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China Prepares for the Olympics, Part 2
January 14, 2008

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Voice 1
Hello, I'm Rachel Hobson.

Voice 2
And I'm Marina Santee. Welcome to Spotlight. This programme uses a special English method of broadcasting. It is easier for people to understand, no matter where in the world they live.

Voice 1
It is a warm, sunny night. Thousands of people sit in seats around the running field. They are all quiet, waiting. Down on the running track, nine men prepare for their race. They must run one hundred and ten metres. And, they must jump over ten barriers, or hurdles. The men bend down. The starter points the gun towards the sky. On your marks ... get set ... go! The starter fires the gun. The nine men start to run and jump as fast as they can. They are all as fast as each other. But a tall dark-haired man runs in front of the other men. He is pushing his body to go as fast as it can. He throws himself at the finishing line - he wins!

Voice 2
Liu Xiang is the name of the young man. And the race that he won was an important one - the world championships! Liu Xiang is now the best in the world at the hurdle race. And he has also run the fastest time. The people of China love Liu Xiang. His name means 'spreading wings to fly'. So people believe that he will fly like a bird over the barriers in the Olympic Games. The games will take place in Beijing in 2008. And the country expects Liu Xiang to succeed. Liu Xiang knows that he is under great pressure to perform well. He says:

Voice 3
"These days, there is too much pressure. The other runners can hide from it. But I am number one in the world. I came first in the race. I won the gold medal. And I am the world champion. So now, people expect me to win next year at the Olympics."

Voice 1
Liu Xiang may feel pressure. But he is also very thankful to China's sporting system. And he often gives some of his prize money back to the running authorities. They helped him a lot when he was a young runner. And he wants his money to help the Chinese sports stars of the future.

Voice 2
Shichahai Sports School, Beijing. Shichahai is one of China's top sports schools. The teachers here are responsible for developing young children who are skilled at sport. There are many sports schools like this in China. The government has organized a system of sports training right across the country. It has a great desire for China to be successful in the world of sport. And to do that, children must start their training early in life.

These children can enter the school in two ways. One way is through the advice of a sports expert. The expert may discover a child who is good at a particular sport. Then, the expert may advise the sports school to accept this new student. Or some parents may think that their child is very skilled at sport. They can take their child to the school. The school will judge if the child is good enough to be accepted. The school trains the children to perform to the highest level in their chosen sport. And for some of the children, this could mean representing China in international competitions.

Voice 1
What is life like for children at these schools? They still have to study the usual school subjects like mathematics and science. But they also have to train for many hours. Do they feel pressure to succeed? Liu Ziyan is a student at Shichahai School. His sport is table tennis. He says:

Voice 4
"I find it very tiring here at school- my mind and my body get tired. We train every morning and afternoon, and sometimes I feel that is not enough. So I will do extra training in the evening."

Voice 1
So, is there too much pressure on children in these sports schools? One of Shichahai School's leaders is Liu Jun. He says that winning is not the only aim of the school. He explains:

Voice 5
"We provide our younger students with 'life teachers'. These teachers organise entertainment events and look after the younger students. Then they do not feel lonely. We are also serving society by producing excellent people - not just in sport."

Voice 2
Wu Ping is a writer. She used to work for t__an Sports Weekly - a famous Chinese sporting newspaper. She believes that the reason for the government's desire for sporting success is clear. She says:

Voice 6
"It is simple. China's main aim is to be number one in the gold medal table at the Beijing Olympics."

Voice 2
Wu Ping explains her opinion of the situation. She says she knows why the government is hoping for sporting success! It believes that it will make Chinese people feel proud of their country. And it is also a way for China to demonstrate its importance in the world.

Voice 1
This may be true. Every runner wants to win. And every country wants their runners to win. But does this spirit of wanting to win at all costs go against the idea of the Olympics? The Olympic creed states what the games should mean to sports people:

Voice 7
"The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part. This is like life: it is the struggle, not the victory that is important. The main thing is not to be victorious, but to fight well."

Voice 1
At the Olympic Games in Beijing, we will witness many great sporting performances. All the sports men and women will be trying their best. For some, the result will be that they win their event. For others, this means trying to give the best performance of their lives. They may not be good enough to win. But they are willing to accept defeat. They can be satisfied knowing that they have fought well. And that is their prize - a good example to give to other people.

Voice 2
Back at Shichahai School, the children continue to train hard. They know about trying their best. And if you ask them, they know what they are aiming for:

Voice 8
"We want to be champions!"

Voice 1

Voice 2
If you have comments or questions about our Spotlight programmes you can reach us by email. Our address is radio @ English . net. Thank you for joining us today, goodbye.