水中飞鱼 - 99世界十大体育新闻之十

99年游泳世界纪录屡次被打破。来自南非的海恩斯和来自澳大利亚的索普一次又一次地游出令人咋舌的成绩，也一次又一次地刷新着世界纪录，99年的世界泳坛无疑是属于他们两人的。在新的一年中，这两条"水中飞鱼"能否带给世人更多的惊喜呢？

Like Fish in Water

South Africa's Penny Heyns and Australia's Ian Thorpe highlighted[1] a year in which world records were set in 25 long and short course events[2]. Heyns won gold at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta in the 100 and 200-meter breaststroke[3]. But 1999 proved to be an even more successful year for the 24-year-old. Heyns broke nine world records in a seven-week stretch[4] from late July to early August. She set long course records in the 50-meter breaststroke (30.83 seconds), 100 breaststroke, (1:06.52) 200 breaststroke (2:23:64) and a short course record in the 100 breaststroke (1:05.57). While Heyns has been a figure on the international scene[5] for a few years, Thorpe surprised the world by breaking three individual world records in 1999. In April, the 17-year-old with the famous size 17 feet[6] broke the short course record in the 200-meter freestyle[7]. Then in August at the Pan Pacs[8] in Sydney, Thorpe broke the 400-meter freestyle world record (3:41.83), the 200-meter record twice (1:46) and was part of the record-breaking 4x200 freestyle relay team. In a sport where male swimmers peak[9] in their mid-20s, Thorpe is the swimmer of the present and future.

注释：

[1]highlight：加亮；使显著、突出

[2]long and short course events：长池（即标准池）和短池比赛

[3]breaststroke：蛙泳

[4]stretch：一段时间

[5]a figure on the international scene：世人瞩目的人物

[6]size 17 feet：17码的脚

[7]freestyle：自由泳

[8]Pan Pacs：泛太平洋运动会

[9]peak：v. 达到巅峰