福原爱

日本乒乓球明星福原爱于上周日正式宣布退役。

Japanese table tennis star Ai Fukuhara announced last Sunday that she is retiring from competition .

小福原爱11岁的时候，成为了日本乒坛历史上最小的乒乓球运动员。

At the age of11 , Ai Fukuhara became the youngest player to be included in the Japanese national team .

今年29岁的福原爱被认为是日本乒乓球界的“神童”。

The 29-year-old Fukuhara was regarded as a " child prodigy " in table tennis in Japan .

尽管福原爱曾败于众多中国冠军，但她在这项自己最爱的运动上，一直努力做到最好。

Despite being beaten by a long line of Chinese champions , Fukuhara always tries her best when playing her favorite sport .

3岁开始打乒乓球的福原爱被视为乒乓球神童。

After she starting playing table tennis at 3 years old , Fukuhara was seen as a child genius at the sport .

但如今，网友们或许会感到有些难过。10月21日，现年29岁的福原爱宣布退役。

But they may now feel heartbroken , as the 29-year-old announced on Oct 21 that she would be retiring from the sport .

福原爱，顶级乒乓球手，将担任北京奥运会开幕式日本代表团的旗手。

Fukuhara Ai , a top table tennis player , will carry the Japanese flag at the opening ceremony of the Beijing Olympics .

2016年，福原爱与中国台北的一位乒乓球运动员结婚，并在去年生下一名女儿，此后就再也没有参加过比赛。

Fukuhara married a table tennis player from Chinese Taipei in 2016 , gave birth to a baby girl last year and has not competed since .

新科奥运单打冠军李晓霞首战收到日本名将福原爱的挑战，但仍以11-69-1111-211-5.获胜。

New women 's individual champion Li Xiaoxia started with a hard-fought win , overpowering 23-year-old Ai Fukuhara in four games : 11-6 9-11 11-2 11-5 .

就像福原爱和中国教练、运动员以及粉丝之间的友情所展现的那样，体育的确超越了国界。

Indeed , sport is something that goes beyond national boundaries , just as the friendship between Fukuhara and the Chinese coaches , athletes , and fans shows .

由福原爱带领的日本女子乒乓球队在2012年伦敦奥运会上获得了银牌，而在2016年里约奥运会上获得了铜牌。

The Japanese women 's table tennis team led by Fukuhara won the silver at the London Olympics in 2012 and the bronze at the Rio Olympics in 2016 .

作为中国队第一个出场的运动员，刘诗雯以11比5,11比6,11比8的比分轻松击败了日本选手福原爱，为全队开了一个好头。

As the first player in action for China , Liu Shiwen beat Japanese Ai Fukuhara easily 11-5 , 11-6 and 11-8 , giving a perfect start for her team .

对于未来的规划，福原爱表示她想要推广乒乓球运动，帮助全世界更多的人了解这项运动的美好。

As for her future plans , Fukuhara wrote that she would like to promote table tennis and help more people around the world get to know the beauty of the sport .

乒乓球明星福原爱有个大家更熟悉的日本昵称“爱酱”，在她之前，还没有哪个日本运动员受到中国网友如此公开的喜爱和支持。

Never before have Chinese internet users so openly liked and supported a Japanese athlete as they have loved table tennis star Ai Fukuhara , better known by her Japanese nickname " Ai-Chan . "

要告别一段漫长旅途并非易事，但正如福原爱曾在一档电视真人秀中所说的那样：“不是乒乓球里面有人生，是人生里面有乒乓球。”

It 's hard to say goodbye to a long journey , but as Fukuhara once said on a reality TV show , " Life is not all about table tennis . Instead , life contains it . "