VOA标准英语2008年-2000 Olympic Champion Diver Laura Wilkinson Aim

By Teresa Sullivan
Washington
09 May 2008

2000 Olympics champion Laura Wilkinson of the United States has won a gold medal in every major world competition in platform diving. The 30-year-old is considered a strong contender to earn a spot on the 2008 U.S. Olympic team next month despite being almost twice the age of some of her potential teammates. VOA's Teresa Sullivan reports Wilkinson hopes to retire after going out on a high note at the Beijing Olympics in August.

Eight years ago, Laura Wilkinson thought her Olympic dreams were over when she broke three bones in her right foot just six months before the Sydney Games. But the Texan decided¹ to keep training and postpone² surgery until after the 2000 Olympics.

Wilkinson's hard work paid off. In the final round of the women's 10-meter platform diving event, her stellar performance vaulted³ her from fifth place, past the dominant⁴ Chinese, to win the gold medal for the United States. She became the first American to win the event since 1964.

After her stunning⁵ come-from-behind victory in Sydney, Wilkinson went on to further glory, winning the platform gold medal at both the 2004 World Cup and the 2005 World Championship. By contrast, she also was on the U.S. Olympic diving team in 2004 in Athens that failed to win any medals for the first time ever at the Summer Games.

Wilkinson says she considered retiring from diving after the 2004 Olympics but had a change of heart.

"But not getting that medal just kind of really reignited that passion, and that want," she explained. "You know, I just did not quite make it to the medal stand and I think that was almost like a carrot being dangled⁶ out in front of me - that it just made me realize that, you know what, I can do better than this, I can do harder dives, I can do more, and so I just really got fired up again."

Diving off a 10-meter platform is like leaping off a three-story building. As you plunge⁷ toward the water, you must perfectly⁸ execute a set of complex acrobatic maneuvers⁹ before piercing the surface with hardly a splash.

Wilkinson's repertoire¹⁰ of dives includes some of the highest degree of difficulty in the sport.

Persisting through injuries and multiple surgeries, Wilkinson has found renewed passion for the sport she loves. Her fresh attitude is evident when she talks about her goals for Beijing.

"I definitely want to win a gold medal, but beyond that, I just want to do all that I can do. I want to do my hard dives really well. I want to just kind of see what my true potential in this sport is," she said.

The former Olympic champion also expresses a renewed sense of confidence.

"I feel great right now. I feel the strongest I have ever been," she said. "I have been through a lot of challenges, but being able to persevere¹¹ through them, I just feel I have learned a lot - and I feel I can handle anything that comes my way."

Laura began diving at age 15 after years of gymnastics. She maintains a demanding training schedule. The long-time vegetarian¹² last year also added chicken and fish to her diet to help build the muscle mass needed to complete more difficult dives.

Wilkinson trains for several hours each day, six days a week to stay in world class form. Her sessions include stretching, tumbling, trampoline work, strength training, and of course, lots of diving.

But Wilkinson says diving does not consume her life despite her passion for it. In January, she told the Houston Chronicle "diving is not who I am, it is what I do." The Olympic gold medalist balances her sports training with faith and family.

Wilkinson and her husband, Eriek Hulseman married in 2002. They live in The Woodlands, Texas, where Laura trains.

A devout¹³ Christian¹⁴, Wilkinson says the five most important things to her are God; husband, Eriek; family; friends; and diving.

"My faith has been the most important thing to me, because I feel like if God brings you to it, he will get you through it," she said.

Before each dive, Laura is said to recite a Bible passage reading, "I can do all things through Christ, who strengthens me," (Philippians 4:13).

 

Wilkinson plans to retire from competitive diving after the Beijing Olympics to start a family, and to help train the next generation of American divers¹⁵ through her new foundation.

"I started the Laura Wilkinson Foundation last fall to build a new facility for my team and my community, and that will kind of be my next big project," she explained.

Laura's foundation is campaigning to raise $11 million for a new state-of-the-art athletic¹⁶ and aquatic¹⁷ center in The Woodlands, Texas (near Houston).

But plans for children and fund raising projects will be on hold for a few more months because right now, Laura Wilkinson is all about diving and the Beijing Olympics.

1 decided   

adj.决定了的，坚决的；明显的，明确的

参考例句：

• This gave them a decided advantage over their opponents.这使他们比对手具有明显的优势。
• There is a decided difference between British and Chinese way of greeting.英国人和中国人打招呼的方式有很明显的区别。

2 postpone   

v.延期，推迟

参考例句：

• I shall postpone making a decision till I learn full particulars.在未获悉详情之前我得从缓作出决定。
• She decided to postpone the converastion for that evening.她决定当天晚上把谈话搁一搁。

3 vaulted   

adj.拱状的

参考例句：

• She vaulted over the gate and ran up the path. 她用手一撑跃过栅栏门沿着小路跑去。
• The formal living room has a fireplace and vaulted ceilings. 正式的客厅有一个壁炉和拱形天花板。

4 dominant   

adj.支配的，统治的；占优势的；显性的；n.主因，要素，主要的人(或物)；显性基因

参考例句：

• The British were formerly dominant in India.英国人从前统治印度。
• She was a dominant figure in the French film industry.她在法国电影界是个举足轻重的人物。

5 stunning   

adj.极好的；使人晕倒的

参考例句：

• His plays are distinguished only by their stunning mediocrity.他的戏剧与众不同之处就是平凡得出奇。
• The finished effect was absolutely stunning.完工后的效果非常美。

6 dangled   

悬吊着( dangle的过去式和过去分词 )； 摆动不定； 用某事物诱惑…； 吊胃口

参考例句：

• Gold charms dangled from her bracelet. 她的手镯上挂着许多金饰物。
• It's the biggest financial incentive ever dangled before British footballers. 这是历来对英国足球运动员的最大经济诱惑。

7 plunge   

v.跳入，(使)投入，(使)陷入；猛冲

参考例句：

• Test pool's water temperature before you plunge in.在你跳入之前你应该测试水温。
• That would plunge them in the broil of the two countries.那将会使他们陷入这两国的争斗之中。

8 perfectly   

adv.完美地，无可非议地，彻底地

参考例句：

• The witnesses were each perfectly certain of what they said.证人们个个对自己所说的话十分肯定。
• Everything that we're doing is all perfectly above board.我们做的每件事情都是光明正大的。

9 maneuvers   

n.策略，谋略，花招( maneuver的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• He suspected at once that she had been spying upon his maneuvers. 他立刻猜想到，她已经侦察到他的行动。 来自辞典例句
• Maneuvers in Guizhou occupied the Reds for four months. 贵州境内的作战占了红军四个月的时间。 来自辞典例句

10 repertoire   

n.(准备好演出的)节目，保留剧目；(计算机的)指令表，指令系统， <美>(某个人的)全部技能；清单，指令表

参考例句：

• There is an extensive repertoire of music written for the flute.有很多供长笛演奏的曲目。
• He has added considerably to his piano repertoire.他的钢琴演奏曲目大大增加了。

11 persevere   

v.坚持，坚忍，不屈不挠

参考例句：

• They are determined to persevere in the fight.他们决心坚持战斗。
• It is strength of character enabled him to persevere.他那坚强的性格使他能够坚持不懈。

12 vegetarian   

n.素食者；adj.素食的

参考例句：

• She got used gradually to the vegetarian diet.她逐渐习惯吃素食。
• I didn't realize you were a vegetarian.我不知道你是个素食者。

13 devout   

adj.虔诚的，虔敬的，衷心的 (n.devoutness)

参考例句：

• His devout Catholicism appeals to ordinary people.他对天主教的虔诚信仰感染了普通民众。
• The devout man prayed daily.那位虔诚的男士每天都祈祷。

14 Christian   

adj.基督教徒的；n.基督教徒

参考例句：

• They always addressed each other by their Christian name.他们总是以教名互相称呼。
• His mother is a sincere Christian.他母亲是个虔诚的基督教徒。

15 divers   

adj.不同的；种种的

参考例句：

• He chose divers of them,who were asked to accompany him.他选择他们当中的几个人，要他们和他作伴。
• Two divers work together while a standby diver remains on the surface.两名潜水员协同工作，同时有一名候补潜水员留在水面上。

16 athletic   

adj.擅长运动的，强健的；活跃的，体格健壮的

参考例句：

• This area has been marked off for athletic practice.这块地方被划出来供体育训练之用。
• He is an athletic star.他是一个运动明星。

17 aquatic   

adj.水生的，水栖的

参考例句：

• Aquatic sports include swimming and rowing.水上运动包括游泳和划船。
• We visited an aquatic city in Italy.我们在意大利访问过一个水上城市。