered!
He absolutely must be brought into the national team!
He had to polish and refine it himself! An incredibly strong thought took root in Lin Jun's heart, and he even felt his fingertips go slightly numb with excitement.
He stopped waiting and almost jogged, his excitement and eagerness barely contained, as he hurried toward Chen Zhiyuan, who was catching his breath at the finish line.
Before they had even gotten quite close, words of praise had already slipped out, their voices rising a few decibels due to the surge of emotion:
"Xiao Chen, that's fantastic! 9.99 seconds! You've broken the ten-second barrier!"
Standing before Chen Zhiyuan, Lin Jun's gaze was intense, his admiration unreserved. "Your sprinting talent is simply outstanding! You were born for this! To be able to run under 10 seconds without any professional training—to be honest, even I'm a little excited!"
He paused, his tone becoming more solemn, even carrying a sense of historical witnessing: "If I hadn't seen it with my own eyes, I really wouldn't have believed it."
"It's a stroke of luck for me, Lin Jun, to have met an athlete with such amazing talent as you, and it's also a stroke of luck for our country's track and field!"
After offering heartfelt praise, Lin Jun's excitement subsided slightly, replaced by a more formal and serious expression.
He took a deep breath and extended the most important, and the most irrefutable, invitation he had made to Chen Zhiyuan:
"Xiao Chen, I'm formally inviting you to join the national track and field team, to join my sprint group. What do you say? Are you interested?"
After speaking, he looked at Chen Zhiyuan with expectant eyes, waiting for the anticipated and exciting affirmative answer.
National sprint team!
That is the highest hall that countless young track and field athletes dream of, and can hardly reach even if they try their hardest!
In his view, no young person who loves running and has talent would refuse such an opportunity.
However, to his and everyone else's surprise, Chen Zhiyuan did not show the expected elation or excitement after hearing this. He simply shook his head slightly and said in a calm but clear tone:
"Thank you for your kind words, Ms. Lin. However, I have no plans to join the national sprint team at the moment."
He then added, "Of course, if the country needs me to compete, I will do so without hesitation and would be very happy to represent the country and win glory for it."
Lin Jun was stunned.
Su Bingying, who was standing next to him, was stunned.
The leaders of the School of Physical Education looked at each other, their faces filled with astonishment and confusion.
One of the more impatient leaders couldn't help but step forward, his tone both admonishing and urgent: "Xiao Chen, this is the national team! So many people would kill for this opportunity! You need to think carefully; such an opportunity is once in a lifetime, it would be a real shame to waste it!"
Despite the astonishment and persuasion of the crowd, Chen Zhiyuan remained calm and composed, showing no sign of panic or wavering.
His face became more serious as he looked at Lin Jun again and clearly repeated, "Teacher Lin, thank you for your kindness, but I really have no intention of joining the national sprint team."
Lin Jun finally snapped out of his shock.
He quickly understood what Chen Zhiyuan meant: he would not join the national team, nor accept full-time professional team management and training, but was willing to represent the country as a "foreign aid" or in some specific form of cooperation when needed.
This was completely unexpected and deepened his doubts.
"Xiao Chen." Lin Jun suppressed the complex emotions in his heart, trying his best to keep his tone calm, and asked with a hint of inquiry.
"Can you tell me your reasons? Why don't you want to join the national team? There you'll find the best training conditions, the most scientific training system, and the most opportunities to compete. It's the best platform for athletes to realize their ultimate dreams."
Chen Zhiyuan seemed to have anticipated this question. He met Lin Jun's probing gaze and gave a rather "conventional" reason:
"I want to focus on my studies for now. After all, I just got into university, and studying my major is also very important."
His tone was sincere and his expression was frank, leaving no room for criticism.
However, this is not his whole true thought.
Deep within his heart lies an even more expansive "sea of stars".
While winning championships in sports can bring immense honor and wealth, it is merely one part of his grand life plan, an efficient "stepping stone" and "accelerator," rather than a lifelong career.
He needs the capital and influence that comes with the champion's halo to realize the forward-thinking investment blueprints and business ideas in his mind.
Joining the national team means being filled with high-intensity, monotonous training every day, and having to abide by a series of strict disciplines and rules, which will greatly limit his freedom and the possibility of realizing other plans.
He naturally wouldn't voice these genuine, even somewhat "unorthodox," thoughts at this moment.