On August 1, the imperial capital news, the Helsinki Track and Field World Championships are imminent, Feng Shuyong, deputy director of the Athletics Management Center, introduced the preparation of the Chinese track and field team today, and pointed out the five major tasks of the Chinese team in this World Championships, but Feng Shuyong still stressed that there is no gold medal, and there is no medal goal, because there is no point in forcibly setting goals. The vast majority of the participating team members will become the backbone of the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, shouldering the tasks of 2008. Starting next year, Chinese track and field will increase the number and frequency of training in Europe and the United States, learn from each other, let the team members get used to the competition scene, and make substantial progress psychologically......"

As the World Championships approached, television media and newspaper articles followed, attracting the public's attention.

"The new lineup of the World Championships in Athletics: Su Zu and Liu Yangyu lead, and the newcomers shine"

"A number of Olympic champions announced in advance that they would miss the World Championships in athletics and field "scarred"

"World Athletics Championships: China shoulders five tasks to win gold and medals, relying on five trump cards"

"Analysis of the Chinese team at the World Championships in Athletics: There are many eye-catching newcomers"

"Suzu: Powell is sorry for his absence, I hope to be able to stand shoulder to shoulder with the world record"

"Authoritative media predicts the World Championships: Su Zu may win the 200m gold, and the "sluggish" Liu Yangyu faces severe challenges"

……

"Zhang Peimeng, Lin Zhenyao, you two stop."

In the indoor track and field hall of the Xinzhuang training base, Zhang Pei Meng and Lin Zhenyao were following Su Zu's footsteps, preparing for the next stage of training, when they were suddenly stopped by Li Zhizhong next to them.

"You two take a break." Li Zhizhong said to the two.

"Coach Li, I still have the strength." Lin Zhenyao let out a heavy breath Shennong Gao, and looked at Li Zhizhong with some puzzlement.

Young people are very competitive, I can't outrun you, but I have to keep up with you in training.

Lin Zhenyao has been in the professional team for a short time, and becoming a professional athlete is only a matter of the past few months, and he is not so clear about many things.

"I'm going to the World Championships soon, so I'm going to keep fit now to help me recover." Lao Li smiled.

"But I'm not going." Lin Zhenyao muttered.

Although Lin Zhenyao was recommended by Coach Yuan Guohua to train under Li Zhizhong, he has not yet been selected into the relay team. At least he will officially participate in some events later, and his results will be improved, and he will naturally not participate in this World Championships.

Zhang Peimeng next to him hurriedly pulled him and signaled him not to talk nonsense.

His parents were both athletes, and he went from the local team in the imperial capital, to the track and field team of Mizuki University, and then to the national team. Although he is not very old, he has experienced many coaches since he embarked on the road of track and field, and he knows how much significance a coach has for athletes.

This is still Li Zhizhong's good temper, if you change to a grumpy coach in the local team or sports school, how can there be so many things, say a few words happily, and fly up unhappily, it will make you understand.

Now his profession is an athlete, not a student, Li Zhizhong is not only their coach now, but also the deputy head coach of the track and field team, with all kinds of honors, you are a little athlete who has no achievements and has just been playing temper for a few days, you are really not afraid of going back and forth.

"Train well, strive to meet the standards, and you will have a chance in the future."

Lao Li would pay attention to what they thought, but after a few days of getting along, he almost figured out the personalities and tempers of the two.

Zhang Peimeng entered the professional team earlier, and his mind is relatively mature. Lin Zhenyao went from high school to sports school to professional team, the time is very short, and in terms of personal personality, he is like a student more than an athlete.

"I have adjusted the training plan of the two of you, at this stage, your strength and physical fitness are relatively weak, don't completely follow Su Zu's rhythm."

Lao Li pointed to Su Zu, who was training, and then instructed the two of them.

It's a good thing for the two of them to be Su Zu's training partners, but Lao Li also understands that his energy is not fully taken care of, and he still needs Coach Lu Qing and Coach Yuan Guohua to come over to assist.

"Coach, we can also complete Su Zu's training." Lin Zhenyao seems to be a little unconvinced, it's one thing to be tired from training, but it's another thing to be despised and looked down upon, and it's another thing to adjust the amount of training.

Li Zhizhong said with a smile: "You have to work hard and focus on training, but you also have to do what you can." Over-training will only break down the body, and what suits you is the most important thing. Like Zhang Peimeng, you have to pay attention to improving your core strength, but don't overdo it, your movements are light and your stride is not bad, but it is not your strong point in terms of complete strength, you don't have to compare this with others. ”

"As for Lin Zhenyao, you have a big skeleton and good explosiveness, in addition to improving your strength in the future, you will also need to strengthen your speed and endurance in the second half of the middle and second half of the race.

By the way, he is about to participate in the World Championships, and Su Zu's training volume has also come down. Therefore, it is very important for you to know how to combine work and rest, not to practice as fiercely as possible, but to find your body's ability to withstand it, to have a training effect, and not to be easily injured. ”

While a few people were talking, Su Zu's group of additional exercises was also completed, and he was walking slowly on the track, relaxing his muscles.

"Okay, let's go take a shower first, don't rush to blow the air conditioner in the summer."

Li Zhizhong waved his hand and asked the two of them to take a bath and rest first.

At this stage, his training focus is still on Su Zu, and if he wants to really bring new people, he has to wait at least after the 08 Olympic Games.

Turning his head to look at Su Zu, who had already wandered over, he asked him, "Have you packed your luggage?" We will go to the imperial capital tonight, adjust it tomorrow, and fly directly to Helsinki the day after tomorrow. ”

"Alright." Su Zu took a towel from the side and wiped the sweat from his face.

As his career as a professional athlete progressed, Su Zu gradually felt that his mentality had changed a lot.

He used to have low self-esteem and sensitivity when he was growing up, and had a strong sense of self-esteem, but slowly in real life, he wore off the edges and corners again and again.

Work, start a business, live. The more I saw and the little things I made, the more I became calmer. After the first year, I can look at myself and the past more calmly and objectively.

And after being reborn again, I went back to my teenage years again, although mentally mature than young people of this age, but unconsciously, I also changed a lot.

Especially when I embarked on the road of sports, my competitiveness became more competitive, I had a greater sense of honor, and I was more eager to win.

And when facing Li Zhizhong, it seems that the emotions have become a little complicated, Master, Master, it is really like a master and a father.

In many details of training and life, he seems to be accustomed to Li Zhizhong's care for him in all aspects.

"The climate over there is quite different from that in China, remember to bring a few more coats, and wear thicker ones." Li Zhizhong took the towel in Su Zu's hand and threw him into the plastic basket that was regularly cleaned on the side.

Su Zu nodded, Finland belongs to Northern Europe, and although it is summer at this time, the temperature will probably not be too high.

"Master, the first batch of people has already set off?" Su Zu remembered that some people in the team had already rushed to the imperial capital in advance.

"It was already departure in the morning, the 11 o'clock plane. It is estimated that it should be around 2 p.m. local time in Helsinki. Li Zhizhong thought for a moment and replied.

The 2005 World Athletics Championships will be held in Helsinki, Finland from August 6 to 14, according to the different competition times, the Chinese team will be in batches like last year's Athens Olympic Games, mainly to adapt to the venue and climate.

"This time, Coach Feng of the team has already said, don't ask for medals, you don't have to be pressured, try to play your own level on the New Year's song." Li Zhizhong looked at Su Zu and said again.

This time, only 39 members of the Chinese delegation participated in this World Championships, and there were 24 small events out of the station, compared with last year's Olympic Games, the gold medal points this time have not changed much.

The main ones are still Su Zu in the 100m and 200m events, as well as Liu Yangyu's 110m hurdles and Xing Huina's women's 10,000m.

Before the start of the World Championships, the news that some famous players will miss the World Championships due to injury has gradually been reported. Like Asafa Powell, who just broke the record, withdrew with a leg injury, and like Holmes, the women's 800m and 1500m double champion in Morocco at last year's Olympics, suffered an Achilles tendon injury. and Sweden's Olympic champion in the men's pole vault, Olsen, who withdrew due to injury.

On the Chinese team's side, Liu Yangyu said bluntly in an interview before the game that Liu Yangyu has participated in five Grand Prix races in the United States and Europe this year, and his physical fitness has decreased significantly, and he cannot compare with last year's Olympic Games, and his current state is not good.

Like Su Zu, Liu Yangyu first played three Grand Prix races in Osaka, Eugene and New York this year, and then Su Zu returned to China to prepare for the men's relay race, while Liu Yangyu continued to participate in the two Grand Prix races in Lausanne and Rome in July, winning the championship and runner-up.

In the men's 110m hurdles event announced by the IAAF, Liu Yangyu has successfully reached the top in July 2005 and has become the highest point scorer in this event.

However, the challenges he will face in Helsinki will not be easy, one is that Alan Johnson has already said before the game that he must win the World Championships again and complete his goal of five consecutive titles. The other is France's rising star Abdoulay, who currently holds the world's best result so far this year, and is only a few points behind Liu Yangyu in the men's 110m hurdles standings.

The state of long-distance runners such as Xing Huina has also declined, and the training camp in Wudalianchi has not increased the intensity due to the rain, and the coach has adjusted the goal from winning gold to fighting for medals before the game.

As for the men's 4×100m event, the heaviest gold medal event in the Athens Olympics last year, this time it was also reported by many media before the game, and it was the first time for the newcomers to fight, and they were not optimistic.

The eyes of the entire outside world are now basically on Su Zu, and in the men's sprint event, the A and B standards of the World Championships in Track and Field are basically the same as those of the Athens Olympics. The period was from January 1, 2004 to July 25, 2005, just past the Olympic Games. In other events, there are quite a few people who can meet the standard, but in the men's sprint of 1200 meters, there are still only three people: Su Zu, Chen Jian and Yang Guangzong. Chen Jian was about to retire due to injury, and Yang Guangzong transferred to the United States for training. The only one left who can participate is still Su Zu.

Judging from this year's state and achievements, Su Zu has been improving, and Li Zhizhong can also feel some external and internal invisible pressures.

Su Zu has 100 meters and 200 meters, compared with Liu Yangyu and Xing Hui, there is one more gold point, and the attention given by the newspapers and the media at this time is not high.

"If you want to carry the crown, you must bear its weight!" Li Zhizhong occasionally has such a sigh in his heart.

Achievements bring not only glory, but also countless people looking forward to new appointments, which will turn into a responsibility that falls on athletes and coaches.

This is still the World Championships, and even more so if it is the Olympics in three years' time.

……

On August 3, he rested in the imperial capital and made preparations before going abroad.

On August 4, Su Zu, as the second batch of athletes to go to the World Championships, embarked on a flight to Europe with the large team.

Helsinki is the capital and largest city of Finland, which is relatively little known to many Chinese people, but enjoys a high reputation in Europe, with a winding coastline, an archipelago shield, and beautiful city scenery, and is one of the important cultural cities in Europe.

The 2005 World Athletics Championships were held in Helsinki, and interestingly, the IAAF originally announced that the winning bidder was London.

However, the London government assessed that the cost of building the stadium and hosting the World Championships was too high, and recommended that the host city be changed to Tangu Stadium in Sheffield.

Naturally, the IAAF did not agree, and as the host country, Britain became the first case of a developed country withdrawing from a major international sporting event since the 1976 Winter Olympics in Denver.

In this competition, Helsinki won the second bid in Berlin, Brussels, Budapest, Moscow and Rome.

As soon as Suzu and the others arrived at Vantaa Airport in Helsinki, Finland, they sensed that something was not going well.

In August, most of the Northern Hemisphere is already in the heat of summer, but in Helsinki, Finland, the temperature is not high at all, and the overall weather can be described as cool.

"Does it feel like it's going to rain?"

Out of the airport, Li Zhizhong looked at the somewhat gloomy sky and said with a little worry.

The men's 100m event will be held on August 6 in the preliminaries and semi-finals, once there is wind and rain and the venue is slippery, it will affect the progress of the competition very much, of course, this is the same for all athletes, but after all, there is still some impact. In addition, the wind speed exceeded 2 m/s, and it was difficult to include the results in the official results.

Su Zu also frowned slightly, although there are few rainy games, but occasionally they will be encountered, if the luck is bad, the assigned path has stagnant water, the soles of the feet slip and the like, the impact on the athletes is huge. Now I don't know what the conditions of the Olympic Stadium in Helsinki are like.

The unexpected situation is not only the weather, the second batch of athletes and coaches of the Chinese delegation got off the plane one after another, ready to take the bus arranged by the Finnish government, the organizer of the event, to the World Championships, Su Zu was suddenly found by the IAAF staff. He was asked to immediately follow a few staff members to the IAAF office at the World Championships for a drug test.

After contacting Feng Shuyong, the leader of the delegation who had arrived, and the IAAF, after reconfirming that it was correct, Su Zu left with several IAAF staff.

Similarly, in the face of this unexpected situation, where could Li Zhizhong stay out of the matter, he also went to the drug testing site together.

At first, Su Zu and Li Zhizhong both felt that this was not any pressure on the IAAF, or some rumors, especially against Su Zu.

When I arrived at the testing site, I found that it was not the case at all.

Because after the "Balk Laboratory" doping scandal was exposed, many famous sprinters were involved, such as Marion Jones, Tim Montgomery and many other famous athletes in various sports, which made the international image of the entire track and field project plummet.

In order to reverse this bad impact, the IAAF held the largest anti-doping event at the World Championships. In addition to the normal pre-race urine test, some of these athletes who are improving rapidly have also been taken care of, such as Su Zu, the best 110m hurdles players this year, Doucoure, Justin Gatlin and others, none of them have escaped. Basically, as soon as you get off the plane, you are directly asked to take a doping drug test.

Moreover, there is really a Ukrainian hammer thrower Piskonov who tested positive, because he was found out for the second time and was directly banned for life by the IAAF.

After several tests such as urine tests and blood tests, Li Zhizhong, who was waiting outside, breathed a sigh of relief after learning that the results were normal.

This kind of sudden test is really easy to get nervous, although the test is over, the samples will still be retained, and there will be re-testing in the future to prevent some new drugs from being tested at present.

"Hey, Master, I'll give you a gift."

After the test, Su Zu took out a few coins from his pocket and handed them to Li Zhizhong.

"What is this?"

Li Zhizhong played with the coin in his hand, the currency value is 20 yuan, the front of the coin is the Helsinki Olympic Stadium, there are several waves to indicate the atmosphere of the game, and the back is the side faces of the two athletes opposite the back of the head.

"Commemorative coin of the World Championships in Helsinki."

Su Zu took out all the remaining pieces in his pocket and gave them to Li Zhizhong, which was a small compensation from the IAAF and the Finnish government for suddenly being tested by doping athletes.

Although Lao Li was not interested in these things, Su Zu had been to Li Zhizhong's house a few times, and he had also heard Li Yulin say that his wife Miao Zhiyun had a habit of collecting stamps and collecting some commemorative coins.

Leaving the IAAF's testing site, under the vehicle arranged by the other party, Su Zu and Li Zhizhong returned to the Chinese delegation's residence.

Now what awaits us is the game the day after tomorrow.