您现在的位置: Language Tips> News English> News Digest  
   
 





 
刘翔退赛 慨叹之声四起
[ 2008-08-19 13:28 ]

特别推荐:奥运英语专题

昨天上午在国家体育场“鸟巢”进行的男子110米栏第一轮比赛中,刘翔被分在第6组的第2道,他一出场就引起了全场轰动。比赛开始后,第一枪荷兰选手抢跑,刘翔也踉跄着跑了出去,让人意外的是刘翔并没有像其他选手那样回到起跑线,而是撕掉了贴在两腿上的号码,慢慢地离开了赛道,退出了比赛。

 

刘翔退赛 慨叹之声四起

Liu Xiang of China warms up before the start of his 110m hurdles heat of the athletics competition in the National Stadium at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games August 18, 2008. Liu failed to start his 110 metres hurdles first-round heat on Monday. [Agencies]

A false start, a hobble and the face of China's athletics walked away from the Bird's Nest, shattering billions of people's dream.

Liu Xiang entered the track to cheers from flag-waving fans around 11:45 am. He took off his track jacket and walked to his lane. It was the last heats of the first round of the men's 110m hurdles.

Liu walked with a slight limp but stretched out his right leg, slipped into position and ran - but in pain - when there was a false start.

He then stood up and walked away in silence. The reason: injury in the Achilles tendon. He was too heartbroken to emerge in public again during the day.

There was silence and tears in the National Stadium, filled to a capacity 90,000 spectators.

The shock was all round. Disbelief, choked voices and damp eyes were the order of the moment. People who had gathered to watch the first appearance of their sports icon were numb for words.

A couple from Qingdao sat alone in the stadium, refusing to leave even an hour after Liu's race had ended. They had small Chinese national flags stuck in their hair and red hearts painted on their faces. "I can't believe it," said the woman, Cao Li. "I hope he would return soon." Volunteers ultimately persuaded the couple to leave later.

But there was hope too, especially in Vice-President Xi Jinping's telegram to the General Administration of Sport to sympathize for Liu's pullout. State leaders are worried over his injury but hope he will recover soon, Xi said, encouraging Liu and his coach Sun Haiping not to lose heart.

"We hope he will take proper rest and focus on his recovery. We hope that after he recovers, he will continue to train hard and struggle harder for national glory."

刘翔退赛 慨叹之声四起 

Olympic champion Liu Xiang walks away after failing to start his 110 metres hurdles first-round heat of the athletics competition at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, August 18, 2008. After one false start Liu stopped before the first hurdle clutching his leg and then walked out of the stadium. [Agencies]

Liu said he would cooperate with doctors and try to return to the tracks as soon as possible.

Why is Liu Xiang so important? He is the first Chinese, indeed the first Asian man, to win a gold in an Olympic track event. He proved his Athens win was no flash in the pan by bettering the world record later. And he had the chance to defend his title at home.

The ace hurdler outlined his plan for the next four years after winning the gold in 2004. His was a plan with its route clearly mapped out. A gold in the 110m hurdles final at the Bird's Nest on Thursday night was his goal - and that of China's 1.3 billion people.

He may return to the London Olympics in 2012. He may regain the world record. Or, he could win the world title next year. But neither he nor anyone else can make up for Monday's loss.

Feng Shuyong, head coach of China's athletics team, however, said at a press conference: "Liu has a strong will (he can) fight till the last minute if his injury hadn't been so serious, he would never have withdrawn from the race."

Liu's coach Sun Haiping, who broke down at the press conference, explained that the hurdler suffered an injury in the Achilles' tendon more than six years ago but it worsened during training on Saturday.

"Liu's heel bone is different from others and so his Achilles' tendon is more vulnerable, but we had taken care of the pain properly before. It didn't hurt him till Saturday," Sun said.

"Liu insisted on running at the Beijing Games. Before the warming up for the race, three doctors tried their best to ease the pain but it didn't subside. Even then Liu decided to run, risking his career ."

Feng, who said he was the "best witness of the painful road Liu had undertaken", praised the hurdler for his strong mind and positive spirit. "Liu was in very good form before Saturday."

His strongest rival and current world record holder, Cuba's Dayron Robles, regretted the loss of his arch rival in the competition.

"I'm sorry for him," Robles told China Daily, "because he is a big athlete, and a big rival for everybody. He is a good man." Robles, who broke Liu's world record in June, cruised into the second round of the heats by finishing first earlier in the day.

Officials of the sports governing body, the International Association of Athletics Federation (IAAF) have expressed shock too.

"It's a huge shock. He deserves great support from all the others at this moment," Anna Legnani, IAAF deputy communications director, said.

(China Daily/The Olympian)

 (实习生吴昭文 英语点津 Helen 编辑)

 
英语点津版权说明:凡注明来源为“英语点津:XXX(署名)”的原创作品,除与中国日报网签署英语点津内容授权协议的网站外,其他任何网站或单位未经允许不得非法盗链、转载和使用,违者必究。如需使用,请与010-84883631联系;凡本网注明“来源:XXX(非英语点津)”的作品,均转载自其它媒体,目的在于传播更多信息,其他媒体如需转载,请与稿件来源方联系,如产生任何问题与本网无关;本网所发布的歌曲、电影片段,版权归原作者所有,仅供学习与研究,如果侵权,请提供版权证明,以便尽快删除。
相关文章 Related Story
 
 
 
本频道最新推荐
 
Walking in the US first lady's shoes
“准确无误”如何表达
英国新晋超女苏珊大妈改头换面
猪流感 swine flu
你有lottery mentality吗
翻吧推荐
 
论坛热贴
 
别乱扔垃圾。怎么译这个乱字呀?
橘子,橙子用英文怎么区分?
看Gossip Girl学英语
端午节怎么翻译?
母亲,您在天堂还好吗?