【加賴叫過去】評論

       Hollywood couldn’t have scripted it any better. A novice swimmer in the Olympics competed in a showdown with the sport’s greatest champion and his long-time idol, and won! It sounds like the plot of a movie, but all of this actually happened in the 2016 Summer Olympic Games. (B)Singapore’s Joseph Schooling first encountered United States swimming legend Michael Phelps, also known as the Flying Fish, when the former was barely into his teens. In 2008, (D)Schooling was lucky enough to take a picture with Phelps when the most decorated Olympian visited the small nation. In the photo, Phelps towers over the child. A look on the young boy’s face seemed to say: “I can’t believe this is really happening!”        The two didn’t meet again until many years later. During the period, Joseph set his sight high, training night and day to get himself in world-class shape. (C)Although Joseph failed more than he succeeded, he believed this was just the type of intense training that would lead him to success. Finally, after eight years, Joseph met Phelps once again. This time, they were competing in the men’s 100-meter butterfly final at the Olympics in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.         Phelps, who planned to retire after the games, had already won gold in the men’s 200-meter medley, as well as the 200-meter butterfly, 4x100 freestyle relay, and 4x200 freestyle relay. He aimed to clinch another gold in the 100-meter butterfly, but surprisingly, the 21-year-old Singaporean led the way right from the start. With audience from his home country cheering him on, Schooling beat the Flying Fish.         When the race was over, Phelps looked up to the scoreboard and saw “2nd place” next to his name. Schooling was ecstatic when he spotted he had placed first with a time of 50.39 seconds, edging his childhood idol by just three quarters of a second! Phelps swam over to congratulate the young swimmer. The two gave each other a big hug, both of them humble in victory and defeat. (A)Schooling was filled with joy – he had become his country’s first-ever Olympic gold medalist and a national pride.同場加映：