Chapter Seventy-Eight: The Coach's Support

Li Yan was about to hold a press conference for the sprint program and had invited Rousseau to attend. The notice was delivered to Rousseau yesterday by Dong Zijian. Along with it came a list of questions for reporters and the general content of Rousseau’s answers.

Such a press conference, composed of official media, could just as well be called a briefing session. Everyone was there to go through the motions, to complete the process. But Rousseau didn’t see it that way. Just as he expected, as long as his results were outstanding enough, he would be displayed by the national team, much like when Lu Jinrong took him to meet the provincial reporters months ago.

So, after receiving the notice, Rousseau went to find Lu Jinrong for a chat.

At that time, Lu Jinrong was still immersed in the joy of Rousseau winning the first place in the 200m event at the Dongqing Games. Although he knew this was Rousseau’s glory in the national team and had little to do with the Pengcheng Provincial Team, and that with Rousseau’s rate of progress, he would eventually represent the entire nation rather than just Pengcheng, he was still happy for Rousseau. After all, wherever Rousseau went, he was always someone from the Pengcheng Provincial Team—this was beyond question.

“Coach, I don’t intend to return to the national team anymore,” Rousseau said.

“If you don’t join the national team for now, that’s fine—focus on training in Pengcheng. But after the Universiade, the World Championships next year, the national team will certainly call you up again. You have strong competitiveness in both the 100m and 200m, but you still need to improve your 200m results. If you can truly run under 20.30, even just making it to the World Championships would make you a national pioneer!” Lu Jinrong enthused, painting a bright future for Rousseau.

“You’ve only had three months of professional training. I believe your prospects are limitless!”

Rousseau replied calmly, “Coach, what I mean is, as long as Li Yan remains in the national team, even if I’m called up again, I won’t join.”

Ah… Lu Jinrong was stunned for a moment, then frowned, clearly recalling what Tian Shiwei had once revealed—how national team head coach Li Yan had deliberately ‘tempered’ Rousseau.

“Rousseau, did you suffer grievances in the national team?” Lu Jinrong asked.

Rousseau nodded, then shook his head. He had certainly been bullied, but things were different now. If he wished to stay in the national team, Li Yan would treat him like a precious idol. Yet that was utterly meaningless—utterly pointless.

Whenever Rousseau thought of Li Yan, a surge of anger rose from deep within.

“Coach, I truly believe that someone like Li Yan should not be in charge of the national sprint team. He preserves the worst aspects and will ruin our generation of athletes. He should step down.”

Looking back on his experiences in the national team, Rousseau saw only a process riddled with conflict. He didn’t care to judge who was right or wrong, who gained or lost. Now, he simply wanted to remove Li Yan from his position as coach of the national team.

From those three sprinters who were dismissed from the team to the pressure he himself endured, Rousseau, both emotionally and out of a sense of duty to his country, did not believe Li Yan was suited for the role. Under Li Yan’s leadership, the national sprint team might achieve results, but at what cost to the future?

What would be lost, Rousseau couldn’t quite articulate. He just felt that sports should not be this way. Although he himself had ‘cheated’, he yearned for a pure kind of victory and glory—just like the kind Juno had achieved.

Lu Jinrong regarded Rousseau in silence for a long while before sighing. “So you’re telling me this today because you plan to announce it at tomorrow’s press conference…?”

“Yes.” Rousseau nodded. “So I need your support, Coach.”

Support, not advice.

Lu Jinrong looked at the stubborn young man before him and sighed again.

“But if you don’t join the national team, you won’t be able to attend the World Championships, the Asian Games, or the Olympics,” Lu Jinrong raised another concern.

“I believe that as long as my results improve quickly enough, then the first to step down will be Li Yan. Coach, think about it—if I eventually run the 100m in under ten seconds, and the 200m in under twenty, at that point, between me and Li Yan, who is more important to the national team?” Rousseau asked.

“You’d need to achieve those results before the Asian Games and the Olympics, wouldn’t you?” Lu Jinrong pressed.

“Yes, before those games,” Rousseau confirmed.

“But where will you run these races?” Lu Jinrong asked. “You’ll need an official track to post results that can be recognized, right?”

“The World Athletics Golden League,” Rousseau said.

“But the Golden League only invites athletes in the top twenty of the World Athletics rankings,” Lu Jinrong reminded him.

“But the points are reset every year, so once next year’s National Games are over, that marks the start of my campaign in the Golden League,” Rousseau replied, his confidence evident in his expression and tone.

“The secondary and tertiary events of the Golden League are held all over the world. Without the approval of the national sports administration, how will you handle your travel visas, funding, local arrangements, and so on?” Lu Jinrong pressed.

“I hope the Pengcheng Sports Committee can help with the visas. As for funding, I’ll cover it with the prize money from each event—winning to support further competition,” Rousseau said.

“So what you’re hoping is that I’ll approach the Pengcheng Sports Committee to solve your visa issues?” Lu Jinrong asked.

“Yes, Coach. I’ve thought it all through,” Rousseau replied.

Lu Jinrong studied Rousseau for a long time and could find no flaw in his plan. Indeed, in sports, nothing matters more than results. If Rousseau truly broke ten seconds in the 100m, he would become the prized asset of the national sports administration; the entire world would revolve around him—just look at Liu Yu in the 110m hurdles.

“It seems I can’t stop you,” Lu Jinrong said.

“Thank you, Coach.” Rousseau heard the willingness to help in Lu Jinrong’s words.

“Well, you’re my student after all. Even if I haven’t taught you much, I have to make sure you can run without worries. I don’t know what you experienced in the national team, but you must have suffered. I always said, if the national team doesn’t work out, there’s always Pengcheng—Pengcheng and Nanyue will always be your home…” Lu Jinrong said softly.

Rousseau was touched—clearly, Lu Jinrong could be relied upon.

After a moment, Lu Jinrong added, “Actually, even if Li Yan doesn’t step down, there’s still a way for you to compete in the World Championships, Asian Games, and Olympics. The Athletics Management Center under the national sports administration oversees all track and field sports. Although the administration hired Li Yan as head coach for sprints, they separated the 110m hurdles, keeping it under the management center. This was because of Liu Yu. Following Liu Yu’s precedent, you could use the management center’s channel to represent the country—though it’s difficult, it’s a possible path.”

…

Now.

At the press conference.

Rousseau looked at the microphone handed before him.

He smiled.

This was his second interview, but the first time he was facing so many reporters. He was a bit nervous, but more than that, he was exhilarated.

From a young age, Rousseau had never been an easy child. Abandoned by his mother in his early teens, he picked up a name and a baby from a rubbish heap and survived alongside them. He couldn’t even recall how much bullying he had endured.

But what he remembered was that he always paid back those who hurt him.

An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.