Chapter 63: Degrade (1/2)
Chapter 63: Degrade
Translator: Nyoi-Bo StudioEditor: Nyoi-Bo Studio
The cafeteria was always the best place for communication between colleagues. But whenever the paparazzi for Xiang Huang was here, the cafeteria became the center of gossip.
”Have you heard that some of the athletes will be forced to leave the team?” Xiang Huang said.
”Again? How many? Why?” someone asked.
”I don’t know the exact number. But I heard that every team will have a quota. The new Olympic cycle starts again soon, so it is time to bring in new athletes to prepare for the next Olympic games,” Huang said.
His voice was not loud, but it was loud enough for everybody around him to hear him clearly, including Aiguo Jiang and Dai Li.
Jiang’s expression changed immediately. A feeling of sadness, anxiousness, unwillingness, and helplessness were all apparent on his face, making his expression very complicated.
Dai Li looked at him pitifully and tried to comfort him. ”Don’t take it seriously. It might be fake news.”
”Li, don’t comfort me. I know that if somebody has to leave, it will be me. I’m already 32-years-old and I’m still here. There must be somebody who doesn’t like me and is trying to force me out. It is alright. It is not bad to retire early. I’m a loser anyway.” Jiang stopped a second, looking as if he was trying to search through his memories, then continued.
”I was the national champion when I was young. I think it has been more than 10 years. I was in my early 20s when I won the national champion. I still remember lifting 155kg. I ranked No. 2. In the second round, I lifted 190kg without rest and won the championship because my record was 1kg heavier than my opponent’s. Do you know who I competed with?”
Dai Li shook his head. Aiguo Jiang revealed the answer immediately. ”It was Gang Shi!”
”You mean the champion of the Olympic games, Gang Shi?” Dai Li asked surprisingly.
”Yes, that’s him. In the weightlifting championship, I was supposed to represent the national team and take part in the Olympic games because I was the champion. He was the second place finisher. However, I got hurt right before the game, so I had to quit. He took my place, and took part in the Olympic games, where he won the gold medal. Then you know how the rest of the story goes,” Aiguo Jiang said slowly.
Dai Li remembered that Olympics. Dai Li was still on his summer holiday. He watched all the Olympic games relays because he had nothing else to do. He remembered the Men’s 69kg. Gang Shi had won without any suspense, right in the foreign players’ faces.
The Men’s 69kg is our best event. If Aiguo Jiang had not gotten hurt and had taken part in the Olympic games, he must have been able to win the gold medal. If he had, he would not have to struggle for his daughter’s surgery expenses now.”
Dai Li sighed. He was not God; he could not turn back time. However, he had a coaching system that might be of use to Aiguo Jiang. This was all that he could do.
Dai Li hesitated a few seconds, then asked out of the blue, ”Have you thought about changing to another weight class? The competition for the 69kg weight class is too intense. On our team alone we have two young men—Liang Peng and Dongshan Cao—who are in their 20s with great potential. Both of them are in the 69kg weight class. That’s not even considering the athletes with potential around the world.”