NOVEL SIMPLE Chapter 104: Happy Ending for Class 3!
After the thrilling victory, Dematero eagerly went up to claim his prize. Whether or not it was a victory of luck, the real question was—did he bring home the gold medal?
In Year 1 Class 3, besides Dematero, who won the gold, there was also Xanthia, which brought a rare sense of satisfaction to the now slightly older Dematero. It felt as if his youthful spirit was being reignited within his younger body.
Although the fun individual events didn't hold as much weight as traditional events and the points they earned for the class were not as high, Dematero’s victory had still propelled Year 1 Class 3 to the second place overall.
Ahead of them was only Year 1 Class 12, and their total points were not significantly higher than Year 1 Class 3.
Thus, the final event of the school sports meet, the class tug-of-war competition, became the ultimate determinant of which class would secure the first-place ranking.
However, the tug-of-war did not feature a showdown between Year 1 Class 3 and Year 1 Class 12.
Year 1 Class 3 advanced to the finals with their robust mix of muscle-bound slackers and Sequanni, who was notably stout. On the other hand, Year 1 Class 12 was knocked out by Year 1 Class 6 in the semifinals.
Each class had around ten participants in the tug-of-war, with five boys and five girls. If the girls performed exceptionally well, it would compensate for any shortcomings, thus boosting the overall strength of the team.
Year 1 Class 12 had a noticeable weakness, which led to their elimination in the semifinals.
Even in the bronze medal match, they faced an unexpected setback when a key player couldn’t stop laughing at the strange and grimacing faces of the opposing team during the tug-of-war, leading to a loss of strength and their eventual fourth place finish.
Meanwhile, Year 1 Class 3 competed fiercely in the finals but lost to Year 1 Class 6, securing the silver medal and maintaining their “almost champions” tradition. Nonetheless, with this second-place finish, their total points surpassed those of Year 1 Class 12!
An amusing moment occurred during the finals when the referee, a chemistry teacher, known for his passion for military equipment, got “catapulted” into the air after he was too slow in moving his foot off the rope. He landed awkwardly, almost falling flat.
This incident, captured and uploaded to a famous streaming platform, became a part of the “Funny Moments of the School Sports Meet” series, bringing joy to countless viewers.
Despite their defeat, Year 1 Class 3 celebrated their victory in overall points with enthusiastic cheers, feeling they had truly triumphed.
At the closing ceremony and award presentation, their homeroom teacher, Mr. Emmanuel El Alcantara, was beaming with pride.
He hadn’t expected his students to perform so impressively, and he relished the rare pleasure of victory at the school sports meet.
He told Year 1 Class 3 with genuine emotion, “You are the most outstanding class I have ever taught in the sports meet. I am incredibly proud of you!”
Mr. Emmanuel’s praise was heartfelt. As a distinguished teacher, he had mostly taught experimental classes, which excelled academically but were often mere background players in sports meets.
For instance, Year 1 Class 2, another experimental class, ended up at the bottom of the total points ranking, though they did receive a consolation award for their enthusiastic cheering.
The value of this consolation prize could not compare to the prestigious victory award earned by Year 1 Class 3, which included a certificate and a trophy from the principal.
If there had been an “FMVP” award, Xanthia would have undoubtedly won it. However, given that the class had Dematero, who might steal the spotlight, the “FMVP” award was probably out of reach.
This was Mr. Emmanuel’s first time enjoying such an honor after many years of teaching.
Unbeknownst to him, Xanthia was a hidden gem whose contributions were crucial in Year 1 Class 3’s ultimate triumph, accounting for at least one-third of their success.
Of course, Xanthia was also the most outstanding athlete from Year 1 Class 3 during the sports meet. Her victory in the 3000-meter run was genuine, earning the highest points for her class.
Though Dematero won a gold medal, it was in a fun individual event, and he himself joked about it being a “luck championship.” If not for the opponent’s crucial withdrawal, the gold might not have been his.
Class 2 and Class 1, both experimental classes, didn’t fare well overall. The lack of sports talents in these classes meant that even a student like Dionysius couldn’t make up for it.
During the closing ceremony, Mr. Emmanuel’s victory speech made the other experimental class teachers, envious. Who would have thought that Year 1 Class 3 had such a strong overall strength?
The results proved that accumulating enough silver and bronze medals, even if they were “almost champions,” could still lead to the top spot in total points.
In addition to Mr. Emmanuel’s speech, Xanthia, as the representative of Year 1 Class 3 athletes, had the honor of speaking in front of the entire school. Her speech, penned by Dematero, emphasized the spirit of perseverance, never giving up, and striving hard, drawing from her performance in the 3000-meter run.
Dematero’s writing skills were nearly at an expert level, and the speech was eloquently crafted and compelling, enhancing its persuasive power.
This led Xanthia to inadvertently embody the “indomitable spirit of the heroine,” adding to her stellar performance.
Thus, Xanthia stole the spotlight at the closing ceremony, significantly boosting her happiness.
Some envious individuals could only watch from below, standing like insignificant extras.
This year’s school sports meet at Thessaloniki First High School came to a perfect close today!