VOA标准英语2008年-US Pins Gold Medal Hopes on Kenya-Born Runner

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. VOA's Scott Bobb in Beijing reports that nevertheless, Lagat retains¹ strong ties to Kenya.
　
Bernard Lagat

Middle-distance runner Bernard Lagat says he hopes to win a gold medal in Beijing in order to fulfill² a promise he made to his mother four years ago when he won a silver medal at the Athens games.

"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."

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.

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 anthem³ played for his victory as he did hearing the Kenyan national anthem before.

Lagat says he understands that some Kenyans might be upset about his move to the U.S. team, but he has no regrets.

"My loyalty⁴ 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."

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.

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.

He went to local schools until 1996 when he won a scholarship to attend college in the northwestern U.S. state of Washington.

After graduation in 2001, Lagat began to run competitively and won more than two dozen races at the grand-prix level. He says he decided⁵ to obtain U.S. citizenship⁶ after getting married and settling down in America.

But Lagat has not forgotten his roots. Every year, his foundation⁷ pays school fees for less fortunate Kenyan children.

"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 athletics⁸ and be as good as Bernard Lagat."

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.

 

1 retains   

v.保持( retain的第三人称单数 )；拦住；保存；止住

参考例句：

• He still retains the revolutionary fervour of the war years. 他还保留着战争年代的革命朝气。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• This village still retains its old world character. 这个村庄仍然保持着古色古香的特色。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 fulfill   

vt.履行，实现，完成；满足，使满意

参考例句：

• If you make a promise you should fulfill it.如果你许诺了，你就要履行你的诺言。
• This company should be able to fulfill our requirements.这家公司应该能够满足我们的要求。

3 anthem   

n.圣歌，赞美诗，颂歌

参考例句：

• All those present were standing solemnly when the national anthem was played.奏国歌时全场肃立。
• As he stood on the winner's rostrum,he sang the words of the national anthem.他站在冠军领奖台上，唱起了国歌。

4 loyalty   

n.忠诚，忠心

参考例句：

• She told him the truth from a sense of loyalty.她告诉他真相是出于忠诚。
• His loyalty to his friends was never in doubt.他对朋友的一片忠心从来没受到怀疑。

5 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。

6 citizenship   

n.市民权，公民权，国民的义务(身份)

参考例句：

• He was born in Sweden,but he doesn't have Swedish citizenship.他在瑞典出生，但没有瑞典公民身分。
• Ten years later,she chose to take Australian citizenship.十年后，她选择了澳大利亚国籍。

7 foundation   

n.[pl.]地基；基础；基金会；建立，创办

参考例句：

• The foundation of the university took place 600 years ago.这所大学是600年前创办的。
• The Foundation gives money to help artists.那家基金会捐款帮助艺术家。

8 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。