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Olympic Swimming Recaps - 23 July (Day 4)

Men's 400m Freestyle Final

Two Finals Two Gold Medals:

On day one of the Olympic Games, Danyon LOADER (NZL) won his country's first swimming gold medal in the 200m freestyle. Tonight he destroyed the field with a national record time of 3:47.97 to win his second. Paul PALMER (GBR), was clocked at 3:49.00 to win the silver. His medal was also the first won by a British athlete during the Olympic Games. Daniel KOWALSKI (AUS) picked up his second bronze medal with a third place time of 3:49.39. KOWALSKI was the bronze medalist in the 200m freestyle. Medalists: Danyon LOADER (NZL), 3:47.97 NR; Paul PALMER (GBR), 3:49.00; Daniel KOWALSKI (AUS), 3:49.39.

"As soon as I came off the podium, I was pretty much down to earth again. I knew I had a couple of more races to go and with one race over and done it was time to concentrate on the other," stated LOADER when asked about the pressure of being an Olympic champion. "I hope this will give younger swimmers incentive to try harder and train harder and swim well because anything is possible."


Women's 200m Breaststroke Final

HEYNS Wins Second Gold Medal:

As expected, Penny HEYNS (RSA) led from the start and never looked back en route to her second gold medal. HEYNS is quickly becoming the star of the women's swimming competition. In her qualifying heat, HEYNS established a new Olympic record of 2:26.63. She topped that performance with another Olympic record of 2:25.41 this evening. Amanda BEARD (USA) finished second with a time of 2:25.75. BEARD finished second behind HEYNS in the 100m breaststroke. Agnes KOVACS (HUN) edged out the 1994 World Champion Samantha Riley (AUS) for third place with a mark of 2:28.30. Medalists: Penny HEYNS (RSA), 2:25.41; Amanda BEARD (USA), 2:25.75; Agnes KOVACS (HUN), 2:26.57.

"It was probably one of the hardest races I ever swam. I was aware that Amanda would come up really fast, I just had to hang in there and hope for the best. I jut had to put the race in the Lord's hands..I guess this is His will," stated HEYNS.


Men's 100m Backstroke Final

Rouse Breezes to Gold:

Jeff Rouse (USA), the world record holder (53.86) and 1992 silver medalist in this event, added another award to his already impressive resume, a gold medal. ROUSE breezed through the championship with a time of 54.10. He was chased by a pair of Cuban swimmers who won the silver and bronze medals. Rodolfo FALCON, who swam a personal best (55.29) to reach the finals, topped his performance with a 54.98 to win the silver. Teammate Neisser BENT won the bronze, clocked at 55.02. Medalists: Jeff ROUSE (USA), 54.10; Rodolfo FALCON (CUB), 54.98; Neisser BENT (CUB), 55.02.:

"I have imagined winning for so long, I went through every senario I possibly could. I really wanted to stay in the pool for about 10 more minutes and live the moment. I kinda got forced out, it's everything I imagined. I don't think I have gone through all the emotions yet," stated ROUSE.


Women's 100m Butterfly Final

VAN DYKEN Edges Out LIU:

The fastest qualifying field in the history of swimming squared off in the finals of the women's 100m butterfly. The spectators at the Georgia Tech Aquatic Center were not disappointed as this race came down to the final reach. Amy VAN DYKEN (USA) edged out LIU Limin (CHN) by 0.01 of a second to win her first gold medal. It was also the first gold the United States has won in this event since Mary T. MEAGHER did it in 1984. LIU swam a second place time of 59.14. Angel MARTINO (USA), who entered the race as the number one seed, placed third at 59.23. MARTINO was the oldest qualifier in the race at age 29. She was hoping to capture her first individual Olympic gold medal. Medalists: Amy VAN DYKEN (USA) 59.13; LIU Limin (CHN), 59.14; Angel MARTINO (USA), 59.23.

"It's really special because a lot of people were saying I should drop out of this race. That I wasn't a medal contender. To walk away with a medal, especially a gold, I think I have proven myself. It means a lot," stated VAN DYKEN.


Men's 4 x 100m Relay Final

Streak Stays Alive:

The United States entered the 4 x 100m relay with the distinction of never having been defeated in Olympic or World Championship competition. They also entered the finals as the world record holders (3:15.11), which they set in the Georgia Tech Olympic Pool during the Pan Pacific Championships in 1995. In the most exciting race of the evening, Gary HALL, Jr. (USA), who swam the anchor leg, exploded off the block and dusted the rest of the field to win the gold. Jon OLSON swam the first leg followed by Josh DAVIS and Bradley SCHUMACHER. Aleksandr POPOV (RUS), a two-time 100m Olympic champion, led the Russians to a silver medal. The remainder of the Russian team included Roman YEGOROV, Vladimir PREDKIN and Vladimir PYSHENKO. Germany, the second seeded team, finished third. The German team was comprised of Christian TROGER, Bengt ZIKARSKY, Bjorn ZIKARSKY, and Mark PINGER. The United States set a new Olympic record with a time of 3:15.41. Medalists: USA, 3:15.41, Olympic Record; RUS, 3:17.06; GER, 3:17.20.

"It feels great. We just missed the Olympic record in 1992. The world record last year, the Olympic record this year -- there's not a whole lot more we can do," stated Jon OLSEN. "It's a very special feeling."


Men's Swimming/400m Freestyle Preliminaries

Italy Seeded One and Two:

Six of the top 10 performers in 1996 have reached tonight's finals. A name not mentioned in this list as a possible medal contender, Emiliano BREMBILLA (ITA), swam the best qualifying time of 3:49.35. His time was a national record. Teammate Massimiliano ROSOLINO will swim beside him seeded second with a time of 3:51.05. The remainder of the field includes, Jorg HOFFMANN (GER), 3:51.26; Danyon LOADER (NZL), 3:51.54; Daniel KOWALSKI (AUS), 3:51.67; Paul Palmer (GBR), 3:51.98; Anders HOLMERTZ (SWE), 3:52.27; Jacob CARSTENSEN (DEN), 3:52.62. Of this list, HOFFMANN, LOADER,KOWALSKI, PALMER, HOLMERTZ and ROSOLINO are among the list of top 10 times in 1996. LOADER will be attempting to win his second gold medal of the 1996 games. He stood atop the championship podium in the 200m freestyle.


Women's Swimming/200m Breaststroke Preliminaries

HEYNS Sets Olympic Record:

Penny HEYNS (RSA), who already has one gold medal to her credit in the 100m breaststroke, will attempt to win her second in the women's 200m final tonight. HEYNS will be seeded in the top position with an Olympic record time of 2:26.63. Chasing HEYNS will be the silver medalist in the 200 meters, Amanda BEARD (USA). BEARD swam a mark of 2:28.10, 1.47 seconds slower than HEYNS. Samantha RILEY (AUS), the gold medalist at the World Championships in this event will make a strong bit for the gold. RILEY posted a 2:28. The remainder of the field includes Masami TANAKA (JPN), 2:29.36; Agnes KOVACS (HUN), 2:29.58; Brigitte BECUE (BEL), 2:29.62; Nadine NEUMAN (AUS), 2:29.91; Christin PETELSKI (CAN), 2:30.30.


Men's Swimming/100m Backstroke Preliminaries

World Record Holder Leads Historic Field:

Jeff ROUSE (USA) the silver medalist at Barcelona and current world record holder (53.86), will be the top seed in the fastest final in swimming history. ROUSE posted a mark of 54.20, the third fastest of all-time. A pair of Cubans, Neisser BENT and Rodolfo FALCON CABRERA, will be chasing ROUSE. BENT will swim beside ROUSE posting the fifth fastest time in history of 54.83. FALCON CABRERA swam a 55.29. Martin LOPEZ-ZUBERO (ESP), 55.36, Tripp SCHWENK (USA), 55.71, Ralf BRAUN (GER), 55.73, Franck SCHOTT (FRA), 55.77, and Emanuele MERISI (ITA), 55.82, completes the list of qualifiers.


Women's Swimming/100m Butterfly Preliminaries

MARTINO Posts Fastest Time:

Angel MARTINO (USA) posted the fastest qualifying time of this mornings preliminary heats with the only sub-minute mark of 59.31. Amy van DYKEN (USA), won the sixth heat with the second fastest time of 1:00.04. LIU Limin (CHN), 1:00.18; Ayari AOYAMA (JPN), 1:00.20; Susan O'NEILL (AUS), 1:00.55; Hitomi KASHIMA (JPN), 1:00.85; CAI Huijue (CHN), 1:00.89; and Mette JACOBSEN (DEN), 1:00.91 will complete the fastest final in swimming history. AOYAMA has posted the fastest time in 1996 at 58.83.


Men's Swimming/4 X 100m Freestyle Relay Preliminaries

United States Heavy Favorite for Gold:

This event has been held at six Olympic Games and only one country has claimed the gold medal, the United States. Odds are this will not change. The Americans broke in the Georgia Teach Aquatic Center pool at the Pan Pacific Championships by snapping off a world record time of 3:15.11. The United States posted the fastest time in the qualifying heats of 3:18.40. Their closest competitors will be the German team who posted a 3:19.27. The remainder of the field includes, the Netherlands (3:20.16), Brazil (3:20.21), Russia (3:20.39), Sweden (3:20.74), Australia (3:20.88) and Great Britain (3:21.34). The Netherlands and Great Briatan set national records.


This is an official publication of the Atlanta Committee for the Olympic Games Sports Publications Department.


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The volunteer staff of the 1996 Olympic Games totaled 50,152. They worked an estimated 850,000 shifts.