The first leg of the 4x100 freestyle relay is no different from the 100-meter freestyle.
It's just one person listening to the starting gun and then swimming out.
But the second, third, and fourth legs are different from the 100-meter freestyle, as they jump directly into the water from the edge.
This starting lineup for Cui Deng Rong was indeed a plan he had been thinking about for a long time.
Chen Shu hadn't competed in any major competitions, and he hadn't participated in any relays either.
But… he has speed!!
So let him swim according to the 100-meter freestyle!
And this first leg can be counted as an individual event.
If he breaks a record, it's as valid as the 100-meter freestyle.
So it's completely the same swimming style as the individual event, no need for any other thoughts in his mind, nothing like relay or baton exchange, just swim according to the 100-meter freestyle.
"No!"
Chen Shu answered decisively, his expression resolute!
Cui Deng Rong nodded: "Good!"
"Just treat it as an individual race!"
"Don't worry about the relay or the opponents, just think of it as a 100-meter freestyle race to surpass your limits!"
"Yes!!"
Chen Shu understood Cui Deng Rong's meaning.
"Alright, that's all I have to say!"
"Go relax yourselves, then go to the pool for an hour to get used to it!"
"Especially Chen Shu… practice hard, I've already sent your mom's tickets!"
Cui Deng Rong patted the four of them on the shoulders and then walked towards a few individual athletes standing nearby.
"Whew~~"
Chen Shu let out a long sigh.
He didn't expect that his first participation in the Olympics would come with such a huge responsibility.
The first leg, swim well, and the other three brothers will be relaxed.
Swim poorly… direct pressure!
Moreover, Pan Zhan Le, who is the last leg, faces the most pressure.
He's also responsible for the overtake!
The key is that he's only 19 years old, although he's participated in many domestic and international competitions, the entire team is still relatively young.
"Shu Ge, don't overthink it!"
Pan Zhan Le saw a flicker of emotion in Chen Shu's eyes. Like the other teammates, he gave Chen Shu a nickname and patted him on the back.
"Everything is on me, you just focus on your swim, treat it like your own lane!"
"As long as it's not 2 seconds, or 4 meters, I'm confident I can overtake you!"
"Damn!"
This is the confidence of a world record holder, it's ridiculously awesome; such outrageous words can be spoken, 2 seconds… 4 meters?
What does that mean?
Only Pan Zhan Le, with the world record in hand, could say such things, if it was anyone else, they'd be punched.
Because it's too arrogant!
"Understood, Captain Pan!"
This is the nickname others gave him.
After all, everyone knows that the future ace of the national swimming team, barring any unforeseen circumstances, will be him.
Everyone relaxed in place, and soon it was time to go into the water.
The first competition in the swimming events of the Paris Olympics, the women's 400-meter freestyle heats, officially began!!
Li Bing Jie, the world championship 400-meter bronze medalist and Asia's top 400-meter freestyle swimmer, surprisingly finished fourth in her group, failing to even qualify for the semifinals.
Another competitor in her group finished fifth…
Both women's 400-meter freestyle swimmers were eliminated.
"No way? The top swimmer didn't make the 400-meter cut?"
"Damn!"
Wang Hao Yu was completely stunned.
This was Li Bing Jie's specialty.
The four of them lay on the edge of the pool, looking at the large screen scoreboard, the 4:03.96 for fourth place, and they couldn't believe it.
Li Bing Jie's fastest time in the 400-meter freestyle was under 4:01, now she was 3 seconds slower.
The key is that she had never been outside of 0.02 seconds before.
The worst of the worst was 4:02.50.
This is 2 seconds slower than usual.
This is definitely not her normal performance.
"Damn, the pool is different?"
"It can't be…"
"Bing Jie's mental state must be off!"
"She's been tested for drugs a lot…"
Wang Hao Yu said helplessly.
Soon, the swimming competition moved on to the second event.
Men's 100-meter breaststroke.
"Qin Huang is on!"
"This qualification should be a sure thing, right?"
The current men's 100-meter breaststroke world record holder, shouldn't it be a piece of cake to swim in the heats.
It's not even right to say he's not the first in his group.
However, the results once again surprised everyone.
Third in the group, ninth in the preliminaries, he barely made it to the next stage, the semifinals, just by a few tenths of a second, he almost didn't make it.
He qualified, but ninth place.
A world record holder, ninth in the preliminaries?!
“…”
Pan Zhan Le, along with Chen Shu, were a little dumbfounded.
The world record holder, swam ninth.
Although the preliminaries don't require full speed, this obviously doesn't reflect Qin Haiyang's true level.
"What's going on?"
"Everyone… is in such bad shape?"
Wang Hao Yu was very depressed.
Fortunately, a good news bulletin appeared on the medal standings screen.
China won another gold medal, from the women's 3-meter springboard diving.
This is China's strong point.
China was leading with 2 gold medals, while other countries were still at 0.
But none of the swimmers were happy, after all, it was another event, not the swimming gold medal, diving is a sure thing for China!
Chen Shu and the four of them were swimming there.
The two consecutive defeats in the competition did affect their emotions somewhat.
Then the 400-meter freestyle heats, finally some good news.
Fei Li Wei qualified for the semifinals with first place in his group and third overall.
This was an extraordinary performance.
"Finally, someone who swims better than usual!"
"But this is the freestyle!"
"Little Fei is also young, he probably doesn't feel much pressure…"
Pan Zhan Le walked ashore, put on his clothes and looked at the scores.
Wang Hao Yu next to him pouted: "Bing Jie is also freestyle, didn't swim well!"
"Forget it, don't think about it!"
"Prepare well, we're up next!"
The men's 100-meter freestyle relay will be after the women's 100-meter freestyle relay, and they're back-to-back.
The four of them went to the backstage and saw four female athletes getting ready to go on stage.
"Go for it!"
"Yu Jie, Ting Jie, Qing Feng, Jun Xuan, first place!"
Chen Shu and the four of them cheered them on, high-fiving each other, watching them walk out one by one.
There was a TV in the backstage, where you could see the situation in the pool at the moment.
Pan Zhan Le and Chen Shu were wearing the national team's thermal down jackets, sitting there watching TV intently.
Beep!
The starting gun fired, the women's 100-meter relay, alongside the Australian team, instantly began.
"Go for it!"
"Go!"
"Charge!"
The four of them were yelling desperately.
In the end, they finished second in their group and third in the preliminaries.
They successfully advanced to tomorrow's finals!!
"Sigh!"
"They were so much slower than usual!"
The four of them looked at the final time, shaking their heads slightly.
Five competitions, four already completed.
Except for Fei Li Wei's outstanding performance, the other three were not ideal.
The key is that they didn't have any momentum.
Fei Li Wei's third place in the preliminaries was the best result.
"Brothers, are you guys confident, let's go for first!"
Pan Zhan Le was clearly unhappy, he wanted to boost everyone's morale.
At this moment, Cui Deng Rong walked in, his face clearly grim.
Without a word, he quickly said: "Plan changed."
"Zhan Le, you'll be the first leg, try to break a record in the 100-meter freestyle!"
Otherwise, the leaders would come to lecture them at night.
The swimming team's performance on the first day was the worst start in the last three Olympics.
"Alright, I'll try my best!"
"Chen Shu, you, the fourth leg!"
Cui Deng Rong seemed not to have heard Pan Zhan Le's words, his eyes fixed on Chen Shu.
"Definitely, show your fastest speed!"
"This preliminary race, now it's a battle for survival!"
"A battle for survival to silence the Westerners!"
If they lost this race, Cui Deng Rong could almost predict the negative news from the media, covering the entire world.
Domestically, there would be wailing and gnashing of teeth.
While foreign websites would surely say that China took performance-enhancing drugs.
Now the tests are stricter, they can't use drugs anymore.
That's why they're all so sluggish.
Cui Deng Rong knew these Westerners all too well.
So, only win!!
Can their collective frenzy be silenced!
Become the powerless rage of a small group of people.
Buzz——
The countdown reminder for the start of the men's 100-meter freestyle competition sounded.
Chen Shu and the four of them immediately shivered, walking towards the competition corridor.
"Go for it!!"
"It's up to you guys!"
"Chen Shu, keep your head clear, you can do it!"
"Don't think about anything else!"
Cui Deng Rong shouted to Chen Shu.
Chen Shu, wearing his goggles, didn't look back, instead, he raised his left arm, clenched his fist tightly, and with force – clenched it!
The battle cry has already sounded.
And my swimming legend – will begin with this 100-meter freestyle relay today!
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