Practice English Reading Exercises for B2 – Elite Athletics & The Olympic Spirit 5

Exercises:   123456

Reading 1

You are going to read an article about four elite athletes describing the relationships they share with their top international opponents.

For questions 1-10, choose from the people (A-D). The people may be chosen more than once.

Which person

1   admits to feeling a sense of relief when their rival performs poorly?

2   mentions how an off-field ritual helped them look past their sports rivalry?

3   was surprised by a generous gesture from their main opponent after a defeat?

4   notes that their relationship becomes intensely cold during tournament periods?

5   acknowledges that their opponent’s presence pushes them to achieve better results?

6   feels frustrated that the public misinterprets their relationship as pure hatred?

7   describes a moment when they had to comfort their opponent after a major failure?

8   admits they initially found it impossible to be friendly with their competitor?

9   mentions that a shared language or background helped them bond behind the scenes?

10   explains that they actively study their rival’s personal life or habits to find an edge?

The Closest of Enemies

A Marcus

It drives me crazy when the media tries to paint my relationship with Yuto as some kind of toxic war. They see us refusing to make eye contact at the starting blocks and assume we can’t stand each other, but that’s just standard professional focus. Off the track, we actually share a remarkable bond. Last year, after a particularly exhausting Grand Prix event, we ended up having an informal dinner at a quiet local restaurant away from our coaching teams. Over the course of the evening, as we discussed anything but running, the intense pressure of the track seemed to vanish completely. It was a turning point for me because I finally saw him as a normal guy rather than an obstacle. Don’t get me wrong, the desire to beat him hasn’t faded at all, but that evening ritual changed how I perceive our rivalry. We still push each other to the absolute limit, but there’s a genuine mutual respect now that keeps us grounded.

B Elena

When Natalia and I are competing during the grand slam season, our relationship changes dramatically. A sudden, chilly silence sets in between us backstage; we won’t even share a locker room bench or swap greetings in the corridors. It’s a calculated, uncommunicative phase that can be quite intense, though we both accept it as part of elite sport. Interestingly, since we both grew up in the same eastern European region, our shared mother tongue has been incredibly useful for bonding behind the scenes when the pressure is off. We often have a laugh in our own language when the cameras aren’t watching. Yet, beneath the friendliness lies a cutthroat competitive streak. I have to confess that if she makes an unforced error or has an off-day on the court, a secret wave of comfort washes over me because it opens up my path to the trophy. It’s a complex dynamic, but it works for us.

C Carlos

When I first burst onto the international fencing circuit, I took it for granted that my chief rival, Antoine, was the enemy. I completely rejected the idea of making small talk with him in the green room, believing that being friendly would somehow blunt my competitive edge and make me soft. Over time, however, I’ve had to come to terms with the fact that I wouldn’t be half the athlete I am today without him. Every time he invents a new tactical move, it forces me to adapt and elevate my own performance just to stay relevant. Consequently, I’ve developed a strange affection for him. He is the standard against which I measure my life’s work. We might not hang out during our free time, and the battles on the strip remain incredibly fierce, but his continuous presence is the primary reason I manage to bounce back from setbacks and keep training hard every morning.

D Lin

To understand our rivalry, you have to realize that I spend hours analyzing video footage of Sofia’s routines, actively tracking her training habits and lifestyle choices online just to spot any subtle vulnerability I can exploit. It sounds extreme, but at this level, any tiny advantage counts. Despite this clinical approach, a strange camaraderie exists between us. At the World Championships, after I completely messed up my final landing and lost the gold medal to her, I was hiding in the warm-up area feeling completely devastated. To my amazement, Sofia walked in and handed me her own lucky charm, offering incredibly comforting words when she should have been celebrating with her team. I hadn’t expected such kindness from someone I was trying so hard to dethrone. Conversely, when she suffered a terrible injury at the subsequent event and broke down, I was the one who held her backstage, reminding her of her incredible resilience.

Reading 2

You are going to read an article about four individuals talking about the devastating impact of a career-threatening injury just months before a major championship.

For questions 1-10, choose from the people/sections (A-D). The people/sections may be chosen more than once.

Which person/section

1   mentions keeping the true extent of their physical problem a secret?

2   confesses that attempting to speed up recovery had the opposite effect?

3   was primarily anxious about the financial implications of having to withdraw?

4   has come to terms with taking on a different position within their athletic field?

5   sustained their injury during an activity entirely separate from their sport?

6   describes experiencing a profound crisis of personal identity?

7   is thankful for the emotional reassurance provided by a professional?

8   points out that the accident happened at the most inconvenient moment imaginable?

9   found it emotionally unbearable to observe fellow athletes in action?

10   acknowledges that their body broke down due to relentless overtraining?

Shattered Dreams: Coping with Pre-Championship Injuries

A Elena

I was executing a routine dismount I’d done thousands of times when my knee simply gave way. With the World Gymnastics Championships looming just twelve weeks away, my initial reaction was pure denial. I was so desperate to compete that I actually concealed the swelling from my coach, pretending it was just a minor ache. If I had been honest from the start, the injury might not have required surgery. By the time I finally collapsed in agony during a floor routine, the damage was irreversible. Sitting on the sidelines with my leg in a heavy brace was pure torture. I found it so mentally devastating to sit in the bleachers and see my teammates flawlessly executing their routines that I eventually had to stop attending practice altogether. While I thankfully didn’t lose my sponsorship deals, the emotional toll of missing out on the one competition I had worked my entire childhood for was almost too much to bear.

B Marcus

My shoulders had been complaining for months, but I stubbornly pushed through the pain. Ultimately, it wasn’t a sudden snap, but the inevitable result of relentless, punishing daily pool sessions that caused my rotator cuff to completely tear. Suddenly, I went from swimming sixty lengths a morning to struggling to lift a glass of water. Swimming had completely defined me since I was six years old; without it, I felt completely lost, questioning who I actually was if I wasn’t ‘Marcus the champion’. Terrified of missing the Olympic trials, I foolishly ignored my doctor’s warnings and tried lifting weights way too early in my rehabilitation. Unsurprisingly, this reckless impatience caused a secondary tear, which firmly ruled me out of the trials entirely. I wish I had understood then that the body requires patience. If I hadn’t been so obsessed with the calendar, I wouldn’t have jeopardised my long-term health.

C Sarah

You’d naturally assume that a career-ending injury would happen on the running track, but mine actually occurred in my own back garden. I tripped over a misplaced garden hose, falling awkwardly and fracturing my ankle in three places. Knowing the European Athletics Games were practically around the corner, I was utterly devastated. But what truly kept me awake at night wasn’t just the missed medals; it was the sheer panic of potentially losing my sporting grants. My entire livelihood depended on my track results, and without them, I was facing a severe crisis. It was an incredibly dark period, and I honestly might have spiralled into depression had it not been for my sports psychologist. He patiently listened to my endless frustrations and showed me how to separate my self-worth from my physical abilities. While my teammates were out there breaking records, I was learning to walk again, but surprisingly, I eventually found peace with the situation.

D Julian

I was in the absolute peak physical condition of my life, having just broken into the top ten global tennis rankings. Then, during a practice match barely a month before Wimbledon, I ruptured my Achilles tendon. It was unquestionably the most disastrous timing possible; all my hard-earned momentum evaporated in a single afternoon. Initially, I explored every possible surgical option to see if a miraculous recovery was feasible, but the specialists were unanimous: rushing back would mean I’d never move efficiently on a court again. It was a bitter pill to swallow. However, while undergoing months of gruelling physiotherapy, I was invited to do some guest broadcasting for a sports network. Much to my surprise, I found I had a natural flair for analysing matches on air. Now, I’ve accepted that my days of chasing grand slam titles are over, but I’ve wholeheartedly embraced a fulfilling new career behind the microphone.

Exercises:   123456