It was the training that he had as a young man ________led to his success．

[　　]

Chinese swimmer Xiong Guoming made a record at the 1993 Asian Games in Japan, but

was punished for taking banned medicine. His record was   16   and he was not   17  to take part in any other competitions for two years.

It was a great   18  and   19   for Xiong, one of the best-known swimmers in the world. This bad news harmed the fame of the Chinese swimming team, and resulted   20   in all Chinese records in swimming. However, the so-called banned medicine was, in fact,   21__    traditional Chinese health food.

It may have been   22  to Xiong, as he had no  23  of some of the banned chemical elements in the health food. The failure was a sudden blow to him. He became very disappointed.   34   only 20 years old, he  25   the life style of a retired man, passing his time in doing such things as keeping pets and growing flowers. Day after day, he was worried and displeased.

Back to the training pool was all the more difficult to him. To other people, it was just a   26    of getting prepared for a competition, but to him, it was to rebuild self-confidence first. He did not lose heart, after all.  27   advice and help of his coach and leaders of the swimming team, Xiong decided to   28   swimming again as his career.

29  expected, Xiong took first place again. In the recent Eighth National Games, he took a number of titles, and broke an Asian record. Tears ran down his cheeks as he was receiving the gold medals. In the thundering applauses（鼓掌欢迎）Xiong felt as if he had been given a new birth. "I want to   30   the world that I am a good swimmer, and that I do not cheat anyone    31  . My   32   depends upon my sweat," Xiong said. He also   33  thankful to those who had helped and cared for him when he was   34 .

Xiong, the young swimmer with a brighter future, is well   35   his way to the coming Olympic Games.

17. A. admitted                      

18. A. fight                             

19. A. damage                      

20. A. in trouble                    

21. A. almost                           

22. A. wrong                 

23. A. opinion                             

24. A. Even                               

25. A. liked                                

26. A. matter 

27. A. Thanks to           

28. A. take up                     

29. A. Being                          

30. A. tell                     

31. A. anywhere             

32. A. future                         

33. A. was                             

34. A. in danger            

35. A. finding