In the midst of wind and snow, our determination was met only with cold stares and ridicule.
I could see no hope. The cold seemed to pierce my bones, and I felt I had nothing left except a burning heart. I even began to doubt whether I could keep going. At that moment, a voice echoed in my mind: “Do not care about others’ mockery; it will only make you stronger.” The 4×400 meter relay race was about to begin. We put on our numbers and went to the check-in area. What we saw stunned us and our teammates—other teams were full of tall and powerful athletes, intimidating in presence. We felt like frightened birds. One opponent even mocked us, saying, “Does your class have no one else?” We were left speechless.
Our coach led us to the track. After the initial shock, we inevitably felt discouraged, but in order to prove ourselves, we encouraged each other and vowed to give everything we had, even if we fell on the track. The race was about to start. The first runner took position. With the sound of the gun, the athletes dashed out like arrows, extremely fast. The crowd cheered loudly for the first runner. He was initially in fifth place with a steady pace, but in the final 100 meters he suddenly surged forward, overtaking two runners and finishing third before handing over the baton.
The second runner refused to fall behind and chased hard while maintaining fifth place. After entering the curve, he accelerated sharply and overtook three competitors, which greatly excited us. I cheered for him while preparing to receive the baton. He then passed it to me while in second place. The exchange was quick and smooth. I pushed myself to the limit, chasing forward amid teammates’ cheers. I clenched my teeth and sprinted with all my strength, handing over second place to the next runner. The final runner fought desperately, but due to the large gap earlier, we ultimately finished third.
Even so, we embraced tightly at the finish line. All our effort had not been in vain; past mockery turned into tears of excitement. Whenever I see that shining bronze medal, I am filled with emotion. I realize that the track of youth is just like this—there may be ridicule and hardship along the way, but as long as we persist and run toward the finish line, we will eventually gain our own glory and applause.
Youth is a surging wave. No matter how long the track is, as long as we hold onto dreams and hope and keep running with perseverance, nothing can stop us. As long as we are strong enough, nothing can break us.
