VOA标准英语2008年-US Track Runners Harper, Richards Reflect on Jo

Team USA has had mixed fortunes in athletics¹ at the Beijing Olympics. Traditionally a power, the U.S. team has been struggling to match its success from prior² Olympics. VOA's Jim Stevenson has more on two American runners who had very different experiences Tuesday on and off the track.
　
Dawn Johnson celebrates after winning women's 100m hurdles³ final, 19 Aug 2008

Dawn Harper was emotional⁴ after winning the women's 100-meter hurdles gold medal.

"You work so hard for it and for it to come true. And, to realize that it happened and you raced the best in the world," Harper said.

Just before the event, Sanya Richards was hoping to win gold at the 400-meter distance. Instead, she finished with a bronze.
　
Sanya Richards looks at her score after running in women's 100m hurdles final, 19 Aug 2008

"It just was not my time," she said, regretfully. " I had just a slight cramp⁵ in my right leg coming down the home stretch."

The two women typify the kind of experience the American runners have had in Beijing. In the first five days of Olympic track and field events, the United States has claimed just three gold medals.

Both women were awake for much of the night, following their race. Richards could not help but reflect on her performance.

"I think I probably slept maybe 30 minutes last night," she admitted. "I just kept asking why, what we could have done differently? And, so it was a really hard night. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw that gold slipping away."

Harper was having some difficulties too. But winning put her trials in a different light.

"I went to bed at 3:54 a.m. That was the last time I looked at my clock," she said. "And, I went back to my room and I was locked out of my room because the handle broke. That was a wonderful ending to a great night. So I had to sleep in someone else's room. But it was a wonderful night. It really was."

The U.S. team is hoping for more wonderful nights, as it trails a virtually⁶ insurmountable lead by host China in the overall⁷ medals standings. Athletics and other Olympic events continue through Sunday.

 

1 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。

2 prior   

adj.更重要的，较早的，在先的；adv.居先；n.小修道院院长；大修道院副院长

参考例句：

• The duty to protect my sister is prior to all others.保护我的妹妹是我最重要的责任。
• I took up one-year prior course in German in this college.我在这所大学读了一年的德语预科。

3 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

4 emotional   

adj.令人动情的；易动感情的；感情(上)的

参考例句：

• Emotional people don't stop to calculate.感情容易冲动的人做事往往不加考虑。
• This is an emotional scene in the play.这是剧中动人的一幕。

5 cramp   

n.痉挛；[pl.](腹)绞痛；vt.限制，束缚

参考例句：

• Winston stopped writing,partly because he was suffering from cramp.温斯顿驻了笔，手指也写麻了。
• The swimmer was seized with a cramp and had to be helped out of the water.那个在游泳的人突然抽起筋来，让别人帮着上了岸。

6 virtually   

adv.实际上，事实上

参考例句：

• The job was virtually completed by the end of the week.到周末时这项工作差不多完成了。
• He was virtually a prisoner.他实际上是个囚犯。

7 overall   

n.工作服，工装裤；全面的，全体的

参考例句：

• The shop assistant was wearing a white overall.那店员穿着白色的工作服。
• How much will it cost overall?一共多少钱？