Voice+Thread+Top+Non+US+FEMALE+contenders+4


 * || Our topic was Top Non US Female Contenders. Representing your Country in the Olympics is one of the highest honors you can receive as an athlete. In this voice thread, we will be talking about three top contenders. ||
 * [[image:361218369_da955857cc.jpg width="303" height="218"]] || Tao Luna is representing China in the Woman's team sport pistol and Woman's team air pistol. In the year 2000, she placed first twice. In the Sydney Olympics and in the World Cup Final in Munich. Since shooting is a psychological game, she has been training a psychologist professor. When she first starting training with him, he gave her a card that read, " Those who are unselfish are the strongest. Those who are courageous will succeed."She carries this with her to her meets to give her the strength to win. ||
 * [[image:caroline.jpg]] || The next athlete is Kelly Holmes. Kelly was born in 1970, in Pembury, England. At a very young age she knew she had what it would take to make it as a top runner. She didn’t pursue the career until she saw the 1992 Olympics, which made her want to become one of the top runners in the world. Since then, she has competed in the 1996 Atlanta, 2000 Sydney, and 2004 Athens Olympics. Although she has done well in these Olympics, she has suffered some injures. Before the 1996 Olympics, she suffered a stress fracture, and only six weeks before the 2000 Sydney Olympics, she suffered form a ruptured calf. But through these injures, she became stronger. During the Athens Olympics, she took home a gold, and a week later, during the 1500 meter race, she took home another gold. ||
 * [[image:2275681971_96592de12d_m.jpg]] || The next athlete is Luo Xuejuan. Luo was born in Zhejiang, China. The hard work and training made her want to quit. But she persevered. At the time, both of her parents lost their jobs so she had to keep taking lessons hoping her success one day would help their economic condition. At the age of twelve she joined the Zhejiang Provincial Swimming Team. She made the National team 4 years later. She competed in the 2000 Sydney Olympicsand was ranked number one and failed. But that made her only want to try harder. She came in 8th for the 200 meter breaststroke. She is supposed to do good in the 2008 Beijing Olympics. ||