美国跨栏运动员埃利斯•梅里特（Aries Merritt）的名字来自希腊神话中的战神阿瑞斯（Ares），不过他的名字的拼写与白羊星座相同。这个尚武的名字对这位在全球与其他一流田径选手竞争的运动员来说尤其贴切。

26岁的梅里特在2月份成为美国全国室内60米栏冠军，并在3月份战胜了中国跨栏明星刘翔。

在过去一年里，他提炼了自己的技术，栏间步伐从八步改到七步。由此带来的好处是加大了连贯性，并提高了速度。他对《中国日报》（ChinaDaily）记者说：“改为七步上栏，可以真正猛力跨栏并更有冲力。”

在世界上排列前10名的男子跨栏运动员中，有6人是美国人，其中包括梅 里特。如果没有人受伤，所有6人都将参加6月份的美国奥运选拔赛，争夺美国赴2012年伦敦奥运会的3个令人向往的名额。梅里特最近战胜刘翔使他信心倍增，他相信自己不久将奔赴伦敦：“我感到我真的有很大机会。”

U.S. hurdler Aries Merritt was named for the Greek god of war, Ares, although his first name is spelled like the astrological sign. That martial name is especially appropriate for a man who battles other top athletes at track meets worldwide.

Merritt, 26, became the U.S. national indoor champion in the 60-meter hurdles in February, and beat Chinese star hurdler Liu Xiang to take the world title in March.

Over the past year, he has honed his technique, switching from eight steps to seven between hurdles. The payoff? Greater consistency and speed. “With seven steps you can really drive through a hurdle and take it with a little more aggression,” he told a China Daily reporter.

Of the world’s top 10 male hurdlers, six — including Merritt — are American. All six, barring injury, will compete in June’s U.S. Olympic Trials for three coveted spots in the 2012 London Olympics. Merritt’s recent triumph over Liu has fueled his sense that he’ll be heading to London soon: “I feel like I have a really good chance.”