Chapter 188 Who is the Champion (Additional update 910 for the leader)
“Phil, did you really fall down accidentally before competing in the 100-meter breaststroke final?”
On the plane, swimmer Ryan Lochte looked at Phelps with his knee wrapped in gauze and asked.
Phelps was wearing headphones and leaned back in his seat not wanting to speak. He was staring at his teammate Link Baker who was sitting in the front row of the business class. Several female athletes from the swimming team were surrounding the bastard, chatting and laughing with him. , chatting very happily.
“Phil, tell us the truth. Were you worried that you would be defeated by Link in the 100-meter event and deliberately broke your leg? Tell me quietly, and I promise not to tell anyone else.”
??Ryan Lochte said, taking off his headphones.
Phelps looked back and saw Ryan and three other teammates also raising their ears, wanting to hear what he had to say.
Phelps looked at them unhappily and said, "You think I''m afraid of him? You''re kidding. Link is just strong and fast. He performed well in freestyle. In technical events, his results were very poor. I don''t believe you." Let him compete with me in the medley, and he can’t win even if I give him five seconds.”
“Hey, Link, Phil wants to compete with you in the medley, do you want to compete?”
??Ryan Lochte shouted.
“Phil’s medley is really good. Phil, how about you teach me some time?”
?Link turned back and smiled.
Phelps twitched his lips and said, "Okay!"
?But he flatly refused in his heart. After watching Link''s game live, Phelps was shocked by the upper body strength and speed he showed.
?When Link swims in the water, he is fast and fierce, with excellent balance, like a shark.
??This guy''s shortcomings are also quite obvious. His movements are not standard, and his technique is rough. He can only swim freestyle and breaststroke. In more technical events such as butterfly stroke, backstroke, and medley, his performance is average.
?But coach Bob Bowman is right, Link has great potential. If he can train under the guidance of a professional swimming coach for a few years, his swimming skills will improve by leaps and bounds.
At that time, male swimmers all over the world will live in his shadow.
What’s even more disappointing is that this guy is only 21 years old.
Phelps was under great pressure to be a teammate with such a powerful opponent. For this reason, before the breaststroke final, he just stared at Link and accidentally fell to the ground and injured his knee.
Since the place where he fell was relatively flat, the probability of falling was relatively small, and this scene happened to be captured by the camera.
?After the video was exposed, many people ridiculed him about it, saying that he was worried about being defeated by Link in the breaststroke final and deliberately fell to save face.
?This is of course impossible. Although Link''s breaststroke is good, it is much worse than freestyle. If he hadn''t injured himself and withdrawn from the 100/200 meter breaststroke competition, it would be difficult for Link to win the championship in those two events.
“Phil, it’s settled, I’ll go to Baltimore to train with you when I’m free.”
"All right!"
Phelps nodded reluctantly. With so many people there, it would be too stingy for him not to agree.
?Link smiled softly. He didn''t just ask Phelps for training. He really wanted to practice with him.
?At the University Games, he filled in eight events and successfully won the championship in eight events.
But in the World Championships, the opponents are very strong, and it is very difficult to win the championship.
He filled in eight events and only won seven. One was the 4x100 medley relay. Because Phelps was injured and his substitute level was not good enough, he only won the team silver medal. The other seven events were only a few seconds ahead.
?After seeing the swimming skills of top athletes, he also felt that his own skills were a bit rough. If he wanted to win gold medals and break world records in butterfly, backstroke, and medley events, he would need to set aside time to practice.
but not now.
?The plane landed at Los Angeles International Airport, and the swimming team held a press conference in front of the T7 terminal, with more than 60 media reporters participating.
Because Link is famous and is the athlete who has won the most gold medals at this World Championships, he was pushed to the front by the coaching team for interviews.
"Mr. Baker, congratulations on winning seven events at this World Championships and setting two swimming world records. We all know that you are the world boxing champion, and boxing and swimming are different types of sports. Why are you doing so? What’s the secret to your success in both sports?”
asked the host of ABC TV News Channel.
Link thought for a moment and said: "Talent and hard work. If you have seen my profile, you will know that before I participated in the boxing match, I was a professional diving instructor and lived by the sea. My swimming skills and diving Skills are also developed in the Atlantic Ocean. These can be attributed to talent. What is more important than talent is acquired hard work. Through unremitting fitness training, my boxing skills and swimming skills have been greatly improved.” ? ? ? “Mr. Baker, After you become a world boxing champion and a famous singer, will you continue to be a diving instructor?”
A reporter from "American Express" asked.
Link smiled softly, "Yes, I have the idea, but I have been too busy with work recently and have no time to go back to Miami. When I have free time in the future, I will continue to be a diving instructor. Everyone is welcome to dive in Miami."
“Mr. Baker!”
The "Los Angeles Times" reporter held his cell phone and suddenly shouted from behind, "I just received the message that your second album "Keep On Movin\''" won the first place on the Billboard 200 album chart this week. How do you feel now? How about it?"
?Link looked at the other party unexpectedly, "Mr. Reporter, is this news reliable?"
"Yes, according to data just released by Billboard, "KeepOnMovin\''" sold 518,000 copies in its second week, 12,000 more than the runner-up "The Blueprint 3"." the reporter shouted.
Link shook his fist at the TV camera and said with a smile: "What a great news. I won another championship. Last week I won eight championships. Thank you for your support, thank you to all my colleagues, thank you to all fans."
Link picked up the seven gold medals on his chest and said: "In order to thank the fans, on the 1st of next month, I will randomly select 15 lucky fans from the sold albums and give them all the gold medals, including these seven and Eight at the University Games.”
“Mr. Baker, is this true?”
Hearing what he said, the reporters suddenly became excited. It was another valuable news.
"certainly!"
“Mr. Baker, will you take out the Olympic gold medal and raffle it off?”
A reporter from USA Today asked loudly.
?Link thought for a moment. Since he wanted to give it away, he might as well give it away. Anyway, he would still have a chance to get it in the future. He looked at Phelps and said, "Phil, can I give away your gold medal?"
“What’s yours, do as you wish!”
Phelps shrugged nonchalantly.
?Just now he was worried that Link would ask him for the boxing gold medal back. If asked, he would be reluctant to give it to him.
?Because professional boxers cannot participate in the Olympics, Link can only win one boxing Olympic gold medal in his lifetime, and that gold medal is worth ten swimming gold medals.
?Many collection institutions have expressed their desire to collect Link''s gold medal, with the highest price quoted being US$100,000. As Link''s fame increases, the gold medal''s value will only increase.
“Yes, Olympic gold medals will also be given away randomly, but lucky fans will be drawn from around the world in the middle of next month.”
“Oh! That’s great!”
“Link fans are going to go crazy with joy.”
The reporters became excited again, feeling that Link was the best interview subject in the world, and important news was sent in batches.
“Mr. Baker, some media broke the news that you and Miss Ivaca are secretly engaged. Is this true?”
??The reporter from "The Sun" shouted, he felt that Link''s boldness might break a bigger news here.
Link looked at him helplessly. He had been chatting happily with reporters just now. When a reporter from "The Sun" suddenly asked this question, he suddenly lost all interest. He waved his hand and said, "Today is the swimming team''s press conference." , you must have a lot of questions to ask other team members, I won’t take up your time.”
?Link took the initiative to retreat behind Phelps and Ryan Lochte.
??Many reporters looked at the "Sun" reporter with displeasure. They could have taken advantage of Link''s excitement to ask more questions and earn more royalties, but because he asked a bad question, Link was asked to end the interview early.
It’s so unprofessional.
However, everyone''s eyes lit up again when they saw ''Flying Fish'' Phelps on crutches. Because of Phelps'' injury, the swimming team unfortunately lost the gold medal in the 1x400m medley event. Rumors also said that Feiyu was worried about being beaten by Lin. Defeated, intentionally injured.
?These are big news that the public is interested in and are of great interview value.
When Phelps saw the reporters'' wolfish looks, he couldn''t help but feel chills running down his back. He wanted to take a step back to avoid the sharp attack, but Link held his shoulders down and made him unable to move. He could only bite the bullet. , in response to reporters’ verbal jousts.
(End of this chapter)