12-11 现代奥运回顾：2004年雅典奥运会（在线收听）

Modern Olympic Games Review:

2004 Olympics, Athens

The last heart-pounding race of the Summer Games ended Sunday in a white marble arena in the heart of Athens, bringing the modern Olympics full circle -- back to the precise spot where they were revived¹ 108 years ago.

The finish of the men's marathon at Panathinaiko Stadium, followed by the traditional parade of athletes under the sweeping roof of the new Olympic Stadium, crowned 16 days of competition, which were marked by moments of individual triumph and a record? breaking number of athletes thrown out on doping² charges.

These Games broke many records. Athens hosted 11,099 athletes, the largest number ever and also the most women athletes ever. Representatives of 202 countries and areas took part, more than any other sporting event. The Olympic flame traveled for the first time to all continents. Shot Put was held in Olympia and women competed there for the first time. It also broke records as the most expensive and most fortified³ international sporting event ever staged.

The runners, jumpers and throwers of the 2004 Athens Games may not have set world records, but at least they outdid⁴ their immediate predecessors. For only the second time since 1988, the average gold-medal performance in track and field improved, albeit⁵ slightly. Swimming times were also faster in Athens than in Sydney in 2000, but by an even slimmer margin than track performances. The meager⁶ improvements offer comfort to both sides in a scientific debate over the recent stagnation of Olympic performances and world records.

China finished second in the gold medal count, its best ever show since it started competing in the Olympics in 1984. China's Liu Xiang became the first Asian in history to win the men's 110m hurdles⁷ at the Olympic Games. He also broke the Olympic record of 12.95 seconds set by Allen Johnson of the United States in the Atlanta Olympic Games in 1996. His gold medal is said to be “ the heaviest,” or most significant, of the 32 that China won in the Athens Olympics.

Heat is still coming off the Athens Olympics, but already eyes are turning to Beijing , the host city of the upcoming 2008 Olympic Games.

注释：

1. revive [ri5vaiv] vt. 使复兴，振兴

2. dope [dEup] vt. [俚] 给（马等）服兴奋剂

3. fortify [5fC:tifai] vt.  筑防御工事于

4. outdo [aut5du:] vt. 比……做得更多（或更好），胜过，超过

5. albeit [C:l5bi:It] conj. 尽管，即使

6. meager [5mi:^E(r)] a. [美] =meagre 不足的

7. hurdle [5hdl] n. [～s] [用作单] 跨栏赛跑，障碍赛跑

2004年雅典奥运会　

星期日，在位于雅典中心的白色大理石运动场（即帕纳辛奈科体育场，是1896年首届现代奥运会的主体育场——译者注），随着夏季奥运会最后一场令人心跳的比赛的结束，现代奥林匹克运动走完了一个完美的圆圈——回到了108年前奥林匹克运动的复兴之地。

　　在帕纳辛奈科体育场举行的男子马拉松比赛的结束，及随后在新建的奥林匹克体育场宽广的屋顶下举行的传统的运动员列队入场仪式，宣告了16天的比赛的圆满结束。这16天的比赛里出现了很多个人胜利的瞬间，而由于服用禁药被取消参赛资格的运动员人数也突破了历史记录。

　　本届奥运会打破了许多记录。雅典接待了11099名运动员，是参赛人数最多，同时也是女运动员人数最多的一届，有来自202个国家和地区的代表参加，超过其他任何体育赛事。奥运圣火第一次游历了所有的大洲。铅球比赛在奥林匹亚举行，女运动员第一次在那里参加比赛。本届奥运会也是有史以来花钱最多、安全措施最强的国际体育盛事。

　　参加2004年雅典运动会的赛跑、跳高、跳远和投掷运动员可能并没有创立世界记录，但他们至少超过了上一届奥运会选手。这是从1988年以来，田径比赛金牌的平均成绩第二次有所提高，虽然只是略有进步。游泳速度也比2000年的悉尼奥运会快，但进步比田径成绩更小。这小小的进步给关于奥运成绩和世界记录近年来停滞不前的科学辩论的双方都带来了安慰。

　　中国最终在金牌榜上名列第二，这是自1984年中国参加奥运会以来成绩最好的一次。中国的刘翔成为历史上第一位问鼎奥运会男子110米栏金牌的亚洲选手，他也打破了由美国选手阿兰•约翰逊在1996年亚特兰大奥运会创立的12.95秒的奥运会记录。他的金牌被认为是中国在雅典奥运会所获得的32枚金牌中分量“最重”，或者是最有意义的一枚。

雅典奥运会余热未消，但人们的目光已经投向了北京——即将来临的2008年奥运会的举办城市。