The Last Runner
The last runner finished the race more ____ an hour before.
“There will be no more runners coming,” the ____ decided.
They removed the tape at the finish line and started to prepare for the closing ____ for the 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics in the United States.
Someone shouted, “Look! There comes ____ runner!”
A runner was just entering the stadium, but there was something wrong with his ____.
Still, he kept going ____ the finish line.
The band and the volunteers stopped their preparations for the ____ ceremony.
All eyes were on the runner.
Suddenly, the band started playing celebration music, and the volunteers ____.
“Go! Go! Go for it!” Two volunteers ____ to the finish line with a tape.
Finally, the runner ran through the ____ and then fell to the ground.
His name was Abdul Baser Wasiqi. He was ____ Afghanistan.
____ came up to Wasiqi and started asking him questions.
What ____ to you?
I injured my ____ during a practice run.
The injury got worse during the race, but I couldn’t ____ up.
Why not? You knew that you were ____ far behind to win a medal.
I’m the only athlete here ____ Afghanistan.
There was no ____ I could give up.
Reporter: Afghanistan is still at war, isn’t it?
Yes, we have been at war for 16 ____.
That’s why we were not able to send ____ to the Barcelona Olympics four years ago.
I was sad for my country back ____ when I could see no Afghan athletes in the opening ceremony.
Were you running ____ then?
No. I ____ running after Barcelona.
I ran in lots of races. Finally I ____ a marathon in Germany.
As a result, I was able to ____ to Atlanta.
How do you feel ____?
I’m proud of ____ and proud to be from Afghanistan.
For me and my country, it was important ____ to give up.
I ____ come here to win. For me, it was enough to be here and to finish the race.