Practice English with NewsPractice with News
Sports83 words1 min read

Former Olympic Swimmer Recalls Her Barcelona Bronze Medal

man doing butterfly stroke
Photo by Gentrit Sylejmani on Unsplash

Fumiko Okuno is a former artistic swimmer from Japan. She swam at the Olympics in Barcelona.

Before the games, Okuno had bad back pain. She said, 'I must do it.' She still competed.

Okuno won a bronze medal at the Olympics. She felt very happy and relieved.

But that same night, she got surprising news. Someone told her about the next day's duet event.

This story is part of a TV program called 'Teach Me! Artistic Swimming.' It shows her life story.

Vocabulary15 words

artistic swimmer
a person who does swimming with dance moves
back pain
hurt feeling in your back
bronze medal
a prize for third place
duet
two people swimming together
Olympics
a big world sports event
relieved
feeling less worried
competed
took part in a sports event
program
a TV show
news
new information
surprising
not expected
former
someone who did something before, not now
games
another word for Olympics
happy
feeling good
story
true or made-up events told to others
life
all the things that happen to a person

Quiz

1. What sport did Fumiko Okuno do?
2. What medal did she win?
3. Where was the Olympics?

Fill-in-the-blank listening

Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.

Fumiko Okuno is a former _____ from Japan.

She swam at the Olympics in _____.

Before the games, Okuno had bad _____ pain.

She said, 'I must _____ it.'

She still _____.

Okuno won a _____ medal at the Olympics.

She felt very happy and _____.

That same night, she got surprising _____.

Someone told her about the next day's _____ event.

This story is part of a TV _____ called 'Teach Me! Artistic Swimming.'

More Sports stories