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Chapter 526: The Desire for Showing off and Stability

Translator: Nyoi-Bo Studio Editor: Nyoi-Bo Studio

There were 15 athletes participating in the Olympic men’s high jump final. There were three extra athletes because four athletes had tied for 12th place in the qualification round. They couldn’t clear the next height, so all of them were allowed to participate in the high jump final.

This had no impact on the final result. There would be only one champion, one runner-up, and one second runner-up. These low-ranking athletes were unable to compete for the medals.

The initial height was 2.20 meters, a height at which no one failed. The next height was 2.25 meters and two athletes were eliminated. The third was 2.29 meters and three athletes were eliminated. The fourth height was 2.33 meters, and only six athletes made it

One of the differences between pole vaulting and high jumping was that in pole vaulting the height was almost always increased by five centimeters between rounds. In the high jump, the athlete may choose to increase the height by more than five centimeters. It could be five centimeters or ten centimeters. However, as the race went on, the height increased less and less. Basically, the referee had to get the race to end between five to eight attempts.

The bar was raised by three centimeters and the height was 2.36 meters this time.

This height was a challenge for Leonard, who failed to clear it at the last Olympics, which had put him in third place.

Now, facing this height again, Leonard remembered the story of the ancient Chinese general that Dai Li had told him. The saying “triumph belongs to the brave” kept flashing through his mind.

This was Leonard’s first attempt at 2.36 meters, but for some reason he felt like it was his only shot.

Leonard started his take-off.

“Perfect!” When Leonard jumped over the bar, Dai Li couldn’t help but notice that it was a perfect trial jump.

I did it the first time! Leonard got up from the pit and was very excited. He had finally succeeded in clearing this height

The Coach Li’s lesson was indeed very effective. When confronted with difficulty, do not cower. Keep fighting and you will succeed! Leonard thought it had been this lesson that had helped him so much. However, he had actually done so well because Dai Li had used the state scale on him .

2.36 meters was challenging for many athletes. When athletes’ attempt at 2.36 meters were over, there were only 3 athletes left. Besides Leonard, there was the champion of the last Olympics, Geddako, and Doogallov, the “prince of high jump,” from the Ukraine.

Geddako also cleared 2.36 meters the first time, but Doogallov chose to pass the height.

Today, Doogallov was very confident. He had chosen to pass 2.20 meters, and then had cleared 2.25 meters. He had then chosen to pass 2.29 meters, and cleared 2.33 meters. This was the third time passing. He would challenge the third height directly and, if he failed in all three attempts, his final score would be 2.33 meters.

The bar was raised 2 centimeters this time and the height was 2.38 meters. The best height in men’s high jump this year was 2.37 meters so, if someone who cleared 2.38 meters, he would have the best score this year.

Leonard stood on the field and began to feel hypnotized by Dai Li’s teachings again.

Leonard had succeeded in clearing 2.38 meters in competition only once before. Therefore, he couldn’t make any mistakes in this next attempt, He had to do well on his third attempt, only in this way could he clear 2.38 meters.

He started his approach run, accelerated and jumped, and, with a series of twists, Leonard’s upper body managed to clear the bar.

“He got help from the state scale again!” Dai Li knew it from Leonard’s take-off.

However, getting lucky with the state scale did not ensure success. 2.38 meters is too difficult for some of world’s top jumpers to clear.

Although Leonard’s upper body had jumped over the bar, his heel touched the bar.

“What bad luck!” Dai Li said to himself. Leonard was also aware of it. He became saddened while he was still in the air.

On the screen, the audiences saw Leonard touch the bar and they cried out.

However, the bar just wobbled a little, and then stood still.

Leonard had touched the bar, it hadn’t fallen.

According to the rules of the high jump, a jump is failed when the bar is dislodged from the rack. That is to say, a jump is successful as long as the bar doesn’t fall, even if the athlete touches it.

Yet the bar is very easily dislodged. The bar bracket only supports the bar. It does not secure it. Even the slightest touch to the bar would dislodge it. Furthermore, the bracket is on the side of the mat, so there really is barely any support for the bar. If the jumper touches the bar, the force he inflicts on it would almost definitely push the bar off the bracket. That’s why the bar wass so easily dislodged.

“How lucky Leonard was!” Dai Li sighed.

Touching the bar without knocking it down was 100% a result of good luck. It could only be said that the laws of physics had been on his side.

On top of that, the state scale had helped Leonard out twice. It seemed that Leonard had been touched by Lady Luck.

Leonard was so scared when he touched the bar, especially when the bar was wobbling. That second seemed as long as a century.

The bar didn’t fall! Leonard looked at the referee immediately and the referee hesitated. The referee didn’t raise the white flag until he was sure the bar had not fallen.

“I made it!” Leonard had just gotten up from the mat, but he quickly fell down on his knees in excitement. He waved his fists to express the excitement in his heart.

On the side of the field, Geddako, the defending champion from Russia, and Doogallov, the “prince of high jump” from Ukraine, looked at Leonard, saddened.

...

Doogallov stood on the field.

He had chosen to pass the 2.36 meter jump, which told everyone that he was very confident in his strength. It seemed that he wanted to tell the audience that 2.38 meters may be a challenge for some, but it was very easy for him.

Doogallov became famous in his youth, which is when his nickname, the “prince of high jump,” had became known. When Doogallov was young, he had won almost all the championships of the youth competitions. When he was an adult, he became the champion of various events.

God seemed to like to play the trick on this “prince of high jump.” Although he had won the championship in various track and field events, he had never had the chance to win a medal in the Olympic Games.

The first time Doogallov participated in the Olympics, he had come down with the flu before the final, which greatly affected his physical condition and performance. He had still gotten fourth place, which wass just one step away from the medal.

Four years later, Doogallov was selected for the Ukrainian national team, but he was injured in a warm-up, so he missed the Olympic Games and the World Championship two years later.

Now, it was the third time for Doogallov was participating in the Olympics. The “prince of high jump” was no longer young, but his desire for the Olympic gold medal was stronger than ever.

In today’s competition, he showed his pride and confidence.

He chose to pass two out of the first four heights. When he had passed the 2.36 meter jump people became suspicious of him showing off.

However, people believed that the most pretentious will get struck by the lightning. Doogallov might not have been struck by the lightning, but he would pay his price for showing off. His first attempt at 2.38 meters failed.

Doogallov got up from the mat, stepped off it, and shook his head as he walked. It was clear that he was unsatisfied with his jump,or that he had failed to show off.

Next up was the last Olympic champion, Geddako.

In the Olympic Games four years ago, Geddako’s score was 2.38m. Four years later, he had to face this height again. If he got the same score as he did four years ago, he couldn’t defend his championship.

However, Geddako was quite confident he could clear this height.

Amid the applause and cheers from the audience, Geddako began his first attempt.

However, Geddako’s first attempt failed.

Geddako stepped off the sponge mat and his expression was nonchalant. It seemed that he was not affected by this slip-up. For Geddako, it was just a trial jump. If he had succeeded, he would have been happy, but now he just knew that he had to adjust his performance. After all, 2.38 meters was not his ultimate goal, because he had the strength to jump higher.

...

Doogallov began his second attempt at the 2.38 meters.

Approach run, take-off, jump. All the posture of the “prince of high jump” was graceful, like a delicate work of art.

Doogallov stood up and wanted to celebrate, but the bar suddenly fell off.

“What’s the matter? I didn’t touch the bar!” Doogallov was very surprised.

The next second, a slow-motion playback appeared on the screen. It could be seen that, when Doogallov lifted his foot, the upper of his heel touched the bar

“Actually, I don’t think he needed to be as flamboyant as he was in that technical movement. He should have been a little more conservative,” Dai Li commented.

“Doogallov has always been like this. He’s so fond of himself, he’s always hoped to win by showing off. If he wins, it’s all the more impressive, but his likelihood of failure increases. Perhaps this was his biggest drawback,” said Downey.

Then it was Geddako’s turn. After the failure of his last attempt, he had evaluated his performance and got back on the field again.

“Geddako is quite stable. He will get over this jump. I just don’t know how many attempts he needs to make it,” Downey said.

“It seems like he’ll need at least three times. He doesn’t take enough risks, he is too conservative in the take-off. Although it allows him to finish the whole technical movement smoothly, he can’t clear 2.38 meters successfully.” As soon as Dai Li stopped talking, Geddako failed again.

Athletes with stable performances, unless they were unlucky, were often able to jump heights as long as it was within their normal strength to do so.

At 2.38 meters, the two Olympic gold medal contenders both failed two attempts. Next, they were confronted with the same choice: to continue their third attempts or pass the height and go straight onto the next height.

The referee suspended the game and asked the players on both sides for their opinions.

“Given Doogallov’s character, he will definitely choose to pass,” Downey said.

“So how about Geddako? What will he choose?” Dai Li asked.

“He’s always been very conservative, so I guess he won’t challenge the next height,” Downey answered.

As it turned out, Downey was right. Doogallov was supposed to be the next on the field, but he didn’t show up. Instead, Geddako approached. That meant Doogallov chose to pass, but Geddako chose to continue his three attempts.

If other jumpers don’t clear 2.38 meters, it may be a right choice for Geddako to keep trying to jump. Now even if he clears t 2.38 meters, he will not be the champion. Dai Li shook his head slightly. He didn’t have faith in Geddako.

Geddako spent a lot of time preparing. He didn’t move forward until the referee told him that the countdown was starting.

Geddako crossed over the bar but heard the disappointed sigh of the audience before he the shitponge mat.

He was unlucky that day. His third attempt failed, too. The champion of this program in the previous Olympic Games was eliminated first.

...

The next height was 2.40 meters, which was higher than the Olympic record of 2.39 meters and was just 5 centimeters lower than the world record of 2.45 meters.

Leonard hadn’t cleared this height in competitions before and he had never tried the height in his daily training. Generally speaking, if one could clear 2.35 meters or higher in an international competition, he could count on being the gold medalist. Only in an Olympic level competition could the standard be raised to 2.40 meters.

This height was indeed beyond Leonard’s ability. In his first attempt, he knocked down the bar before his upper body crossed the bar.

His performance made the audience think that he couldn’t clear 2.40 meters.

That meant Doogallov, who chose to pass before, would be the champion if he could clear 2.40 meters. If he couldn’t, he would only win a bronze along because of his pass at 2.36 meters.

He had only one chance left to attempt.

This was beyond his ability.

His last success was at 2.33 meters and now he was going to attempt 2.40 meters. It was 7 centimeters higher. In the high jump, an increase of 7 centimeters when the height was already above 2.30 meters was hardly possible.

...

Suddenly, Doogallov was excited. He thought it would be excellent if he used his only chance to clear 2.40 meters and beat his rivals after two consecutive failures.

I will create the most classic jump in the Olympic Games’ history as long as I can succeed!

Doogallov still wanted to show off.

He was a pretentious jumper. Just like those who wanted to look nice even on their deathbed, Doogallov was thinking about how to win impressively.

You must win before you think about an impressive win.

Firstly, he approached. He took-off and aimed to get over the bar. His technical movements were so standard.

His jump would have been so impressive and beautiful if the bar hadn’t been knocked down.

...

Failed! Doogallov gazed at the bar on the ground, shocked.

Maybe he had been so sure of himself.

Doogallov failed in his last attempt.

Leonard got another gold medal for America.