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ContentsActiveReading2Whydosomanypeoplelovefootball?Isitonlybecauseitisexciting?Sometimesitcanalsobeveryfunny.Nowit’stimeforfootballfun.Let’senjoythevideoclip.WarmingUpRichardLindonisbelievedtohaveinventedthefirstfootballwithrubberbladders.TextAbouttheauthorHeptathlonGotothetextTextDeniseLewis,thewriter,isaBritishathlete,bornin1972,whowonthegoldmedalfortheheptathlonatthe2000SydneyOlympicGames.Afterher2000Olympicgoldmedalevent,shewasgivenanOBE(OrderofBritishEmpire),anhonourgivenbytheQueen,torecognizehercontributiontosportsandotherchampionships.Inthe2004OlympicGamesshehadtowithdrawduetoinjuries.Sheretiredfromsportsin2005.Theheptathlonconsistsofsevenevents(“hepta”means“seven”inGreek):Threearetrackevents–the100mhurdles,200mand800mevents,andfourarefieldevents–thehighjump,shotput,longjumpandjavelin.Onthefirstday,athletesparticipateinthe100mhurdles,highjump,shotputand200mevents.Theothereventsareonthesecondday.Thewinneristhewomanwhoachievesthehighestnumberofpointscollectedinalltheevents.Shedoesnotneedthetopscoreinanysingleevent,butcompetitorsmusttakepartinalltheevents.Pointsarecalculatedforeacheventbymeasuringdistanceandspeed.Theequivalenteventformenisthedecathlon(“deka”means“ten”inGreek)withtenevents(100m,400m,110mhurdles,1500m,longjump,highjump,shot,discus,polevaultandjavelin).TextMydreamcomestrue1TherainhadstartedtofallgentlythroughtheeveningairasdarknessdescendedoverSydney.HundredsoflightsilluminatedStadiumAustralia,andthenoisewasdeafening.AsIwalkedtowardsthetrackIglancedaroundmeattheseaoffacesinthestands,butmymindwasfocused.TheOlympicgoldmedalwasjustminutesaway,hangingtantalisinglyinthedistance.Text2Myheartwasbeatingloudly,mymouthwasdryandtheadrenalinewaspumping.Iwassoclosetotherealisationofmychildhooddreamandthefeelingwasfantastic;itwascompletelyexhilarating,butalsoterrifying.IknewIwouldhavetopushmyselfbeyondmyknownlimitstoensurethatmydreamcametrue.Text3Itriedtokeepcomposed,tellingmyselfnottopanic,tosticktotheplanandrunmyownrace.IknewtheRussiangirlswouldsetoffquickly–andIhadtofinishthisracefewerthantensecondsbehindtheRussianathleteYelenaProkhorova.IfIcoulddothat,thetitlewouldbemine.4Ilookedoutalongthefirststretchofthe400mtrackandcaughtmybreath.The800mracehadpunishedmesomuchovertheyears–intheWorld,CommonwealthandEuropeanChampionships–andnowitstoodbetweenmeandtheOlympictitle.Text5TheBritishsupporterswerecheeringsoloudlyitseemedasiftheyweretheonlyfansthere.Icouldhearmynamebeingcalled.Icouldheartheshoutsofencouragementandthecriesofhope.UnionJacksflutteredallaroundthevast,beautifulstadium.Ifeltunifiedwiththecrowd–weallhadthesamevisionandthesamedream.6MyanklewasbandagedagainstaninjuryIhadincurredinthelongjumpjustacoupleofhoursearlier,butIshutoutallthoughtsofpain.Itriedtoconcentrateonthecrowd.Theyweresovocal.MyspiritsliftedandIfeltcomposed.Text7IknewIwoulddomybest,thatIwouldrunmyheartoutandfinishtherace.Ifelttheperformerinmemoveinandtakeover.Ihadjusttwolapstorun,thatwasall.Justtwolapsuntiltheemotionalandphysicalstrainofthepasttwodaysandthelast28yearswouldbeeclipsedbyvictoryorfailure.Thisracewasallaboutsurvival.It’sonlytwominutes,Ikepttellingmyself,anyonecanrunfortwominutes.Text8Thestartinggunwasfired,andtheracebegan.Thefirstlapwasgood,Imanagedtokeepupwiththegroup,butIwasfeelingmuchmoretiredthanIusuallydid,andmuchmorethanI’danticipated.Boththelong,hardweeksoftrainingthathadleduptothischampionship,andtheexhaustionfromtwodaysofgruellingcompetitionwereshowinginmyperformance.Mentalandphysicalfatiguewerestartingtocrushme,andIhadtofightback.Text9Prokhorovahadsetthepacefromthestart.ItwasimportantthatIdidn’tlethergettoofarinfront.Ihadtostaywithher.AtthebellIwas2.3secondsbehindher.Justonelaptogo.Onelap.Icoulddoit.Ihadtokeepgoing.Inthefinal150metresIcouldheartheroarofthecrowd,givingmeaboostatexactlythemomentIneededitthemost–justwhenmylegswereburningandIcouldseethegapopeningbetweenmeandtheRussian.Thankfully,myfootwasholdingout,sonowitwasalldowntomentalstamina.10Prokhorovawaspullingaway.Icouldn’tlethergettoofar;Ihadtostaywithher.IbegancountingdownthemetresIhadlefttorun:60m,50m,40m,20m.Icouldseetheclock.Icoulddoit,butitwouldbeclose.Thenfinallythelineappeared.Icrossedit,exhausted.Ihadfinished.Text11AsIcrossedthelinemyinitialthoughtwashowmuchhardertheracehadbeenthanexpected,bearinginmindhow,onlyeightweeksbefore,Ihadsetanewpersonalbestof2minutes12.2seconds.Thenmymindturnedtotheresult.HadIdoneit?IthoughtIhad.Iwasawareofwheretheotherathleteswere,andwassurethatI’djustmadeit.But,untilIsawitonthescoreboard,Iwouldn’tletmyselfbelieveit.AsIstoodthere,staringupandwaitingforconfirmation,Itriedhardtokeepnegativethoughtsfrommymind–butIcouldn'thelpthinking,whatifIhavejustmissedout?WhatifI’vebeenthroughallthis,andmissedout?Text12InthedistanceIcouldhearthecommentaryteamtalkingabouttwodaysoftoughcompetition,thenIcouldalmosthearsomeonesay,“Ithinkshe’sdoneenough.”ThenextthingIknew,SabineBraunofGermanycameoverandtoldmeI’dwon.Theyhadheardbeforeme,andsheaskedwhatitfeltliketobetheOlympicchampion.Ismiled,stillnotsure.13Then,themomentthatwillstaywithmefort