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Part 2 cue card · People · New for September–December 2026

Describe a successful sportsperson you admire.

Describe a successful sportsperson you admire.

You should say:

  • ·who this person is
  • ·what sport he or she plays
  • ·what he or she has achieved
  • ·how you learned about him or her

and explain why you admire this person.

One minute to prepare, up to two minutes to talk. Then Part 3 asks the questions below.

Sample answers

Two answers to the same card

Same story, two levels. Both were written by Ashore, then checked against the public band descriptors in a separate pass. The bands are practice estimates, not official IELTS results.

A simpler answer

Checked at band 6.5 · 165 words

I’d like to talk about a runner called Liu Wei, who lives in my city. He is not a famous person, but many people here know him because he has done very well in local races. He runs long-distance races, especially marathons. He started running seriously about ten years ago, after he began working in an office.

His biggest achievement was finishing first in the men’s group at a large city marathon last year. He also completed several other races, and he has kept a good record for many years. I first learned about him from a short news story online. Later, I watched a video of him crossing the finish line, and I saw how tired but happy he was.

I admire him because he works hard and does not give up when training is difficult. He has a busy job and a family, but he still makes time to run. His story reminds me that success comes from regular effort, not just talent.

  • Give a reason · “because he works hard”
  • Specific detail · “a busy job and a family”

A stronger answer

Checked at band 7.5 · 231 words

Honestly, the sportsperson I admire is Liu Wei, a distance runner from my city. He isn’t widely known outside the area, but he’s had consistent results in local road races. He mainly runs marathons and other long-distance events. He took up running seriously about ten years ago, when a desk job made him realise he needed a healthier routine.

His biggest achievement was winning the men’s category at a major city marathon last year. That’s impressive in itself, but what stands out to me is that he’s finished several other races near the top as well. He trains before work and at weekends, so his results seem to come from a routine he can actually maintain rather than a short burst of motivation. If he had only focused on one race, I don’t think his success would feel as meaningful.

I first heard about him in an online local-news story. It described how he balanced training with his office job and family life. After that, I watched a clip of him crossing the finish line; he looked exhausted, but he still stopped to thank the volunteers.

I admire him because he’s disciplined without seeming arrogant. Even though he’s achieved a lot, he comes across as an ordinary person who keeps making an effort. That’s encouraging to me, because it suggests that progress is possible even when you have a busy life.

  • Add background · “a distance runner from my city”
  • Relative clause · “a routine he can actually maintain”
  • Develop with a conditional · “If he had only focused on one race”
  • Show a concession · “Even though he’s achieved a lot”
Angles

3 ways to answer it

  1. 1Su Bingtian: running 9.83 seconds, an Asian record, in the Tokyo Olympic semi-final
  2. 2Zheng Qinwen: the final where she won Olympic tennis gold in Paris
  3. 3An older student at your school: training five hours a day to become provincial table tennis champion
Expressions

5 expressions that fit this card

at the top of her game
performing at her best
break a record
do better than the best result ever
train day in, day out
train every single day
a role model
someone others want to copy
make a comeback
return to success after a bad period
Part 3

The questions that follow

After the long turn, Part 3 asks bigger questions on the same theme. Each one comes with two points you can build an answer from.

  1. 1

    Why do many people admire successful athletes?

    • ·Their results show years of discipline
    • ·Watching them win big events is exciting
  2. 2

    Do you think top athletes are paid too much?

    • ·Their careers are short and injuries are common
    • ·The gap with doctors' and teachers' pay is huge
  3. 3

    Should children be encouraged to become professional athletes?

    • ·It builds discipline and teamwork
    • ·Few succeed, and schoolwork may suffer
  4. 4

    How has people's interest in sport changed in recent years?

    • ·Running, frisbee and cycling have become popular hobbies
    • ·More people watch matches live on their phones
Stories

One story, many cards

This card fits this story. Prepare the story once and you can bend it to every card listed with it on the season page.

  • A sports star you follow

    An athlete you admire: how you found out about them, a match you watched, an ad or interview they did.

Say it out loud and get a band score