VOA标准英语2008年-Experienced US Athletics Team Set for Olympic A

The United States had a relatively¹ young track and field team at the 2004 Athens Olympics and medal expectations were not high. But the athletes brought home 25 medals, exceeding a typical U.S. total of 17 to 20 medals. Most of them qualified² again for the Beijing Olympics, so they won't catch other nations by surprise this time. VOA Sports Editor Parke Brewer³ is in Beijing and has more.
　
President Bush poses⁴ with the U.S. women's track and field team in Beijing, 08 Aug 2008

The Americans won 26 medals at last year's World Athletics⁵ Championships, so the question is, on an even bigger stage, can they equal or exceed that total.

U.S. men's coach Bubba Thornton has great confidence in his athletes, even comparing them to that famous U.S. basketball team from the 1992 Olympics.

"We're excited," he said. "The guys are excited. And I'd like to say that this is "the dream team." They're going to show up. You all are going to be pleased with what you see."

One of Coach Thornton's stars is 400-meter runner Jeremy Wariner, a two-time world champion and the defending Olympic champion.

"I've had real good workouts these last few days, probably my best ones of the season," said Wariner. "I'm feeling quicker and stronger right now, so I'm looking forward to getting going on Monday. I'm real antsy [anxious] now, so it's time to go [compete]."

One of Wariner's new Olympic teammates in Beijing is Bernard Legat, who ran for Kenya in the past two Summer Games. Legat took bronze in the 1,500 meters in 2000 in Sydney, then silver at the 2004 Athens Olympics. He is now an American citizen and is competing for Team USA.

"Really I'm so excited to be back in the Olympics," said Legat. "You know the previous Olympics were fantastic for me. I really enjoyed them, but most importantly this is the one I've been looking forward to."

Legat is hoping to get the gold this time, and he will also run in the 5,000 meters.

Allyson Felix is also aiming for gold, after a silver in Athens when she was only 18. She's the two-time reigning⁶ 200 meters world champion.

"I think it's going to be a really great final," said Felix. "And also it's a lot different from 2004 when I came in as an 18-year-old. I was just, I didn't know what to expect, and I was all about enjoying the experience. And as I come back this time, it's all about business. I've waited four years to have a rematch, and I'm not taking it lightly."

Neither is teammate Sanya Richards, who has a relay⁷ gold medal from Athens, but was sixth in the 400 meters. But she's now ranked first in the world in the 400.

"To come back to the next Olympics and to be the favorite and leaving with a gold medal in my main event would mean so much to me," said Richards. "It would mean that all my sacrifices and hard work have paid off."

Most all of the track and field athletes who reach the finals will compete at night in the so-called "Bird's Nest" National Stadium, before expected capacity crowds of 91,000.

 

1 relatively   

adv.比较...地，相对地

参考例句：

• The rabbit is a relatively recent introduction in Australia.兔子是相对较新引入澳大利亚的物种。
• The operation was relatively painless.手术相对来说不痛。

2 qualified   

adj.合格的，有资格的，胜任的，有限制的

参考例句：

• He is qualified as a complete man of letters.他有资格当真正的文学家。
• We must note that we still lack qualified specialists.我们必须看到我们还缺乏有资质的专家。

3 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。

4 poses   

使摆姿势( pose的第三人称单数 )； 以…身份出现； 招摇； 炫耀

参考例句：

• This poses a threat to agriculture and the food chain, and consequently to human health. 这会对农业和食物链造成威胁，由此而危及人的健康。
• The high cost of oil poses serious problems for industry. 昂贵的石油价格给工业造成了严重困难。

5 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。

6 reigning   

adj.统治的，起支配作用的

参考例句：

• The sky was dark, stars were twinkling high above, night was reigning, and everything was sunk in silken silence. 天很黑，星很繁，夜阑人静。
• Led by Huang Chao, they brought down the reigning house after 300 years' rule. 在黄巢的带领下，他们推翻了统治了三百年的王朝。

7 relay   

n.接力赛，中继转播（设备）；vt.转述，转播

参考例句：

• They will relay your message.他们会转达你的口信。
• This metal tower is used to relay television signals to distant villages.这个金属塔是用于向遥远的村子转播电视讯号的。