A Londoner apparently in the grip of Olympic mania had to be rescued by lifeguards in the south of France after he set off from a beach - to swim to the U.S.
一个奥运狂热“重症患者”想要从法国南部的海滩游到美国，不过中途被当地的救生员救回了岸边。
The unnamed 34 year old holidaymaker told his friends on the beach at Biarritz that he was off to New York to carry the Olympic spirit across the Atlantic.
这名34岁的不知名游客那时正在比亚里茨海滩上度假。他告诉朋友，他要横跨大西洋，游到纽约去，以此彰显奥运精神。
They thought he was joking but knowing that he was a strong swimmer decided to let him go telling him that a boat would come to rescue him if he got into difficulty.
大家都当他是在开玩笑，但因为都知道他是个游泳健将，于是都同意让他游，不过告诉他，要是他遇到麻烦了，会有个跟着他的小船去救他。
Then, watched by lifeguards on the shore, he continued swimming until he was out of sight on his 3,594-mile journey.
他不断地游，直到游到了3594英里外。岸上的救生员一直照看着一切，直到这个奥运狂游出了视线之外才发现异常。
The lifeguards called out a helicopter and a diver dropped into the sea and explained to the man that it was not a good idea to swim across the Atlantic and advised him to head back towards France.
救生员当即就叫了直升机过来，并派了潜水员下海。找到他后，潜水员劝他回岸边去，横跨大西洋真的不是什么好主意。
He replied that he was a strong swimmer and felt up to it. At the same time lifeguards arrived in a rescue dinghy and threw the eccentric a line before towing him back to the beach.
不过这个奥运狂可是兴致勃勃，总是坚持认为自己是个游泳健将。救生员乘着救生艇到达的时候，只好给这个疯子扔了根绳子，拖着他回到了岸边。
Laurent Saintespes, senior officer at Biarritz airbase told Agence France Presse, ‘He was a bit naive. But at a time when the Olympics are taking place in London you have to see the funny side of things’.
比亚里茨航空基地的高级官员Laurent Saintespes告诉法国媒体机构，“这个人真可笑。不过伦敦奥运会期间，这种可笑事可是屡见不鲜。”