世界百位名人谈世博：刘翔

2002年12月3日，在我的印象里永远是值得铭记的一天。

那一晚的电视屏幕里，在第一线采访的记者激动地唱起了国歌，从摩纳哥传递回了上海申博成功的消息。与此同时，鞭炮声已在窗外响起，小区里的街坊邻居们自发地走出家门，庆祝这一令人振奋的时刻。去年刚经历过申奥成功兴奋的我，那一刻又有一种自豪感油然而生——因为我是一个上海人。

七年的时间，一晃而过，我也经历了两届奥运会，成长了很多。那天坐父亲的车经过卢浦大桥，一眼就望见了正在建设中的2010年上海世博会中国馆，父亲说：“看到中国馆了吗？漂亮吧？”说实话，当时真的很震撼，因为平时一直在莘庄基地训练，很少有出来的机会，看到中国馆的那一刹那，那种自豪感油然而生，同时也想到：世博会真的要来了。

在雅典奥运会之前，出国比赛后碰到有外国运动员交流，在知道我来自中国之后，有时候会加问一句：“Which city？”我都会自豪地回答：“Shanghai!（上海）”我想，我是来自中国，来自上海的运动员，一定要代表上海的形象。雅典奥运会之后，知道我的运动员多了一些，我就会主动向他们介绍上海：“这是一个很有魅力，很国际化的大都市，如果有机会，请来上海。”记得2006年，借上海田径黄金大奖赛的机会，我作为东道主在黄浦江畔宴请来自世界各地的田径世界冠军，阿兰·约翰逊望着黄浦江对岸浦东的美丽夜色连连感叹：“简直太让人印象深刻了！”那一刻，我真的感到很自豪。

这一次，更好的机会来了，因为上海的世博会。那天看新闻，说2010年上海世博会有望吸引350万至400万海外游客，我想，这确实是一个让上海向世界展示自己的绝好机会。

现在想想，还真有点盼望2010年早一点到来，我已和父母说好，到时候，一起去世博园好好逛一逛。在那一刻，我更愿意做一名上海市民而不是一名运动员，去感受这座生我养我的城市的魅力，同时也尽我自己的责任，做一名合格的东道主。

让世博传递更多友好，让世界更了解上海！

For me, December 3, 2002, will always live in my memory. In a TV broadcast program that evening, a reporter in Monaco started singing the Chinese national anthem after reporting that Shanghai had won the bid to host the World Expo 2010.

Firecrackers exploded in my neighborhood as we all rushed out to celebrate. I was overtaken by special pride because I am Shanghainese.

Eight years have elapsed in a flash. I participated in two Olympic Games and learned a lot in the process. One day, when my father drove me across the Lupu Bridge, we saw the China Pavilion for World Expo 2010 Shanghai China, which was still under construction.

My father asked me, "Did you see the China Pavilion? Isn't it beautiful?" I really hadn't noticed before because I was so absorbed by practice at the Xinzhuang Training Base in Minhang District. But at that instant, when I saw the pavilion, I was once again overwhelmed with pride and suddenly realized that the Shanghai World Expo was drawing nigh.

At the Athens Olympic Games, I had the chance to talk with many foreign athletes. When they found out I came from China, they would invariably ask: "Which city?" "Shanghai," I would proudly reply. I felt it was important to be a goodwill ambassador for my hometown. "It is a very charming, very global metropolis," I would say. "Come and visit when you get the chance."

I can still remember the dinner I hosted for track-and-field champions from all over the world by the Huangpu River during the 2009 Shanghai Golden Grand Prix, when Allen Johnson looked at the beautiful night views of Pudong across the river and kept saying, "This is so impressive!" I once again felt pride swelling up inside of me.

Thanks to World Expo 2010 Shanghai China, we will have an unparalleled opportunity to greet the world and show them our achievements and aspirations. I heard news reports that up to 4 million overseas visitors will come for Expo.

I am anxiously awaiting the opening of World Expo 2010. I have already invited my parents to visit the Expo Park with me. I look forward to experiencing the charms of my hometown as a local resident rather than an athlete. Of course, I stand ready to perform my duties as an exemplary host.

Let's build greater friendship through the World Expo and help the world better understand Shanghai.