2008, 11 July.

Just as the World Junior Championships in Bydgoszczcz, Poland were in full swing, a track and field competition in Rome, Italy, attracted a lot of attention.

The annual IAAF Golden League in Rome takes place today, with the men's 100m race at the Olympic Stadium in Rome about to begin.

At 14:20 in the afternoon, in the Olympic Stadium in Rome, the pride was like fire, and the crowd in the audience was boiling.

The men's 100m heats are underway, and this year's Golden League in Rome has a large number of athletes participating in the men's 100m event, after all, this year is the year of the Olympics, and many athletes are back to prepare for various competitions.

Therefore, in this Rome Golden League, a total of 17 athletes participated in the men's 100m event, divided into two preliminary groups.

At this time, the nine athletes of the first preliminary group were appearing on the track and field field, and a bald black man in the seventh lane attracted the attention of countless spectators and media on the sidelines.

That's - Asafavir!

The former men's 100m world record holder informed the world's top athletes in the men's 100m event for three years.

This year, the IAAF has been in a turbulent event in the men's 100m, with Yechin breaking the world record once and twice, Euse Bot breaking the world record, and Jason Gaby running the fastest time in human history of 9.68 seconds.

The only thing missing is Asafavir, a top athlete who once dominated the men's 100m event, after an unexpected injury at home in February, Asafavir just returned to training in April and suffered another chest muscle injury, after surgery, the injury caused him to retire from competition for two months.

Now that he's finally back on track and field, many are looking forward to the once-top men's 100m athlete to surprise everyone.

The list of athletes in the first group of the men's 100m heats of the Golden League in Rome is quite spectacular, including Trinidad and Tobago's Saidi Door, Slovenia's white star Modeo Covinica, fellow Jamaica's top athlete Nesta Carter, Europe's first sprinter Portugal's Obikviru, and the rising American Michael Rogers, among others.

These athletes are the top 100m athletes who are currently influential internationally or in Europe, but in the past few years, although the strength of these athletes is good, many of them can score 10 seconds, or even 9.90 seconds, but in the competition with Asafavil, few can beat him.

As many expected, Asafavil, who was waiting for his efforts, was able to show his strength in this match and beat everyone again.

After a gunshot rang out, the two commentators of the local Italian media and television station almost shouted:

"Asafa started very fast, Asafa ...... Asafa ...... Nestacat ran to the front, and Asafa and, oh no, Asafavil failed to qualify for the final!! Unbelievable! Asafavir was eliminated in the preliminaries! ”

Amid a roar, many in the audience rushed to Asafavir to see what the former world No. 1 could give in the current surging men's 100m event.

From 2005 to 2008 this year, Asafavir won one Golden League after another, laying a solid foundation of popularity in Europe and Italy.

It can be said that in the men's 100m event, Yechin, Euse Bot and Jason Gaby combined are not necessarily more well-known in Europe.

As a result, something surprising happened.

Asafavier's performance was a surprise, with Jamaica's Nesta Carter in lane 9 winning in 10.06 seconds, with Asafavil only fifth in 10.19 seconds.

Asafavir at the end of the race, looking at this result, obviously couldn't accept it, and stood in a daze, he couldn't remember the last time he ran an unexpected time of 10.10 seconds, especially on a stage like the Golden League.

Soon, a large number of reporters began to pour towards him.

This made him a little at a loss for a while, and he has always been a shy person in the face of the media.

He felt that he was running at full strength, but it may have been too long off the track, and even if he kept training, it would take a few more races to really get back on the field.

But in the face of the many reporters who poured in, the English with this Italian accent or other European accents made him accidentally understand, and he only felt his mind buzzing.

It took a long time for Asafavil to leave the stadium with the help of the stadium staff and his agent.

In the lounge in the mixed area, Asafarville turned the towel handed over by the agent Dole, covered his whole face, and sat silently in his chair.

"Asafa, you've done a good job."

Agent Dole sat next to Asafavir, reached out and patted him lightly on the shoulder, and continued, "Although I didn't make it to the final, it's just a Golden League, and it's not like you haven't won, so you don't have to worry about it." ”

After listening to Doler's comfort, it seemed that there was silence for a while, and the white towel that was covered moved slightly, and a voice came out: "I don't care about a Golden League, Dole, you know, although I have always won more, it is not that I have not lost."

I'm worried about my condition right now, and the time of 10.19 seconds makes me a little anxious. ”

Running a time of 10.19 seconds is not so scary, what is scary is that in this race, he feels like he is running at full strength.

For a top athlete who can run in less than 10 seconds casually in three years, 9.90 seconds, or even 9.80 seconds at every turn, this sense of loss is too strong.

"With a time of 10.19 seconds, I think you've done a great job."

Dole didn't see Assafaville's face, but he could probably imagine the other party's feelings, to be honest, Asafavil's world record was broken by Yechin and Yusse Bot in May, and Jason Gaby ran 9.68 seconds at the human limit, Doler knew that Asafavil no longer had the same high appeal and commercial influence as he once did.

This is the field of athletics, and unlike other basketball and soccer sports, the commercial influence of the champions and world record holders in the athletics arena is the highest, overshadowing many other athletes.

And in many other ball games, whether collective or individual, outstanding performance can add points to yourself.

Only athletics and sprinting, when you see that the name of the champion of various major competitions is not you, when you see the name of the world record is not you, your commercial value and influence will disappear.

Although Dole knew about the situation, he and Asafavir had been working together for a long time and did not neglect each other because of this matter.

And he believes that the current Asafavir is still in its prime, and although there are many latecomers, it is far from the point where Asafavir has no chance at all.

After a little bit of language organization, Dole continued: "I understand that you are worried about your form now, but Asafavir, you have to think about it, you have been away from the field for seven or eight months, several injuries this year have delayed your systematic training, you were able to run 10.19 seconds in the first race of the year, which is enough to prove that your form is improving, I believe that if you continue to run a few more races, you will definitely be able to return to the top before the Olympics and regain your world record and your honor." ”

"What are my next three games?"

As if moved by Doler's words, or perhaps perhaps he had already figured out some questions, Asafavir suddenly ripped off the towel on his face and asked Dole.

"The Athens Grand Prix the day after tomorrow, the Golden League in Paris on the 18th, and the Super Grand Prix in Stockholm, England on the 22nd."

Asafavir's eyes rolled quickly, and he thought for a moment before saying, "I think Stockholm Super Grand Prix Yusse Bot is going to compete, right?" ”

Dole didn't know why Asafarville was asking this question, but nodded anyway, "Yes." ”

Asafavil suddenly nodded solemnly, as if he was talking to Dole, and as if he was saying to himself, "Then, cancel the Athens Grand Prix and the Paris Golden League, and I want to go directly to the Stockholm Grand Prix on the 22nd, and I want to play against Yusse Bote." ”

"Huh?" Dole glanced at Asafavil with some surprise, and there was a different look in his eyes.

……