VOA慢速英语2021 南苏丹运动员在日本备战奥运（在线收听）

South Sudan Athletes Train in Japan Although Olympics in Doubt

南苏丹运动员在日本备战奥运

The coronavirus worldwide health crisis forced the postponement of the 2020 Tokyo Summer Olympics to this year. It remains unclear if the Games will take place as planned in July 2021.

全球范围内的新冠病毒危机迫使2020年东京夏季奥运会推迟到今年。目前尚不清楚本届奥运会能否按计划于2021年7月举行。

Athletes around the world who hope to qualify for the Olympics are still trying to stay fit. That includes a group of four runners from the world's youngest country, South Sudan. They are training with one of their coaches in Japan. The runners are working out in Maebashi, a city about 100 kilometers from Tokyo.

世界各地希望有资格参加奥运会的运动员仍在努力保持状态。其中就包括来自世界上最年轻国家南苏丹的4名运动员。他们正在日本跟着一位教练训练。这些运动员在距东京约100公里的前桥市进行训练。

Many athletes, who are among the best in the world at their events, were sad when the virus caused the Olympics to be postponed. But the African athletes said they do not mind the delay because they are able to improve.

当新冠疫情导致本届奥运会推迟举办时，许多世界顶尖运动员都备受打击。但是这些非洲运动员表示，他们并不介意奥运会推迟举办，因为他们能够取得进步。

Eighteen-year-old Akoon Akoon is one of those athletes. He competes in the 400-meter race and the hurdles. He said he is just putting all his attention on his training.

18岁的Akoon Akoon是其中一名运动员。他参加400米跑和障碍赛。他说，自己只是把所有精力都放在训练上。

"I don't want to confuse my mind," he said.

他说：“我不想让自己分心。”

Both the head of the International Olympic Committee and the Prime Minister of Japan, Yoshihide Suga, recently expressed their desire to hold the Games as planned later this year.

国际奥委会主席和日本首相菅义伟最近都表示，希望今年晚些时候如期举办奥运会。

A Japanese newspaper, however, recently asked athletes what they wanted. Most of the athletes who responded – 86 percent – said they wanted the Games delayed again or canceled altogether. In Japan, the government recently declared a "state of emergency" in Tokyo and several other areas.

但是日本一家报社最近采访了运动员的想法。86%的运动员都做出了回复，大多数人表示，希望本届奥运会再次推迟或完全取消。日本政府最近宣布东京和其它几个地区进入紧急状态。

Abraham Majok competes in the 1500 meter race. The 21-year-old runner said it will be important for people from South Sudan to see athletes from their country at the Olympics.

亚伯拉罕·马约克参加1500米比赛。这位21岁的运动员表示，让南苏丹人民在本届奥运会上看到本国运动员的身影非常重要。

That is because South Sudan is a country that is still healing from a civil war. Images of athletes from South Sudan at the Olympics will help the nation develop a sense of being one group of people.

因为南苏丹仍然是一个尚未从内战中完全恢复的国家。南苏丹运动员奋战奥运会的形象将有助于该国形成群体意识。

"The image of the team here is a big sign of unity, because all of us are from different states," said Majok.

马约克表示：“这支队伍在此备战奥运是团结的重要标志，因为我们都来自不同的州。”

"When our people back home watch us all from different states working together...and representing the country at the world level, the people will really be happy."

“当我们的人民回到家乡，看到来自不同州的我们并肩拼搏，在世界的舞台上为国家争光，他们将会感到非常欣慰。”

About 400,000 people died during the war in South Sudan. The warring groups signed a peace treaty in 2018, but many agreements have not yet been put in place.

南苏丹战争内战期间大约有40万人丧生。交战双方于2018年签署了和平条约，但是许多协议尚未落实。

The city of Maebashi is trying to help the South Sudanese runners. Groups have donated about $300,000 to support their training. Other people are spending time helping the runners with life in Japan.

前桥市正努力为这些南苏丹的运动员提供帮助。相关组织已经捐赠了约30万美元支持他们的训练。其他人则花时间帮助这些运动员适应日本的生活。

The total will be enough to pay for their stay through the completion of the Games — If they happen.

这些资金足够让他们一直维持到本届奥运会结束，如果奥运会如期举办的话。

And if they don't?

如果未能如期举办呢？

"There's always 2024," said one city official.

一位市府官员表示：“还有2024年。”

The 2024 Games will be in Paris.

2024年奥运会将在巴黎举办。

I'm Dan Friedell.

丹·弗里戴尔为您播报。