The two weeks passed faster than anyone expected.
When Richard first announced the plan, most of the coaches thought he was insane. They whispered behind his back, complaining that it was impossible. They wondered how one man could identify the strengths and weaknesses of dozens of athletes in the entire country within a few days. Some even thought the list he handed out was random.
But the moment training started, their doubts began to crack.
By the end of day three, those cracks became shock.
And by the end of the first week, most of the coaches had swallowed their words.
***
Richard didn't raise his voice much. He wasn't dramatic. He simply observed, corrected, and pushed the athletes with a calm strictness that didn't allow argument.
Every athlete he selected had something special — raw speed, clean technique, insane potential, or an instinct in the water. And every athlete had a flaw. A flaw that held them back from reaching Olympic times.
