Chapter 106: Arjun's PoV- Weight of 4th place

The Olympic stadium was still, the crowds long gone, the lights dimmed. Arjun Kumar sat alone in the stands, staring out at the empty track where, just days before, the world's fastest runners had battled for glory. The echoes of cheering fans and the pounding of feet on the track still rang faintly in his ears, but now the silence felt overwhelming.

He hadn't spoken much to anyone since the final. His coaches had tried to console him, the media had bombarded him with questions, but he had withdrawn, not ready to face them, not ready to confront what the world—and he—had deemed his failure.

Fourth. He had finished fourth.