VOA标准英语2012--Medany Aims to be 1st Egyptian Woman to Medal at Olympics

 

Medany Aims to be 1st Egyptian Woman to Medal at Olympics

As Egypt struggles to get back on its feet after 16 rocky months of revolution and military rule, the country's young Olympians are hoping to do the seemingly impossible under the circumstances, medal at the 2012 Olympics in London. That's even tougher for pentathlete Aya Medany, 24. As if training for one event were not hard enough, Egypt's Medany competes in swimming, horseback riding, fencing, and combined shooting and running.

"When I say that I play five events - swimming, running, shooting, fencing and riding - they say, 'Wow, so how can you do all this in one time?' I believe in my family always say, 'When we want to do something, we will do it. Whatever it is,'" said Medany.

And she does almost all of it wearing a hijab, or head scarf, the only one of 36 female pentathletes in London who will do so.

Ancient Egyptians immortalized their sportsmen in paintings like these. But modern Egypt has failed to turn that legacy¹ into consistent Olympic gold. The few medals it has tend to be in sports like wrestling and weightlifting.

The head of Egypt's Modern Pentathlon federation², Mohamed El Touni, thinks she can turn that around.

"Now I hope that my dream became true also, that Aya can catch a medal," he said.

Medany is Africa's best pentathlete and a real contender for a medal at this year's Olympics. If she wins, she will be the first female Egyptian to ever do so.

But there have been a few extra obstacles thrown her way this year. First, she's suffered from a back injury. Second, this year's Olympics happen during the holy month of Ramadan when Muslims traditionally fast. And third, a decision by the International Swimming Federation that prevents her from wearing a full body swimsuit and veil during competition.

Though the decision conflicts with her religious beliefs, Medany has opted³ to compete anyway.

Her swim coach Tariq El Nouweihi points out there is a difference between wearing a short-cut bathing suit for recreation versus⁴ competition.

"If she stays like this for entertainment, maybe it's not good, but if she swim for training it's good. Not bad," said El Nouweihi.

But the biggest obstacle of all was the upheaval⁵ that has taken place in Egypt over the past 16 months. The revolution that toppled former president Hosni Mubarak left the country's young Olympians scrambling⁶ for resources.

"After maybe the month of the revolution we [were] supposed to travel for a sports camp and a competition and there was a world cup in Egypt and it was canceled and we stayed like two months. We didn't travel anywhere because there was a problem with money and with the airports and you [could not] travel and you [could not] come back," recalled Medany.

Still, even under these conditions Medany won gold at last year's Modern Pentathlon World Cup in Hungary.

She says the key to success is moderation.

"Everything is always by graduations, graduating. It's not only one time that I must to step the tenth stair and I don't go to the first and second and third. So I also take it step by step," Medany added.

As Egypt transitions from military rule to democracy for the first time in modern history, it's a lesson Medany hopes its new leaders would heed⁷ as well. 

1 legacy   

n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西

参考例句：

• They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
• He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。

2 federation   

n.同盟，联邦，联合，联盟，联合会

参考例句：

• It is a federation of 10 regional unions.它是由十个地方工会结合成的联合会。
• Mr.Putin was inaugurated as the President of the Russian Federation.普京正式就任俄罗斯联邦总统。

3 opted   

v.选择，挑选( opt的过去式和过去分词 )

参考例句：

• She was co-opted onto the board. 她获增选为董事会成员。
• After graduating she opted for a career in music. 毕业后她选择了从事音乐工作。

4 versus   

prep.以…为对手，对；与…相比之下

参考例句：

• The big match tonight is England versus Spain.今晚的大赛是英格兰对西班牙。
• The most exciting game was Harvard versus Yale.最富紧张刺激的球赛是哈佛队对耶鲁队。

5 upheaval   

n.胀起，(地壳)的隆起；剧变，动乱

参考例句：

• It was faced with the greatest social upheaval since World War Ⅱ.它面临第二次世界大战以来最大的社会动乱。
• The country has been thrown into an upheaval.这个国家已经陷入动乱之中。

6 scrambling   

v.快速爬行( scramble的现在分词 )；攀登；争夺；（军事飞机）紧急起飞

参考例句：

• Scrambling up her hair, she darted out of the house. 她匆忙扎起头发，冲出房去。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
• She is scrambling eggs. 她正在炒蛋。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 heed   

v.注意，留意；n.注意，留心

参考例句：

• You must take heed of what he has told.你要注意他所告诉的事。
• For the first time he had to pay heed to his appearance.这是他第一次非得注意自己的外表不可了。