130 The Favourites

Although they failed to win first place in their group, Tang Yan and his team alongside the Hubei team managed to break the previous national record.

After completing the relay race, Tang Yan took a shower and then prepared to go eat.

In the aisles Tang Yan met Ye Shiwen.

"Brother Tang!"

"You're so amazing!" Ye Shiwen ran up laughing and pulling at Tang Yan's hand full of smiles.

Tang Yan shook his head at her nuisance and he smiled.

"Not as amazing as you it seems, you've already qualified for the World Championships." Tang Yan said.

"Hahaha of course, I'm amazing."

"Now you just need to qualify so we can show everyone up together." Ye Shiwen said with excitement.

Looking at her innocent face, Tang Yan smiled and nodded.

After a simple dinner, Tang Yan returned to the swimming pool.

Although the races hadn't begun, the Jiangcheng Swimming Center was already crowded.

The audience was even larger than in the daytime and many people were standing in the aisles.

He was here for the 800m freestyle preliminaries, it was his first individual event.

However, unlike the morning relay race, this 800m freestyle could be regarded as an internal battle within the Zhejiang Team.

In addition to the newly-emerged Sun Yang,  Zhang Lin who won the 800-meter freestyle at the World Swimming Championships in Rome the previous year, the first male champion in the history of China was also in this event.

This was bound to be an intense competition between the two.

Sun Yang and Zhang Lin would be aiming for the A grade standard for the World Championships. According to the rules, a country could have up to two A grade swimmers in one event.

These two spots were important to the Zhejiang Province

Shen Qing took them all to the side to discuss matters but was basically speaking to the two of them as for Tang Yan said some words to him symbolically.

Tang Yan didn't react too much to Shen Qing's attitude.

After all, he wasn't exactly eye-catching in the test trials for the long distance events.

He had committed to just qualifying for his other events after all the attention from going all out for his 100m and 50m.

He didn't gain anything either way.

Zhang Lin and Sun Yang began to exchange tactics, their lanes were adjacent.

In contrast, Tang Yan was a little embarrassed. Based on the results of the test trials, he was in the eighth lane.

In fact, because of the small number of long-distance players, in addition to the large-scale events.

The 800m race was a tactical event which was physically draining.

In the introduction of the swimmers, Tang Yan's appearance once again attracted the audience's exclamation.

Many people had an incredible look on their faces, and some even wiped their eyes hard, wondering if they were going blind.

His 100 meters relay sprint in the morning was amazing enough. Now the 800m race.

After a warm-up before the race, the referee called everyone up.

Tang Yan and the others went to their respective platforms.

Tang Yan set his target to keep up with Zhang Lin.

As for Sun Yang, that was another story.

"Everyone ready."

The referee raised his hand.

The swimmers all stooped to grab the front platform.

Buzz!

All the swimmers dived into the water.

As the swimmers entered the water, the commentator on the side began to discuss.

"This 800m race will be a close one between between the two swimmers of the Zhejiang Province. Do you think Zhang Lin or Sun Yang is more hopeful to take this win?"

"I think Zhang Lin has a greater chance. He is an experienced veteran at this event. Experience will play  a very important part in this event in knowing how to pace yourself and such."

"I think Sun Yang has a good chance. He's just created a new 1500m Asian record at the Asian Games. 800 meters shouldn't be a problem for him."

"Well one thing we do know is that it will certainly be a close race. Both of them are very hopeful to win this event. Zhang Lin will want revenge after his loss at the Asain Games."

Whilst the commentators were talking, the audience was watching mesmerised.