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Olympic Swimming Recaps: 22 July (Day 3)

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."


Women's/400m Freestyle Preliminaries

Evans Fails to Qualify: Janet Evans, the most decorated female athlete in United States history, failed to qualify for the finals of the women's 400m freestyle Monday morning. Kerstin KIELGASS (GER) will be the top seed in a field loaded with Olympic gold. Gold medal winners include the defending Olympic champion Dagmar HASE (GER), Michelle SMITH (IRL), 200m freestyle 1996; and Claudia POLL (CRC), 100m breaststroke, 1996. Smith swam the second-fastest time, clocked at 4:09.00. Kirsten VLIEGHUIS (NED) will be seeded third with a time of 4:11.04. Her teammate Carla Louise GEURTS will be the fifth seed at 4:11.18. Cristina TEUSCHER (USA), 4:12.07 and Eri YAMANOI (JPN), 4:13.40 will complete the field. EVANS finished ninth in the preliminaries with a time of 4:13.60, well off her Olympic-and world-record time of 4:03.85, set in Seoul in 1988.


Men's/100m Freestyle Preliminaries

POPOV Leads Fastest Field in History: Aleksandr POPOV (RUS), the most dominating swimmer in this event since 1992, will be the top seed with a time of 48.74. POPOV is the current world record holder at 48.21. Gary HALL, Jr. (USA) is seeded second at 48.90. These two competitors have been chirping at each other in the media since the world championships and the time has come to put up or shut up. Of the remaining finalists, five set national records this morning. The only swimmer with an outside shot of upsetting POPOV or HALL may be Gustavo BORGES (BRA), who has already won a silver medal in the 1996 Games in the 200m freestyle. GUSTAVO will be seeded third with a time of 49.17. The rest of the field includes Francisco SANCHEZ (VEN), 49.59 NR; Ricardo BUSQUETS (PUR), 49.61 NR; Pavlo KHNYKIN (UKR), 49.69, NR; Pieter van den HOOGENBAND (NED), 49.73, NR; and Fernando SCHRER (BRA), 49.79. These eight represent the fastest qualifying field in swimming history.

Note: If POPOV wins the gold medal tonight, he will be the first repeat champion in the 100m freestyle since Johnny WEISSMULLER (USA) did it in 1924 and 1928.


Women's/100m Backstroke Preliminaries

U.S. Swimmers Top Seeds: The fastest field in swimming history will vie for the gold at tonight's final. The race is a toss up, through the United States looks to be in position to capture the gold and silver. Whitney HEDGEPETH (USA) and Beth BOTSFORD (USA) enter the final as the top two seeds. HEDGEPETH swam the fastest time of 1:01.70 while BOTSFORD was clocked at 1:02.00. The remainder of the field includes Marine KRIEL (RSA), 1:02.33; Mia NAKAMURA (JPN), 1:02.35; Nicole STEVENSON (AUS), 1:02.50; CHEN Ian (CHN), 1:02.62; Ante BUSCHSCHULTE (GER), 1:02.68; Mike NAKAO (JPN), 1:02.90.


Men's/200m Butterfly Preliminaries

GOODMAN-PANKRATOV: Square Off Tonight In the fastest final in Olympic history, the top two performers in 1996 will swim for gold. Denies PANKRATOV (RUS), the world record holder in this event (1:55.22) will be considered the favorite despite swimming the fourth-fastest time in the preliminaries at 1:58.28. Scott GOODMAN (AUS) comes into the final with the fastest time of 1:57.77. Earlier this year GOODMAN posted a mark of 1:57.07, the fastest time in 1996. James HICKMAN (GBR) swam a 1:58.16 while Tom MALCHOW (USA) swam a 1:58.69. They will be seeded fourth and fifth, respectively. The remainder of the field includes Peter HORVATH (HUN), 1:58.76; Franck ESPOSITO (FRA), 1:58.79; and Scott MILLER (AUS), 1:58.97.


Women's/4 X 100m Freestyle Relay Preliminaries

China Favored: Despite swimming the third-fastest time in the qualifying heats (3:44.06), China is still considered the favorite for the gold. The United States is the defending 1992 Olympic champion and have established themselves as a strong contender to repeat. The U.S. was clocked at 3:47.33 and will be the number one seed in tonight's final. The remainder of the field includes the Netherlands (3:43.63); Germany (3:44.17); Sweden (3:45.39); Canada (3:45.66) NR; Russia (3:47.33) and Australia (3:47.94).



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


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Closing Ceremony of the 1996 Games involved a crew of 2,100 who worked with more than 3,500 performers as well as thousands of athletes who celebrated on the field of Olympic Stadium.