Competitors Show Kindness at Unusual Olympics

As the world watched the Tokyo Olympics, we saw a surfer helping¹ to translate for the surfer who had just won, high-jumping friends agreeing to share a gold medal and two runners falling, then helping each other to the finish line.

In an unusual Olympic Games where competitors spoke² openly of their mental health, acts of kindness are everywhere. In news photos, the world's most competitive³ athletes appear, showing gentleness and warmth to one another. They are celebrating, giving encouragement and comforting when another faces setbacks.

Kanoa Igarashi is a Japanese-American surfer competing for Japan. He was sad when he came in second place to Brazilian Italo Ferreira in their sport's first-ever Olympic event.

Igarishi had lost the fight for a gold medal on the beach he grew up surfing. The Japanese-American surfer could have suffered in silence, but he instead used his knowledge of Portuguese⁴. He helped to translate a press conference question for Ferreira.

The crowd laughed hearing the translation from a fellow competitor and an official thanked the silver medalist for the help.

"Yes, thank you, Kanoa," said a beaming⁵ Ferreira, who is learning⁶ English. Igarishi's friend, Portuguese surfer Teresa Bonvalot, is also competing in the Olympics.

Sharing a score - and the gold

Days later, at the Olympic Stadium, Gianmarco Tamberi of Italy and Mutaz Barshim of Qatar got into in a situation they had talked about but never experienced⁷ — they had the same number of points.

Both high jumpers were perfect until the bar was set to the Olympic-record height of 2.39 meters. Each missed three times.

They could have continued to another jump, but instead decided⁸ to share the gold.

"I know for a fact that for the performance I did, I deserve⁹ that gold. He did the same thing, so I know he deserved¹⁰ that gold," Barshim said. "This is beyond sport. This is the message we deliver to the young generation."

After they decided, Tamberi slapped¹² Barshim's hand and jumped into his arms.

"Sharing with a friend is even more beautiful," Tamberi said. "It was just magical."

Earlier, on the same path, runners Isaiah Jewett of the U.S. and Nijel Amos of Botswana fell together during the 800-meter semifinals. Rather than get angry, they helped each other to their feet, put their arms around each other and finished together.

Many top athletes come to know each other personally from their time at competitions around the world. At earlier events, they have watched each other through the best and worst times.

Those feelings have often grown at the pandemic-delayed Tokyo Games. There is desire for normalcy, and there is enjoyment¹³ at once again seeing familiar faces.

Like a family

For American Carissa Moore, the pandemic and its restrictions¹⁴ brought her closer with the other surfers.

The current world champion said she usually travels to surfing competitions with her husband and father. But all guests were banned from the Olympics this year. Moore said she struggled being at the Games without her family.

Moore lived in a home with the other surfers, including teammate Caroline Marks, Moore's strongest rival¹⁵. Moore said she didn't know Marks well before the Tokyo Games. But on the night Moore became the winner and Marks came in fourth, her rival was the first to greet her.

"Having the USA Surf team with me, it's been such a beautiful experience," Moore said. She added that they had become as close as a family.

Norwegian Lotte Miller¹⁶ placed 24th in the difficult women's triathlon last week. She took a moment to encourage Belgium's Claire Michel, who had done so poorly that she sat on the ground, crying.

Michel had come in last, 15 minutes behind winner Flora¹⁷ Duffy of Bermuda. But she did finish. Fifty-four athletes started the race, but only 34 finished it.

Miller told Michel she is a fighter. "This is Olympic spirit, and you've got it 100 percent."

Words in This Story

athlete - n. a person who is trained in or good at sports, games, or exercises that require physical skill and strength

encouragement -n. something that makes someone more likely to do something

comfort – v. to cause (someone) to feel less worried, upset, frightened

deserve – v. used to say that someone or something should have or be given something

slap¹¹ – v. to hit (someone or something) with the front or back of your open hand

magical – adj. very pleasant or exciting

rival – n. a person or thing that tries to defeat or be more successful than another

1 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

2 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

3 competitive   

adj.竞争的，比赛的，好竞争的，有竞争力的

参考例句：

• Some kinds of business are competitive.有些商业是要竞争的。
• These businessmen are both competitive and honourable.这些商人既有竞争性又很诚实。

4 Portuguese   

n.葡萄牙人；葡萄牙语

参考例句：

• They styled their house in the Portuguese manner.他们仿照葡萄牙的风格设计自己的房子。
• Her family is Portuguese in origin.她的家族是葡萄牙血统。

5 beaming   

adj.照耀的；光亮的；喜气洋洋的；愉快的v.发出光与热( beam的现在分词 )；面露喜色；播送；1 笑容满面，眉开眼笑 2 发射电波，播送 3 放出束状的光（或热）

参考例句：

• When the touring theatrical troupe arrived at the mountain village, the villagers all ran to tell one and another beaming with delight. 巡回剧团来到山村， 人们笑逐颜开，奔走相告。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Drouet shook hands, beaming good nature, and they strolled towards the bar. 杜洛埃和他握手，露出宽厚和气的笑容。他们一起朝卖酒的柜台踱去。 来自英汉文学 - 嘉莉妹妹

6 learning   

n.学问，学识，学习；动词learn的现在分词

参考例句：

• When you are learning to ride a bicycle,you often fall off.初学骑自行车时，常会从车上掉下来。
• Learning languages isn't just a matter of remembering words.学习语言不仅仅是记些单词的事。

7 experienced   

adj.有经验的；经验丰富的，熟练的

参考例句：

• Experienced seamen will advise you about sailing in this weather.有经验的海员会告诉你在这种天气下的航行情况。
• Perhaps you and I had better change over;you are more experienced.也许我们的工作还是对换一下好，你比我更有经验。

8 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。

9 deserve   

vt.应受，值得；vi. 应受报答，值得受赏

参考例句：

• You really deserve a good beating,you naughty boy.你这个调皮孩子真该打。
• I do not deserve all the praises bestowed upon me.我不配得到这些赞扬。

10 deserved   

adj.应得的，当然的v.应受，应得，值得( deserve的过去式和过去分词 )；应受报答；应得报酬；应得赔偿

参考例句：

• Some of you deserved to succeed and others only scraped through. 你们当中有些人成功是理所当然，而有些人只是勉强及格。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Don't glare at me like that, you deserved the scolding. 不要那么瞪着我，你本该受到训斥的。 来自《简明英汉词典》

11 slap   

n.掴，侮辱，拍击声；vt.拍击，侮辱，惩罚，申斥；adv.正面地，直接地，突然地

参考例句：

• He sent the horse forward with a slap on its rump.他拍了一下马尾，马便向前跑去。
• He gave her a slap on the cheek.他打了她一耳光。

12 slapped   

v.掌击，拍打( slap的过去式和过去分词 )；制止；镇压；（尤指生气地）啪的一声放下

参考例句：

• She slapped his face hard. 她狠狠给了他一个耳光。
• They slapped the workers who had gone on strike. 他们对参加罢工的工人大加镇压。 来自《简明英汉词典》

13 enjoyment   

n.乐趣；享有；享用

参考例句：

• Your company adds to the enjoyment of our visit. 有您的陪同，我们这次访问更加愉快了。
• After each joke the old man cackled his enjoyment.每逢讲完一个笑话，这老人就呵呵笑着表示他的高兴。

14 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

15 rival   

n.竞争对手，敌手；vt.与…相匹敌，比得上

参考例句：

• None of us can rival him in strength.我们谁也没他劲大。
• She defeat all her rival for the job with nonchalant ease.她从容不迫地击败求职的所有竞争者。

16 miller   

n.磨坊主

参考例句：

• Every miller draws water to his own mill.磨坊主都往自己磨里注水。
• The skilful miller killed millions of lions with his ski.技术娴熟的磨坊主用雪橇杀死了上百万头狮子。

17 flora   

n.(某一地区的)植物群

参考例句：

• The subtropical island has a remarkably rich native flora.这个亚热带岛屿有相当丰富的乡土植物种类。
• All flora need water and light.一切草木都需要水和阳光。