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Cliff Young, an unlikely hero

克里夫•杨，令人意想不到的英雄

Considered one of the toughest marathon events in the world, the 875-kilometer annual Australian race, a route from Sydney to Melbourne, is a harsh test of endurance for the world’s top athletes, regardless of their age. The young, super-fit runners train for months before a competition and are under contract to prominent sponsors like Nike and Adidas, who finance them and furnish them with a substantial support mechanism of money and equipment. The contest takes up to seven days to complete and is a challenging test of fitness and strength even for world-class athletes who compete for distinction and a cash prize.

澳大利亚一年一度的悉尼至墨尔本的马拉松比赛全长875 公里，被认为是世界上最艰难的马拉松赛事之一，对任何年龄段的世界顶尖运动员来说都是一项严酷的耐力考验。体能超好的年轻选手在赛前要进行数月的训练，而且还和像耐克和阿迪达斯这样著名的赞助商签约，这些赞助商通过强大的资金和装备支持机制为选手提供资助和装备。这项比赛历时七天，即使对那些为荣誉和奖金而赛的世界一流运动员来说，这项比赛也是对体能和力量的严峻考验。On the day of the race in 1983, Cliff Young, a toothless 61-year-old farmer and amateur runner, wearing rubber boots, and much older than the other runners, was in attendance. No one paid any attention to this odd-looking man who might as well have been invisible. The assembled crowd assumed Cliff was there to observe the race. When he asserted his intention to compete, the world-class athletes around him reacted with apparent disbelief and then with disrespect. Obviously, this was some sort of publicity trick.

1983 年比赛那一天，克里夫•杨，一个牙齿已全部脱落的61 岁的农民业余选手也来参加比赛。他脚穿橡胶靴，年龄也比其他选手大得多。没有人注意到这个外表古怪的老头，他就跟个隐身人差不多。聚集的人群以为克里夫只是来观看比赛的。当克里夫明确表示自己是来参赛的时候，他周围的世界级选手先是表示出明显的怀疑，继而予以鄙视。显然，人们认为这只是媒体的炒作而已。

But the press was curious, so as he took his number and moved into the crush of runners in their special, expensive racing gear, the camera focused on him and the assembled reporters shouted question after question at Cliff. They asked: "Who are you?" "What are you doing?"

但是媒体记者颇为好奇，所以当克里夫领好自己的参赛号码，走进配备昂贵的特殊装备的参赛选手队伍时，镜头对准了他，聚集的记者们向他抛来一个又一个问题。他们问：“你是谁？”“你来做什么？”

"I'm Cliff Young. I'm from a large farm where we raise sheep outside of Melbourne."

“我是克里夫•杨。我来自墨尔本郊外的一个大农场，我们在那里养羊。”

They went on, "What makes you think you can run this race? It takes a week to run this race on no more than six hours of sleep a night!"

他们接着问道：“你为什么认为自己有能力参加这项比赛？跑完全程要花一周的时间，而且每晚的睡眠不足六个小时。”

Cliff replied, "I've run sheep for two or three days at a time.

克里夫回答道：“我放羊时每一次都要跑上两三天。

This race should only be a couple more days than that. I believe I can do it."

这项比赛只是需要再多花几天而己。我相信我可以做到。”

Soon, the marathon started and the young athletes left Cliff far behind. The crowds smiled, and some laughed out loud because he didn't even run properly. He had the strangest running style; he appeared to shuffle. As the race progressed along, of course, the attention of the sports commentators and viewers alike was on the athletes at the front of the pack. Imagine everyone's surprise the next morning when the news showed Cliff was still in the race! Not only that, but he had run through the entire night without sleeping. And it seemed that he intended to keep running until he reached the finish line or fell ill or was injured as many viewers now began to fear. They were uneasy and very concerned for his welfare. Many people said and even more people thought: "Surely, someone should stop this insane old man before he really harms himself!"

很快，马拉松比赛开始了，年轻的运动员把克里夫远远地甩在了后面。人们笑了，有些人还大声地笑，因为克里夫甚至连跑步的姿势都不正确。他跑步的样子怪极了，因为他似乎是在拖着脚走。随着比赛的进行，体育解说员和观众们的注意力都放到了那些领先的选手身上。想象一下第二天早上看到新闻报道说克里夫还在比赛的队伍里时，人们有多么惊奇！不仅如此，他还彻夜未眠，一直在跑。而且，看起来他决意要一直跑到终点，或一直跑到病倒或受伤为止，这正是许多观众现在开始担心的事情。他们变得不安起来，而且非常担心他的身心健康。许多人在说，甚至更多的人在想：“不用说，应该有人制止这疯狂的老头儿，免得他真的把自己弄伤！”

But Cliff had no intention of stopping. Although he was still far behind the world-class athletes, he kept at it. When he got to a major town, he was asked about his plan for the rest of the race. He said he would just keep running, and he did. With every passing hour and every shuffling step, he got just a little bit closer to the race leaders. Later, he told people that throughout the race he kept focused by imagining he was gathering his sheep and trying to outrun a storm.

但是克里夫没有要停下的意思。虽然他仍然远远落后于那些世界顶级的选手，但他还一直坚持着。当他抵达一个大城镇时，有人问他对接下来的比赛有什么计划。他说他会继续跑下去，而且他也的确是这样做的。随着每一小时的流逝和迈出的每一次拖拖拉拉的步履，他一点一点地接近领先的选手们。事后，他告诉人们，整个比赛过程中他都很专注，他把自己想象成是在赶着羊群、努力与暴风雨抢时间。

By the fifth night, he had overtaken them all. By the sixth day, he led the whole pack of runners by a wide lead. He led all the way to the finish line, smashing the record by finishing the 875-kilometer race in 5 days, 15 hours and 4 minutes - 9 hours faster than anyone before! In that instant, Cliff Young became a beloved national hero.

到了第五天夜里，他追上了所有的选手。到了第六天，他把整个队伍甩开一大截。他一路领先，直到终点，以5 天15 小时4 分钟跑完875 公里的赛程，打破了纪录，比之前最快的选手还快了9 个小时！在那一刻，克里夫•杨成为受人爱戴的民族英雄。

In that instant, Cliff Young became a beloved national hero.

在那一刻，克里夫.杨成为受人爱戴的民族英雄。

When Cliff was awarded the first prize of $10,000, he said he didn't know there was a prize and insisted that he had not entered for the money. He said, "There're five other runners still out there doing it tougher than me," and he gave them $2,000 each. He did not keep a single cent for himself. That act increased his fame and endeared him to all of Australia.

当克里夫得到一万元奖金时，他说他不知道比赛还有奖金，并坚持说他不是为了钱才参赛的。他说：“还没有到达终点的那五位选手，他们比我跑得更艰苦。”他给他们每人2，000 元。他自己一分钱都没留。这一举动提高了他的声望，使他受到了所有澳大利亚人的爱戴。Cliff came to prominence again in 1997, at age 75, when he attempted to become the oldest man to run around Australia and raise money for homeless children. 克里夫在1997 年75 岁时又一次赢得了声望。当时他试图成为环澳大利亚长跑年龄最大的人，并为无家可归的孩子们筹集善款。

For the rest of his life, Cliff kept running. Over the years, despite increasing age and physical challenges, he participated in many races and won a number of them. It was said that Cliff Young never kept a single prize. People gave him watches because he never had one. He would thank them because he did not want to hurt their feelings, but then gave them away to the first child he saw. He said, "I don't need a watch. I know when it's daylight, when it's dark, and when I'm hungry."

在他的余生里，克里夫一直坚持在跑。多年来，尽管年纪越来越大，身体状况也不如从前，但是他还是参加了许多比赛，并赢得了其中的多次比赛。据说克里夫从未为自己留下过任何奖品。因为他从没戴过表，所以人们就送他手表。他会感谢送他手表的人，因为他不想伤害他们的感情。但是随后，他就把表送给沿途上他看见的第一个孩子。他说：“我不需要手表。我知道什么时候是白天、什么时候是黑夜、什么时候肚子饿了。”

His love for running never dimmed, but in the year 2000, he suffered a mild stroke that ended his heroic running days. Cliff Young, the running legend, passed away on November 2, 2003. He was 81.

他对跑步运动的热爱从未衰减。但在2000 年，他得了轻度中风，从而结束了他具有英雄色彩的跑步生涯。2003 年11 月2 日，克里夫•杨这位长跑传奇人物与世长辞，享年81 岁。

To this day, Cliff Young remains a magnificent reminder and brilliant example of how ordinary individuals can inherently achieve remarkable results. As the famous saying goes, "Where there's a will, there's a way!" With determination and preparation, we can achieve distinction and be a brilliant example to others.

直到今天，克里夫•杨依然是一个伟大的标杆和辉煌的榜样。他向世人表明，普通人也能凭潜在的能力取得非凡的成就。有句名言说得好：“有志者，事竟成！”有坚定的决心和充分的准备，我们就能获得殊荣，也能成为别人的光辉榜样。

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Shaping young lives with sports

用运动塑造年轻人的生活

The leaders of tomorrow are shaped and molded in the here and now. As the Roman poet, Juvenal, famously said, "A healthy mind is to be found in a healthy body." For parents, teachers, and coaches, there is no greater responsibility than sustaining the mental and physical health of our young people.

未来的领导者塑造并培养于当下。正如罗马诗人尤维纳利斯的一句名言所说的：“健全的心智来自于健康的体魄。”对家长、老师和教练而言，最大的责任莫过于让我们的年轻人保持身心健康。

Growing children need inspiration and physical stimulation. Team sports are a great way to provide these attributes! More than just entertainment, through sports young people learn critical skills that will serve them well in their adult lives. The ability to work toward a common goal underlines the value of teamwork. Being both humble in victory and generous in defeat emphasizes the mutual obligation of graceful manners in all human interactions. The lessons our youth learn will stay with them all their lives, and there is no better place to assist this learning than on the playing field.

成长中的孩子需要精神激励和身体刺激。团队体育运动是提供这些特质的极好途径！运动不仅是娱乐，年轻人还可以通过运动学到让其在日后的成年生活中得以受益的重要技能。有能力为一个共同的目标而努力凸显了团队合作的价值。胜不骄、败不馁强调了在所有人际交往中保持优雅风度是彼此的义务。我们的年轻人从中学到的经验将伴随他们终生，而运动场正是帮助年轻人学习这些经验的最佳场所。

Of course, the most critical lessons youngsters receive are those that they are taught by their parents and teachers. Nevertheless, many lessons remain abstract concepts until they are made real by life experiences. You can talk about how bitter lemons are or how sweet honey is. However, until you actually taste lemons and honey you cannot experience the true meaning of "bitter" and "sweet". Knowledge comes from the application of ideas in the experience of real life. Strategy, teamwork, and cooperation are crucial concepts that can be best learned and understood through sports.

当然，年轻人所获得的最重要的经验是父母和老师教给他们的。然而，只有在生活中真正经历过之后，许多经验教训才不再是抽象的概念。你可以说柠檬有多苦或者蜂蜜有多甜。但是，只有在你真正品尝过柠檬和蜂蜜之后，你才能体会“苦”与“甜”的真正含义。概念只有应用到现实生活中才能变成知识。运动可以让人最好地学习和理解策略、团队协作和合作这些至关重要的概念。

Team sports give children a natural place to work hard and learn valuable life lessons.

团队体育运动给孩子们提供了一个自然场所，让他们去努力奋斗并学习宝贵的生活经验。Naturally, those who are inherently talented will spend more time on the field and will achieve fame. They have the opportunity to develop leadership skills and earn

the respect of their team members. However, the benefits of participating in team sports are not dependent on natural ability. Youth need not be stars to benefit from team membership. It doesn't matter whether they are gifted at their chosen sport. As a famous American sportswriter said, "It's not whether you win or lose. It's how you play the game."

当然，那些有运动天赋的人将会在运动场上花更多的时间，也将会出名。他们有机会培养自己的领导才能，并赢得团队伙伴的尊敬。然而，能否从参加团队体育运动中受益并不取决于天赋。年轻人不是非得成为体育明星才能从团队体育运动中受益。他们在自己选择的运动上有没有天赋并不重要。正如一位美国著名体育记者所说的：“输臝不重要，重要的是你在比赛中如何表现。”

Sports can inspire and encourage the less naturally talented athletes to be their best. What is missing in natural talent can be overcome through hard work, practice, and learning from the example of others. Those lacking in talent should never be envious, and they may learn more about the real world than the gifted players because they learn early on that there are no free rides and they will have to make continuous effort if they want to achieve in this world. Through sports, they will learn the value of individual hard work and even greater value of cooperation and teamwork. They will also learn the fundamental importance of planning and preparation for the positive outcome of their life's ambitions. These are all lessons that will be valuable to them throughout their entire lives, both in their careers and their personal lives.

运动能激励和鼓舞那些天分并不太高的人做到最好。一个人天分不足可以通过努力奋斗、训练和向其他榜样学习来弥补。天分不足的人绝不该嫉妒他人，他们可以比那些有天赋的运动员更多地了解真实的世界，因为他们很早就知道世界上没有免费的午餐，而且要想在现实世界中取得成就，就必须不断地付出努力。通过运动，他们会认识到个人努力奋斗的价值，以及合作和团队协作更重要的价值。他们还将认识到，作好计划与准备对于实现人生理想来说极其重要。这些经验教训对于他们整个人生，包括他们的事业和个人生活，都是宝贵的。Of course, participation in competitive team sports is not without hazards.

当然，参加竞技团队体育运动也并非没有危害。

Some psychologists have expressed considerable concern about the intensity of competition in youth sports. They argue that children often suffer psychological harm when the emphasis is exclusively on winning. A football coach, famous for his competitive spirit, said: "Winning isn't everything; it is the only thing.”Such an outlook can be harsh on children when they feel pressured to win from the adults around them. Child psychologists often blame parents and coaches for being too demanding. By placing excessive emphasis on winning, children miss the learning opportunities sports can offer. In such circumstances, the sports experience uncovers negative, draining and harmful consequences, canceling out the many desirable effects of sports.

有些心理学家已经对年轻人体育竞技的激烈程度表示出相当大的忧虑。他们认为，当一味强调要赢得比赛时，孩子们经常遭受到心理上的伤害。一位以体育竞技精神闻名的橄榄球教练曾说：“赢不是一切；但赢是唯一重要的事。”这样的观念对孩子们来说有些苛刻，因为他们会迫于身边大人的压力去臝得比赛。儿童心理学家经常责怪父母和教练对孩子们要求过高。如果过分强调输赢，孩子们就失去了从运动中学习的机会。在这样的情况下，体育运动就会

暴露出负面的、令人身心疲惫的和有害的后果，从而也就抵消了体育运动带来的诸多益处。Sports teach much more than what is easily seen on the surface. Young athletes learn something every time they step onto the field. It does much more than just keep young bodies in shape and growing at healthy rates. Sports give youth a sense of self-worth and accomplishment and teach them to deal capably with failure and success. It helps them learn the ways of the world, the benefits of hard work and determination, and how to coexist with others to achieve a common goal, even with other team members they may not particularly like! It allows youth to find a role they can fill, then to change or adapt to that role, and, over time, to grow and redefine who they are and who they will become. These are all traits that can be extremely useful in the real world, and developing such traits at an early age paves the way for success later in life.

体育运动教给我们的远比表面上看起来的多得多。年轻的运动员每次踏上运动场都能学到一些东西。运动远不只是让年轻人保持健康的体魄并健康成长。运动能给年轻人带来自我价值感和成就感，并教会他们很好地对待成败。体育运动帮助年轻人了解处世之道，使他们认识到肯努力和有决心的益处，以及学会如何与他人、甚至是那些自己其实不怎么喜欢的队友相处以实现共同的目标。体育运动使年轻人找到自己的角色定位，然后为了这一角色去作出相应的改变或调整，并随着时间的流逝逐渐成长，重新界定他们自己是什么样的人以及他们要成为什么样的人。这些都是在现实世界中极其有用的品质。早期培养这样的品质会为年轻人未来生活的成功铺平道路。