Orc Undead Sports Warrior

Chapter 220 Before the Tournament

"Dear viewers, we have some great news to share! In the just-concluded judo final, Tong Wen, representing my country in the women's over 78kg category, rallied from a 1-10 deficit to defeat Japan's Maki Tsukada with an ippon in the final 18 seconds, securing China's 24th gold medal at this Olympics. We'll be replaying the match shortly, and tonight at 9 PM we'll return to the track and field to watch Liu Wei's gold medal battle in the men's shot put. See you then!"

Along with the good news of Yang Li's gold medal, the television screen immediately began replaying the gold medal match between Tong Wen and the Japanese athlete.

"When watching the game on TV, we all get nervous at crucial moments. I wonder if Liu Wei will be very nervous today."

Mom remembered the shot put final that was about to take place and couldn't help but worry about Wei.

"To become a public figure in society, it's inevitable to experience situations like this. With so many people around, there's bound to be pressure. Competitions at the level of the Olympics are not just about specific technical skills, but also about mental fortitude. Just the other day, that American Evans shot our team's target again. It's hard to say what might happen, and I imagine everyone is feeling tense."

As a veteran sports fan, Dad Liu knows all too well that the more important the competition, the harder it is to win. How to perform at one's best under pressure has always been the key to victory in competitive sports.

"There's less than an hour until the shot put final starts. How's Liu Wei doing right now?"

Seeing Jiang Jianjun come up and talk to Feng Yong, Cui Dayong hurriedly inquired about Liu Wei's situation.

"He went to the athletes' lounge for physiotherapy. We'll give him a muscle recovery session while the competition starts. Liu Wei is in good physical condition, so the competition shouldn't have affected his physical state."

Jiang Jianjun gave a brief explanation. At this moment, he didn't have much time to flatter the leaders; the pressure of winning gold in the shot put competition immediately weighed on everyone.

Although he was not Liu Wei's head coach, he was, after all, a player trained by his own apprentice, and Jiang Jianjun was basically by Liu Wei's side during his development period.

It can be said that I have watched this idiot grow up over the past year or so. Liu Wei is now like a child I raised.

Even though Liu Wei was just a member of the national team and a complete stranger to him before, Jiang Jianjun felt that he would definitely pay attention to Liu Wei and would naturally feel the pressure.

At this moment, everyone in the Chinese delegation represents their motherland. They are all working towards the same goal: to win honor for their country. The pressure on the entire delegation does not fall solely on a few leaders, nor can it be placed solely on the participating athletes. Everyone should shoulder their responsibilities.

Now, Wang Qiao is practically inseparable from Liu Wei, even accompanying him when Liu Wei undergoes physiotherapy and recovery.

When Wei arrived at the athletes' physiotherapy area, Coach Sun and Liu Feiren were also there.

Liu Feiren was lying on a massage bed, and the track and field team's physiotherapist was massaging his Achilles tendon and other muscles.

"Hmm..." Liu Fei buried his face in the pillow. He must be in a lot of pain right now, his neck is even red.

"Xiao Liu hasn't been at the venue for the past two days... Is he doing alright?"

Wang Qiao considered his words, but couldn't seem to find something that would make both Liu Feiren and his student feel comfortable, so he simply asked directly. His expression was a little awkward as he spoke; he felt that if Coach Jiang were there, he would definitely have phrased it much better.

It seems that when it comes to communicating with people and the art of speaking, I am far inferior to my master.

Hearing Wang Qiao's words, Coach Sun forced a smile: "Da Liu's Achilles tendon is showing signs of fatigue due to years of training. It's like a bowstring that's been pulled too long; it will crack and lose its elasticity."

Our usual physical therapy aims to relax his Achilles tendon so it doesn't suddenly tighten during exercise, which can easily lead to injury. That's all we can do for now; on the day of the competition, we can only do our best.

Coach Sun looked unwell, and you could tell from his tone of voice that Liu Feiren's Achilles tendon problem seemed to be quite serious.

"We'll go cheer for Liu Wei's match at 9 pm tonight!"

When the two people were talking, they kept a distance from the team members. It's understandable that everyone was worried about their team members' physical condition, but staring at someone all day long must have been creepy.

"Little Six, you did a fantastic job today. As a Chinese athlete, I'm so proud of you. Remember my words: no matter how difficult the situation, always believe in yourself. You can definitely do it!"

Liu Feiren was next to Liu Wei. When he saw Liu Wei arrive, he still had a sunny demeanor, but now his face was clearly red from the pain.

"Competing in front of so many people who support you is indeed very stressful. I'm a little afraid that I won't win the championship and will let everyone down. But this feeling of pressure is also quite exciting. Sometimes, mental shocks and torments are also a form of training."

After Liu Wei finished speaking, he also let out a snort. This year, the team doctor was using a lot of force, as if he had used all his strength.

"If you think like this, you don't actually need anyone else to relieve your pressure. Sometimes pressure is a good thing; pressure can be a driving force!"

At this moment, Zou Zhen and Jiang Jianjun also entered the athletes' rest area. They found Wang Qiao, and the group stood at a distance, whispering to each other.

When athletes receive physiotherapy, everyone stands far away. At this time, it's best to let professionals do what they're good at. Interference from others will only diminish the effectiveness of the physiotherapy.

"Wei should be doing pretty well, right? That kid's ability to compete continuously is comparable to that of black athletes. Running two races shouldn't be a problem!"

Zou Zhen asked himself the question and answered it himself. He knew that Liu Wei was definitely not in any physical condition, but the two of them were still worried, so they decided to come out for some fresh air.

"Feng Yong just received a phone call. Director Liu said he's coming to the competition venue soon, and the judo venue is currently on its way here. The pressure was already immense, and now that the leader is personally overseeing the competition, the pressure on the podium is almost unbearable!"

Hearing Jiang Jianjun's words, the people in the room laughed. It turned out that they had sneaked out not only to see Liu Wei, but also because the atmosphere there was unpleasant.

"So that's why Lao Zou, a sprint coach, is interested in shot put athletes! Haha!"

When Coach Sun saw Zou Zhen come down with him, he started teasing him.

"...Liu Wei is competing in shot put one day, but tomorrow he's one of my sprinters. I have a responsibility to keep an eye on the health of my team members. I've seen him these past two days, Xiao Liu is in the gym every day. Are you trying to turn him into a weightlifter?"

Zou Zhen patted Coach Sun on the shoulder with a smile, then looked at his watch. There was less than half an hour before the start of the game: "Alright, let's talk to Xiao Liu, and then let Liu Wei go check in."