Rohan stood in the Olympic Stadium's warm-up area the day after his heat, still basking in the satisfaction of having advanced to the semifinals. The weight of the first race was off his shoulders, replaced by a simmering excitement and a fierce determination to keep pushing forward. He had proved that he could compete at this level. But now, a new challenge loomed before him: the semifinals.
But as he glanced up at the giant screen broadcasting the day's races, Rohan felt a familiar, uneasy sensation stir in his chest. He had known that this day would come, that he would eventually have to face his greatest rival. And there he was, on the screen—Arjun, running with that same relentless speed and strength that Rohan remembered all too well.
