The Final Begins

At 11:00 PM Athens time on August 22nd, 4:00 AM local time on August 23rd, the men's 100m final of the Athens Olympics is about to begin.

The men's 100m sprint final is the last event of the day and the highlight of the evening. Tens of thousands of spectators have endured hours of waiting, mostly for this showdown of the fastest men in the world. Many more are glued to their televisions, anticipating the birth of a new sprinting legend.

In Southern Europe, 11:00 PM in Athens is prime time, while in Western Europe it's 8:00 to 10:00 PM, perfect for television viewing. Across the Atlantic, it's the weekend afternoon in the United States, and people are prepared with snacks in front of their TVs. Only in the distant East, it's the deepest hours of sleep, considering normal work hours the next day. Even though the competition is being broadcast on multiple channels simultaneously, few are willing to get out of bed to watch.

For this 100m final, Europeans are more interested in the spectacle, while Americans have been eagerly anticipating it. American sprinters have long dominated the world record in the 100m and have won consecutive Olympic gold medals in the event. With three American athletes in the final, American viewers believe they have already secured the Olympic gold medal.

Americans have always enjoyed speed sports, and with the broadcast timing suitable and strong American contenders, they are giving this Olympic men's 100m sprint final significant attention. Broadcasters report a rapid rise in viewership, approaching that of the Super Bowl.

In a high-end villa community in Charlotte, North Carolina, fourteen-year-old Seth Curry walks into the living room to find his brother Stephen Curry sitting in front of the television.

"Brother, you're not out practicing?" Seth Curry approaches, puzzled, only to find the Olympic men's 100m final being broadcast on TV.

The Curry brothers' father was a former NBA player who retired just two years ago. Both brothers have been practicing basketball since childhood, following in their father's footsteps. However, so far, the brothers haven't shown exceptional basketball talent. Even though sixteen-year-old Stephen Curry is already a very accomplished three-point shooter, their slender builds aren't favored by basketball scouts in this era dominated by muscular players.

On the TV screen, athletes are already lined up at the starting line, and the commentator begins introducing them.

In the first lane is Barbados athlete Obadeli Thompson, the weakest among the eight athletes, receiving only a brief five-second camera shot before moving on to the next. In the second lane is Ghanaian athlete Aziz Aliza, with the commentator offering equally brief introduction before moving on.

In the third lane stands a white-clad athlete with the bold letters "USA" on his front, none other than American athlete Justin Gatlin. The broadcast gives Gatlin an extended ten-second close-up, clearly giving face to the Americans.

"This is Justin Gatlin, only 22 years old this year, the youngest of the three American athletes. He won the 100m, 200m indoor, and 200m outdoor championships in the 2002 USA Track & Field Championships! And in 2003, he won the Zurich leg of the Golden League!" The commentator's voice comes from the TV, but the Curry brothers don't show much excitement. Gatlin isn't well-known at this point, and the brothers are not familiar with him.

In the fourth lane is another American athlete, Shawn Crawford. Placing two American athletes side by side in the final demonstrates significant favoritism toward the American team.

"Shawn Crawford, winner of the 200m at the 2001 World Indoor Championships, now 26 years old, at his peak. We also look forward to his performance in the upcoming 200m race!"

"In the fifth lane is Portuguese athlete Francis Obikwele. Originally from Nigeria, Obikwele later became naturalized in Portugal. He's the only European athlete in the final!" As the commentator introduces Obikwele, the audience erupts into enthusiastic cheers. Even though he's a naturalized athlete, being European earns him the warmest reception from European spectators.

After giving Obikwele ample screen time, the broadcast moves on to the next athlete. When Seth Curry sees a black-clad athlete on the screen, he complains disappointedly, "Why isn't it Maurice Greene yet?"

"Don't worry, he's up next!" Stephen Curry replies.

"In the sixth lane is Asafa Powell from Jamaica..." The commentator doesn't offer much introduction to this future world's fastest man, quickly shifting the camera to the next athlete, as the seventh lane is none other than defending champion Maurice Greene.

The audience erupts into cheers, showing their respect for the defending champion. The Curry brothers in front of the TV also get excited.

Maurice Greene won the double crown at the 1999 World Championships and broke the world record in the men's 100m at the time. He also won the gold medal at the Sydney Olympics and has been hailed as a hero in American track and field. In the United States, Maurice Greene's fame is not inferior to that of top athletes in the four major leagues.

"Stephen, I bet Maurice Greene will definitely win the championship," Seth Curry says.

Stephen Curry nods, clearly agreeing with his brother's opinion.

The broadcast continues to focus on Maurice Greene, and the commentator continues to talk about him. It's not until the end of the introductions that the camera reluctantly moves to the left, showing the eighth athlete.

"A yellow-skinned person!" Stephen Curry in front of the TV suddenly widens his eyes. Black athletes have dominated the 100m sprint for over a decade, and the first seven athletes shown are even darker-skinned than Curry. The sudden appearance of someone with a different skin color feels out of place to him.

"How is this possible? A yellow-skinned person, how did he make it to the Olympic 100m final?" Seth Curry is equally surprised. Having trained in basketball since childhood, Seth's peers were mostly black, with a fair number of Latino mixed-race people, and fewer white people. As for Asian students, they weren't usually good at sports and were more interested in academic groups.

The commentator's voice comes at this moment, "In the eighth lane is Guan-Zhang from China. He's currently holding the Asian men's 100m record."

"What a foolish commentator. According to Chinese naming conventions, his name should be Zhang Guan. Chinese surnames come first, followed by the given name." Stephen Curry remarks.

"Stephen, this Chinese guy is only two years older than you," Seth Curry adds.

Stephen Curry's face shows a hint of dissatisfaction, understanding what Seth means. This Chinese guy, only two years older than himself, is now standing on the stage of the Olympic 100m final, competing against world-class athletes like Maurice Greene, while Stephen Curry is still worrying about the appearance time for his school team.

Among players of the same age, Derrick Rose has always been the focus of media attention; Russell Westbrook has already gained fame; Kevin Durant from Oak Hill Academy has hopes of making it into the All-American high school lineup this year; the Lopez twins from California have been given a chance at the Adidas training camp; Kevin Love is hailed as one of the best high school players at the time; as for Greg Oden, no one compares that monster to high schoolers. But when it comes to Stephen Curry, the only thing people think of is Dell Curry's son.

Thinking about the evaluations his coaches gave him, Stephen Curry shakes his head in disappointment. Compared to his peers, he has no physical advantages. He's too skinny. If it weren't for the fact that the school team coach knows his dad, he might not even have the opportunity to play.

"Maybe I'm not cut out for basketball after all!" Stephen Curry chuckles self-deprecatingly, then looks back at the TV in front of him.

...

"Hello, everyone. What you're watching live now is the men's 100m final of the 28th Olympic Games. It's worth mentioning that our athlete Zhang Guan has unprecedentedly entered the final of the men's 100m, which is a significant breakthrough in our country's sports. However, with strong competitors in the Olympic 100m final, it will be very difficult for Zhang Guan to win a medal. In fact, Zhang Guan's qualification for the final has already made history, so here, we also wish Zhang Guan all the best in achieving good results."

The commentator's tone sounds calm. It's already past 4:00 AM in China, and this commentator has been working for over twenty hours straight. Pretending not to be tired would be a lie. But as a professional commentator, he still tries to keep his spirits up and not let the audience hear his fatigue.

However, at the competition venue in Athens, even though it's late at night, the audience is as excited as ever. This will be the final contest on the track today, and the most thrilling event of the entire athletics program.

Eight athletes stand on the starting blocks, their faces serious, waiting for the sound of the starting gun.

Asafa Powell from Jamaica, in the sixth lane, appears very nervous. Despite being an experienced athlete, he still feels the pressure on the Olympic final stage.

The two Americans, Gatlin and Crawford, stand side by side in the third and fourth lanes, but there's no verbal communication between them. They know they're each other's biggest competitors, so they remain silent.

As for defending champion Maurice Greene, his face shows a hint of seriousness. He can feel that his stamina hasn't fully recovered to its peak state. The semifinals drained too much of his energy. With his current physical condition, it's probably difficult for him to run under 9.8 seconds. But he's still determined to compete for the championship.

As for Zhang Guan, who's in perfect shape, he's brimming with confidence at this moment, eager for the race to begin as soon as possible.

"On your marks..."

At this moment, the starter finally gives the command to get ready.