# 356
The Legend of Return
Chapter 356. A good day for skiing (2)
“What is that bastard?”
“who?”
“You mean that bastard who has no taste for food?”
“Wow! well done!”
Gangwon-do Alpens Ski Resort where the 90th National Winter Sports Festival is held.
There were few spectators.
From the beginning, the National Sports Festival was a festival only for players or officials.
Among them, the Winter Sports Festival was a cold meal from the spectators.
The weather was cold and there were many unpopular sports, so people didn’t get much attention.
The weather was even worse today.
It was slippery everywhere thanks to the snow that fell yesterday.
Ordinary snow hindered the game more than artificial snow.
While the players were sensitive, a man caught their eye.
This sports event was a game that had an impact on the selection of representatives for the 2010 Winter Olympics.
Unlike indoor skating, cross-country skiing was conducted on snow fields.
The number of athletes in the winter sports event was the shallowest.
They skied on top of the snowy field and quickly completed the course to win and lose.
It was a type of Nordic skiing that originated in Scandinavia, such as Norway and Finland.
It has a long history as it was decided as an event in the 1st Winter Olympics in 1924.
However, their status in Korea was different.
It was cross-country skiing comparable to the Olympic marathon, but it was a cold meal.
Not only did they not have any international competitions to speak of, and only one male and one male athlete were assigned to the Winter Olympics for each event.
Of course, there was no Olympic month.
In international competitions, I have only won a medal around my neck once in the men’s junior and women’s classics.
There were very few runners, so the relay event did not even have a chance to compete.
It was a huge burden physically.
It was the same in the Winter Games.
The 15-kilometer cross-country skiing free race, which is clearly listed as a Winter Olympics event, but no one pays attention to.
About 20 players were preparing for the college game representing each city.
Even just finishing it was praised for being great.
Most of them had experience skiing as a hobby and came out as athletes.
Six players from each city and province are allowed to participate, but it was too much for the college team to fill in one or two players.
Among such a crowd of players, there was one man who stood out.
As if a ski suit model had visited the site, the force was extraordinary.
He was a handsome man who looked good in a blue ski suit and black goggles.
He was tall and had a strong body as if he had been trained through exercise.
Unlike the other players who were nervous, he was stretching and laughing at his leisure.
He was the first player I saw today.
“Do you know someone?”
“They are not our school kids.”
A Seongnam University student shook his head at a senior who had a different attempt.
Skiing itself was rare in college.
“Come to Korea…”
whispered one of the participants listening from the side.
“Korea University? Why are they?”
“These bastards know skiing is done at a desk!”
“cadet! Somehow it tasted like rice.”
At the mention of Korea University, the players frowned.
Occasionally, crazy Korean students participated, but all of them were in the bottom ranks or often withdrew.
I’ll admit to studying, but in sports, Hankuk University was unknown.
“That’s also the law department.”
“….shit.”
“Seniors must be great.”
At the mention of Hankook University’s law department, the players were even more bitter.
Everyone knew that most of the seniors were judges and prosecutors.
Even if I touched it, I was just tired.
[Cross-country 15km freestyle runners prepare. The game will start soon.]
An announcement sounded.
Athletes got on their skis and settled down.
At this point, the newly joined Korea University guy was no longer a competitor.
wheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee
The wind blew wildly.
Winning medals was the problem rather than shortening the game time.
If you won a medal, you received a bonus.
[Please stand at the starting line for Player 1.]
And the game started.
The players kicked their eyes vigorously and started to move forward.
***
“What did TS Group Chairman Ha Gwan-woo say?”
“yes. It just arrived.”
“What happened to the busy man? Would you like to give me a piece of gold?”
Since the opening day had passed, all high-ranking officials from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, including the president of the Korea Sports Council, had left.
The idle game operations headquarters room.
Go Seung-pyo, head of the Korean Olympic Committee’s event management department, tilted his head.
It was rare for the president of a large group to appear in person at such an ordinary winter sports event, not even at the Olympics.
It was too small to be used for promotional purposes.
It is also the Winter Sports Festival.
Even with all the players, there were only a few hundred.
Only popular short track skaters and skaters were the targets of management.
Snow Queen Han Yeon-ji, who is becoming a figure skating legend, did not participate this time.
I just hoped that the match would end without incident.
Today, the temperature dropped and the wind blew, and everyone was sensitive.
If there was an accident, I had to give up this seat.
through.
The door to the headquarters office opened.
Then, accompanied by his secretaries, Chairman Ha Kwan-woo entered.
“welcome. President. I am Koh Seung-pyo, the head of the Games Operations Headquarters.”
Go Seung-pyo, head of headquarters, bowed his head and held out his hand.
It was difficult for sports to develop without the support of the presidents of large corporations.
That’s why the officials of the Korea Sports Association treated entrepreneurs like a top.
If you hold a line well, there is no need to cut it.
“My name is Kwanwoo Ha.”
“I know. You look younger than you used to see on TV.”
“thank you.”
‘But really, why did you come?’
Even during the greeting, General Manager Koh Seung-pyo could not hide his doubts.
There was no way that the president of a conglomerate whose time was precious would just visit.
Chairman Ha Kwan-woo and the Korea Sports Association have yet to come into contact.
“the weather is cold. Please have a seat.”
Go Seung-pyo gave him a seat in the headquarters room with a warm heater on.
“Have you started the 15km cross country free race?”
But suddenly, Ha Kwan-woo asks about the game schedule.
“yes? Cross-country skiing?”
“It just started.”
The employee under Go Seung-pyo quickly responded.
“Is it okay if I take a look?”
“of course. I will guide you.”
‘what? Has anyone you know participated?’
Cross-country skiing ranks among the less popular events.
“Chief, perhaps…”
Then Chairman Ha Kwan-woo called Director Koh Seung-pyo.
“Do you have any other questions?”
“Can I spawn cross-country skis separately instead of skis?”
“yes? Spawn???”
“Because my favorite friend became a player this time.”
“ah! That kind of thing is…”
Koh Seung-pyo, head of the headquarters, is on the verge of tearing up.
It was the moment when I didn’t know what kind of player I was, but I decided to cooperate with the sports club first.
***
“Whoop whoop whoop.”
This has become quite an exercise.
I ran on skis like skating.
I couldn’t deviate from the set course.
If the skiing method changed, it would be disqualification.
“Huh! Huh uh uh …..”
I passed a player who was exhausted and gasping for breath.
He started the game with the lowest number 20.
15 people have already gone back.
The distance is 15 kilometers.
He used only physical strength without using internal energy.
Thanks to the breathing method, I didn’t get full of breath.
The sweat on my back made me feel refreshed.
He aimed for the 2010 Winter Olympics for military exemption.
Through the mayor of Jangju, he registered as a provincial representative and participated in the Winter Games.
Even if I competed in the Olympics, I chose an event that would not harm other athletes.
Cross-country skiing at the Winter Olympics, which was less interested in by the public, was the perfect fit.
In the Asian Games, you have to win a gold medal, but in the Olympics, even if you win a bronze medal, you are exempted from military service.
I thought about passing the bar exam and working as a judicial officer, but it was a waste of time.
Just being discharged as a sergeant in a past life was enough to repay the country.
The player base was very shallow.
Thanks to the tickets assigned to Korea, I was able to become the representative if I performed well today.
Chairman Ha Kwan-woo was put in to prepare for the eventuality.
Even if he is overflowing with skills, the representative position could be lost due to the association’s jokes.
Political power was also important in sports events.
The name of the TS group was not light.
It was possible to obtain a sufficient exemption with the current power and financial resources, but the legal method was chosen.
“Whoop whoop whoop.”
Breathing lightly, I quickly skied and ran.
Thighs tightened.
The finish line is just around the corner.
It was easy to become a representative for next year’s Winter Olympics just by playing one match today.
“Uhhhhhhhhhh.”
One player who was going ahead spread out.
15 kilos is shorter than 50 kilos, but it was not easy.
evil evil evil evil.
I ran fast on the frozen snow in the cold weather of minus 10 degrees.
I saw the guys from Seongnam University who didn’t like me.
The guys who competed as representative university teams in each province ran well.
The guys who kept their mouth shut when they heard that it was the Department of Law at Korea University.
The lead was taken away by me, who started behind, so I couldn’t win the gold medal.
gave strength
I spurted so much that I could feel the weight of the wind.
“uh!”
The guy who turned around was startled by the sound of the wind passing me.
I was one of those guys who ignored Korea University.
Kwadadang.
The stupid guy lost his concentration and fell to the side with his breathing entangled.
“Aaaaaaaaaaa!”
I screamed like a rat.
The staff saw the situation and came running.
The next target was in front of me.
I had to be number one here today.
No one will argue with you if you take a record of the competition.
As my feet quickened and the speed increased, the distance from the lead narrowed.
“Ha ha ha ha!”
The rough breathing of the guys could be heard nearby.
I quickly overtook them and sprinted forward.
“Ugh!”
I heard the groans of the surprised guys who checked my back.
He twitched his hips left and right more vigorously.
It was a performance that made them weak.
Raising the last spot, he ran vigorously toward the final.
***
“Huh? Are you coming in already?”
The recorder of the 15-kilometer cross-country freestyle event tilted his head at the athlete entering the finish line.
It wasn’t already time for the players to show up at the finish line.
I saw the official watch.
“What!”
The archives who jumped out of their seats.
The referees and people involved in the game, who were sitting idle, were also surprised.
Korean runners usually fared well over 50 minutes even in the 15-kilometer event.
Even at the 2006 Torino Winter Olympics, the 38-minute time slot was the right to medal.
Depending on the course and environment, the match was decided within 40 minutes.
Moreover, because it was a winter sports event, the ice quality was not good.
The course was tough, and it was clear that a headwind would ruin the record even more.
In particular, most of the Korean players took 50 minutes.
It was the result of their own winter sports event that was meaningful enough to be presented only in Korea.
But now things were different.
“This is player number 20!”
“what? The player who started last is the leader? Check the departure time!”
The bewildered recorders and referees got busy.
In the meantime, a player who crosses the finish line leisurely.
[Waaaaaaaaaaaa! 37 minutes and 12 seconds! 37 minutes!]
Cheers exploded all at once.
“….Nonsense.”
“Is this a true story???”
The recorders and referees, who opened their mouths and blinked, couldn’t believe it.
I couldn’t come to my senses in an unusual situation.
Surprisingly, the previous Olympic record was broken in one winter sports event.
A new Korean record that literally surpassed the Olympic record was set.
