China's Liu Xiang Hopes for Good Showing in

By Parke Brewer¹
Liu Xiang burst on the track scene in 2002 when he set an Asian and world junior record in the 110-meter hurdles² with a time of 13.12 seconds. Last year, Chinese sports journalists voted him Male Athlete of the Year. Many consider him China's second most popular athlete after basketball star Yao Ming, who plays for the NBA's Houston Rockets.
This is the first Olympics for Liu and he said he hopes he has a good showing.
"Obviously³ it's a big [Olympic] Games and a big opportunity for me," he said. "And I will do as I did in training and make sure every run goes well."
Liu Xiang was the bronze medalist in the 110-meter hurdles at last year's World Athletics⁴ Championships in Paris. At this year's World Indoor Championships in Budapest, Liu was second to American star Allen Johnson in the 60-meter hurdles.
Johnson has won the world 110-meter title four times, and has clocked the best time in the world this year (13.05). He won the 1996 Olympic gold medal in Atlanta. But he was 4th in the 2000 Sydney Games after battling a sore leg muscle that year.
It is well known that the 33-year-old Johnson is the 21-year-old Liu's idol⁵. Liu, from Shanghai, was asked by reporters in Athens if he thought he could beat Allen Johnson.
"Actually to compete with him is my dream," he said. "And to beat him is my dream too. I will try my best in the Games to compete well."
The one meter-78 Allen Johnson says he has nothing but respect for his taller opponent⁶ Liu Xiang, who stands one meter-89.
"It's going to be tough. I think this year he's shown he's the person to beat," he said. "He's the only [110M] hurdler who hasn't lost a race [outdoors in 110m hurdles] this year, so it's going to be good. I think it's going to be exciting."
Liu's coach, has been playing down his hurdler's Olympic medal chances. He says reaching the top six would be a breakthrough for Chinese athletics.
Liu is aiming to be the first Chinese male track and field athlete to win an Olympic medal since Zhu Jianhua won a bronze in the high jump 20 years ago.
Liu said he is aware of China's athletics history.
"I know Zhu Jianhua and really respect him since Zhu Jianhua was an earlier generation of athletes," he said. "We live in the same city. We see each other a lot. We are good friends, and Zhu Jianhua has been giving me suggestions."
Liu Xiang is hoping those suggestions will help him win an Olympic medal in the men's 110-meter hurdles.
Parke Brewer, VOA news in Athens.
注释：
110-meter hurdles 110米栏
Houston Rockets 休斯敦火箭队
bronze 铜奖
medalist 受领奖章的人
World Athletics Championships 世界锦标赛
World Indoor Championships 世界室内锦标赛
Budapest  布达佩斯（匈牙利首都）
sore 疼痛的
idol 偶像
play down 降低
breakthrough 突破
track and field 田径

1 brewer   

n. 啤酒制造者

参考例句：

• Brewer is a very interesting man. 布鲁尔是一个很有趣的人。
• I decided to quit my job to become a brewer. 我决定辞职，做一名酿酒人。

2 hurdles   

n.障碍( hurdle的名词复数 )；跳栏；（供人或马跳跃的）栏架；跨栏赛

参考例句：

• In starting a new company, many hurdles must be crossed. 刚开办一个公司时，必须克服许多障碍。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• There are several hurdles to be got over in this project. 在这项工程中有一些困难要克服。 来自辞典例句

3 obviously   

adv.显然；明白地

参考例句：

• Obviously they were putting him to a severe test.显然他们是在给他以严峻的考验。
• Obviously he was lying.显然他是在撒谎。

4 athletics   

n.运动，体育，田径运动

参考例句：

• When I was at school I was always hopeless at athletics.我上学的时候体育十分糟糕。
• Our team tied with theirs in athletics.在田径比赛中，我们队与他们队旗鼓相当。

5 idol   

n.偶像，红人，宠儿

参考例句：

• As an only child he was the idol of his parents.作为独子，他是父母的宠儿。
• Blind worship of this idol must be ended.对这个偶像的盲目崇拜应该结束了。

6 opponent   

n.对手，敌手，反对者；adj.敌对的，反对的

参考例句：

• The boxer gave his opponent a punch on the nose.这个拳击手朝他对手的鼻子上猛击一拳。
• After a fierce struggle,he got a beat on his opponent.经过殊死的较量，他占了对手的上风。