The men's 4*100 meter freestyle relay continued.
Chen Shu sat on the shore, his chest heaving like a bellows, panting rapidly.
He had truly given his all in this 100-meter freestyle.
And it was the kind of effort where he'd pushed himself to the limit, accelerating and sprinting until…...he had exhausted all his energy!
But the result was pleasing.
“You're a beast! You were even faster than me!”
Pan Zhan Le ruffled Chen Shu's hair, which was still damp from the swim cap he'd just removed.
He was too excited.
47.20 seconds!
A time that even he found intimidating.
Even at 18 years old, he had only managed to achieve such a time a few times.
But even so.
It was among the fastest times in the world for the 100-meter freestyle.
The other, was his arch-rival, David Popovich.
Fortunately, this wasn't an American!
Otherwise, he would have been even more difficult to deal with.
Splash!
As Chen Jun Er, the third leg, plunged into the water, Pan Zhan Le was ready for the final handover.
Wang Hao Yu had maintained Chen Shu's lead through the second leg.
Chen Jun Er, the third leg, was the weakest link in the quartet.
But it didn't matter, because the final leg had the world's strongest swimmer, Pan Zhan Le.
If the gap wasn't too large…...he could close it.
In Cui Deng Rong's words…….as long as the gap wasn't more than 2 seconds, Pan Zhan Le had a chance!!
That's how terrifying he was, a level of dominance beyond compare.
He was faster than the second fastest 100-meter freestyle swimmer in the world…...by more than a second.
“Steady!”
“Chen Jun Er!”
“Maintain the lead!”
The commentator watched the third leg with excitement.
Although the United States and Australia were close behind, Chen Jun Er, the slowest of the four, gritted his teeth and persevered.
He knew he couldn't let his team down.
Even 13-year-old Chen Shu knew the meaning of giving it his all!
He had exhausted himself to achieve an unprecedented 47.20 seconds!
He couldn't let up for a moment.
“Hold on!”
“Don't let them get too far ahead!”
All the swimmers and coaches in the training room behind the scenes clenched their fists!
Everyone watched the thrilling relay with bated breath.
Many dared not breathe!
The training room was so quiet you could hear a pin drop!
Everyone stared intently!
The success or failure of the relay ultimately depended on the third leg, Chen Jun Er.
50 meters!
Chen Jun Er was still ahead.
“Don't let them down!”
“It's time to give it your all!”
“Chen Jun Er!”
He turned underwater, 60 meters……Chen Jun Er was still leading; Chris Giuliano, the second best 100-meter freestyle swimmer from the United States, had caught up.
It took him only 5 meters to overtake Chen Jun Er.
“It's okay, hold your ground!”
Many knew that Chen Jun Er would be overtaken…...it was just a matter of time.
But to be only in second place after nearly 65 meters was a superhuman feat from Chen Jun Er.
Then!
At the 80-meter mark…...the Australian swimmer caught up as well.
Ultimately!
Chen Jun Er completed the final handover, just slightly behind.
“Yes!”
The entire training room erupted in cheers.
There was a chance!
A chance to win gold.
If Pan Zhan Le swam to his usual standard…...not to mention gold, a medal was a sure thing.
Splash!
The moment Pan Zhan Le jumped into the pool and emerged, he was almost neck and neck with Kyle Chalmers, Australia's strongest 100-meter freestyle swimmer.
Three seconds later, Pan Zhan Le was in second place.
Chalmers looked at Pan Zhan Le, who had moved ahead of him, with despair.
He…...couldn't catch him.
The feeling of being unable to close the gap…...was incredibly frustrating.
“Go for it, Pan Zhan Le!”
“Charge!”
“We're in second place, just a little behind Caleb Dressel from the US team!”
Caleb Dressel, a legend of the US swimming team.
Five-time gold medalist at the Tokyo Olympics.
He won gold in the 50-meter freestyle, 100-meter freestyle, and 100-meter butterfly at the Tokyo Olympics.
He is ranked third in the world among the fastest freestyle swimmers.
His personal best is 46.96 seconds.
But that was achieved in 2019.
He hasn't broken the 47-second mark since.
But even so…...no one dared to underestimate his strength.
After all, his personal best is ranked fifth in the 100-meter freestyle all-time list.
The two above him have already retired.
Only Pan Zhan Le and David Popovich remain!
So he is rightfully ranked third in the world!
40 meters!
Pan Zhan Le started to close the gap on Dressel, the two were almost inseparable!
50 meters!
They were still neck and neck.
He turned underwater, emerged, and it was still impossible to tell who was ahead.
Dressel's initial burst of speed was almost equal to Pan Zhan Le's.
So it all came down to the final 50 meters!
The most brutal 50 meters of the race.
Every man mustered all his strength…...and fought tooth and nail for the finish line.
“Pan Zhan Le is a back-end swimmer!”
“His finish is the strongest in the world, unmatched!”
“Pan Zhan Le, he's starting to accelerate!”
“He's starting to show the world his supercharged motor of a finish, oh, Pan Zhan Le is ahead!”
“Pan Zhan Le has passed Dressel, currently in first place!”
As the commentator roared, all the swimmers in the training room began to shout.
“Go, go, first, hold the lead!”
The distance was slowly widening.
Pan Zhan Le showed the world his inhuman back-end burst of power.
Dressel couldn't even drink his bathwater.
Because…...he was a full body length behind.
This was the strength of the current world number one, the 100-meter freestyle world record holder.
“It's in the bag!”
Chen Shu let out a long breath, stood on the shore with Chen Jun Er and Wang Hao Yu, ready to welcome the new Olympic champion to the finish.
“Come on, come on!”
“Team Pan, oh, no, Pan God!”
“He's in first, he's in first!”
“Come in!”
The three of them were shouting their heads off, occasionally glancing at the other lanes.
But Dressel, in second place, was a good distance behind Pan Zhan Le.
The victory was practically secured.
The next second, the three of them stared as Pan Zhan Le, like a darting fish, surged towards the 100-meter finish line.
Swish——
A bright five-star red flag pattern flashed suddenly from Pan Zhan Le's lane.
A giant character jumped out from it——NO.1!
First place!
The China swimming team quartet, Chen Shu, Wang Hao Yu, Chen Jun Er, and Pan Zhan Le, won the gold medal in the 4*100 meter freestyle relay!
This was also the China swimming team's first gold medal at the Paris Olympics!