转载自：饮水思源

Well, just as the marathon was one of the concluding events of the Olympic Games, we are now bringing our broadcast marathon to a close. Beyond the competitive drama, every Olympics provides a snapshot of a city and a country at a point in time. This one was more compelling than most, since China’s rise and its ongoing transformation is the global story, not only of the moment, but likely of the foreseeable future. These Olympics were a milestone in that still unfolding story.

And while history will tell us whether or not the Olympics provided China with the confidence to not only build on its considerable strengths, but also to address its considerable problems. This much we know. This is a country so vast, a people with lives so varied and a history so rich and complex that no visitor can fully grasp it. Still, of these Games, no advanced degree in international relations was required to appreciate the genuine warmth of the Chinese people, the honest pride in their country and how seriously Chinese citizens, famous Olympians, to everyday men and women, took this chance to show themselves to the world.

All Olympics are important to the host city. These Games were monumentally important to the host nation, which happens to be home to 1/5 of humanity. All that said, just as these Olympics were significant politically, they were also very significant competitively. Beijing turned out to be among the most memorable Olympics ever. One headline was anticipated before the Games began, and then verified here. For the first time since the fall of the Berlin Wall, an ongoing Olympic rivalry shapes up. In Beijing, the U.S. won 110 medals-the most it’s ever won at a non-American Olympics. But China, second in the overall count, easily won the most golds here, and the most by any country since the old Soviet Union in1988. Many of China’s triumphs went beyond excellence. Their perfection and precision, simply beautiful to behold. China is now a sports power with a sophisticated state-supported sports system. They will be at or near the top of the medal list at London and beyond.

Meanwhile, the Americans had plenty to cheer about. Beach volleyball pairs both prevailing, Nastia Liukin and Shawn Johnson winning gold and winning hearts, the men’s basketball team doing exactly what they set out to do-winning, yes-but also redeem and redefine the image and purpose of the U.S. program.These Games reached multiple crescendos. From the beginning, there was Michael Phelps, who now ranks among the very greatest Olympians ever and who is also now in the top tier of the best and most popular contemporary athletes in any sport-unheard of for a swimmer, until Phelps. Just about the time Phelps left the pool, a Jamaican jet zoomed over the track. The sprints are supposed to be decided by blinks of an eye, not by bolts of speed so astonishing that, like the spectators, the competitors can only marvel at the world’s– and history’s–fastest man. More nations, 204, participated here than in any Games before. And more won medals, 87, than ever before as well.But beyond the medal podium, the Olympics re in a human panorama, with many also– ran finishes and first-round eliminations, nonetheless representing epic personal stories, only appreciated by the participants themselves and their families,friends and countrymen.

Theses Games began with Zhang Yimou’s stunning Opening Ceremony, so boldly conceived and brilliantly executed, that it set a standard for such occasions unlikely to be equaled. And tonight, with more theatrical touches, the curtain came down. So the people of the world came to Beijing, and the people of China extended their hands. You don’t have to speak a word of Mandarin to understand that. I’ve been fortunate to be involved with many memorable Olympics, and in many ways, this has been the most memorable. In no small part, due to the efforts of the small army of people who worked tirelessly to bring these Games home to you. For these colleagues, I will always have enormous professional regard and personal gratitude. The names of these talented men and women accompany this final montage of the images of China and Olympic moments-moments we hope resonate with you as they have with us.

Good night, this one last time, from China.

翻译：

正如马拉松是奥运会的结束项目一样，我们的转播马拉松也要告一段落了。超越这些充满戏剧性的体育比赛之上，奥运会也在同一时刻向全世界展示了一个城市、一个国家的面貌。这一次是更引人注目的，因为不仅在这一刻，也在可以预见的未来，中国的崛起和进行中的转变是一个全球性的话题。在这个还在展开的故事中，这次奥运会是一个里程碑。历史会告诉我们，这次奥运会是否为中国提供了信心，不仅是继续发展壮大的信心，也是解决很多重要社会问题的信心。我们知道，这是一个幅员辽阔的国度，人民生活千差万别，而它的历史又是那样悠久而沉重，这些不是一个普通观光者可以完全把握的。但我们不需要一个国际关系的研究生学历也可以从这次盛会中感受到中国人民发自内心的的热诚，和他们对祖国的最诚挚的骄傲。每一个中国人，从著名的奥林匹克运动员到每一位公民，都在认认真真地向全世界展现他们自己。

每一届奥运会对举办城市来说都是极其重要的。这次奥运会却对整个举办国家都有着纪念碑式的重要意义，而这个国家恰恰是全世界五分之一人口的家园。大家都说这届奥运会在国际政治上有着特殊意义，而它在纯体育竞争层面也是非常特别的。北京奥运已经成为了有史以来最值得记住的奥运。很多赛前的预言都得到了证实。从柏林墙倒塌开始，奥运比赛的竞争愈演愈烈。美国队赢得了110块奖牌–这在所有非美国举行的奥运会中是最多的。中国赢得了奖牌总数第二，而且轻而易举地赢得了金牌数第一–51块金牌是自前苏联解体以来最多的。很多中国运动员的凯旋不仅仅应该用优秀来形容。它们是完美而精确、美不胜收的。在国家机器的支持下，中国体育已经成为巨头。他们将在伦敦和之后的很多届比赛中独占鳌头。同时，我们美国队也有很多值得欢呼的时刻。男女沙排都获胜了，纳斯迪亚柳金和肖恩约翰逊不仅赢得了金牌也赢得了人心， 篮球梦八队完全实现了他们的承诺–对，胜利–而他们更挽救和重新定义了美国篮球的形象。这次比赛出现了一次又一次的华彩乐章。从一开始我们就有迈克尔菲尔普斯。他现在是历史上最出色的奥林匹克运动员之一，也是当代体育界最耀眼的明星–这在菲尔普斯之前可不会发生在游泳运动员身上。就在菲尔普斯刚刚离开游泳池的时候，一名牙买加运动员横空出世。理论上，短跑比赛是以毫秒来决定胜负的，但博尔特的速度是那样令人震惊，以至于他的对手，和全世界观众一样，是目送这位全世界也是历史上跑得最快的人登上巅峰。204个参赛国家，比历史上任何一届都多。87个国家赢得了奖牌，也是史上最多的。超越小小的领奖台，奥运会更是一个人类展现自我的舞台。很多人奋力跑过终点却还是被淘汰，但他们的故事会被他们自己、被他们的家人、朋友、和国人传颂。

这次赛事从张艺谋那震撼人心、构思大胆而完美实施的开幕式开始，从而为同类活动设下了一个无法逾越的标准。而今晚，随着更多的精彩表演，大幕徐徐垂下。全世界的人来到了北京，全中国人向世界展现了自己。你不需要懂普通话就可以理解这点。我很幸运地参与转播了很多令人怀念的奥运比赛，而从各种角度来看，这届奥运会是最令人难忘的。很多人日以继夜地努力工作从而能把这样的一次奥运会带到千家万户。我向我的同事们致以崇高的敬意。他们的名字将伴随着美丽的中国画面和在过去十七天伴随你我的一幕幕奥运镜头出现在电视上。

最后一次，我们从中国说，晚安。