Experts at the Olympic Games in Beijing say for the first time in more than a century, the United States has a chance to win gold medals in the middle-distance running events of 1,500 and 5,000 meters. These hopes rest in large part on Bernard Lagat who was born in Kenya, but now runs for the U.S. team. Nevertheless, Lagat retains strong ties to Kenya.
在北京参加奥运会的专家们说，本届奥运会是半个多世纪以来，美国第一次有机会在1500米和5000米中距离赛跑项目中夺取金牌，希望寄托在伯纳德·拉加特身上。拉加特出生在肯尼亚，这次代表美国队参赛。但是他依然跟肯尼亚保持着紧密的联系。
Middle-distance runner Bernard Lagat says he hopes to win a gold medal in Beijing in order to fulfill a promise he made to his mother four years ago when he won a silver medal at the Athens games.
中距离赛跑选手拉加特说，四年前他在雅典奥运会上只拿到了银牌。当时，他曾经向母亲保证，下次一定要拿到金牌，他希望这次在北京能够兑现诺言。
"In 2004, I told her that I just came in second," he said. "She told me your time will come and that is going to be in the next Olympics and you will win gold. And I promised her that I am going to work extra hard to get it."
“2004年的时候，我告诉母亲说，只得了第二名。她对我说，别着急，下次奥运会金牌一定是你的。我当时向她保证，为了拿到金牌一定会加倍努力。”
Lagat won the silver medal in Athens and a bronze medal in the 2000 Sydney Games while running for Kenya. But he switched to the U.S. team after becoming a U.S. citizen three years ago.
拉加特在2000年悉尼奥运会和2004年雅典奥运会上，代表肯尼亚队分别夺取了铜牌和银牌。他三年前入籍成为美国公民，这次代表美国队参加比赛。
He won the 1,500 meter event at the World Championships in Osaka last year. And he said he felt the same pride hearing the U.S. national anthem played for his victory as he did hearing the Kenyan national anthem before.
拉加特去年在日本大阪举行的田径世锦赛上，赢得了1500米金牌。他表示，领奖时听到美国国歌和听到肯尼亚国歌同样激动。
Lagat says he understands that some Kenyans might be upset about his move to the U.S. team, but he has no regrets.
他说，虽然有些肯尼亚人可能会因为他转而代表美国队感到不满，但是他本人无怨无悔。
"My loyalty is for the country that I am representing right now and that is the United States," he said. "And I am feeling really happy that I am part of the American culture. I am proud of the American revolution in track and field at the moment which is really going so well."
他说：“我效忠于我代表的国家，美国。我很高兴能成为美国文化的一部分，对美国在田径领域内的革新很骄傲。”
Lagat, 33, was born in a village near Kapsabet, in Kenya's northwestern Nandi District. As a boy he tended cattle for his family of 10.
拉加特今年33岁，出生在肯尼亚西北部的一个小村庄，家里一共十口人。拉加特小时候在家放过牛。
He says his sister, Kenya national running champion Mary Chepkemboi, inspired him to run and even bought him his first pair of shoes when he was 12 years old.
他姐姐曾经是肯尼亚的赛跑冠军，他就是受到了姐姐的激励才开始跑步的。12岁的时候，姐姐给他买了第一双跑鞋。
He went to local schools until 1996 when he won a scholarship to attend college in the northwestern U.S. state of Washington.
他1996年得到奖学金，到美国西北部华盛顿州的一所大学读书。
After graduation in 2001, Lagat began to run competitively and won more than two dozen races at the grand-prix level. He says he decided to obtain U.S. citizenship after getting married and settling down in America.
2001年毕业后，拉加特开始参加职业比赛，先后赢得了20多次大赛的冠军。拉加特表示，后来结婚在美国安定下来，他决定申请入籍。
But Lagat has not forgotten his roots. Every year, his foundation pays school fees for less fortunate Kenyan children.
但是拉加特并没有忘本。拉加特基金会每年都要出钱，给肯尼亚的孩子交学费。
"It is a way of giving back to my community back home," Lagat said. "At the same time, running and becoming successful in America also inspires the young American kids to take up athletics and be as good as Bernard Lagat."
“这是给家乡的一点回报。与此同时，跑步、成功也会激励美国孩子，让他们参与体育，跟拉加特一样棒。”
Lagat downplays all the hard work needed to be a winner in track and field. He says only that he has been fortunate.
"My journey has been really successful," said Lagat. "One, I have had my degrees. At same time I have been able to run two Olympics. And I live in America. I have my family. I am so happy. So it is a dream that a little boy from Kenya dreamed about and finally it came through."
But Lagat says life is not all about winning, and if he loses in Beijing he will congratulate the winner. Nevertheless, he says he plans to keep on running competitively for several more years.
与此同时，拉加特说，胜利不是生命的全部，如果在北京奥运会上输了，他会向胜利者表示祝贺。不管怎样，今后几年他都打算继续跑下去。 |