(19 July 1996)
An estimated 800 athletes will compete for gold medals in their respective events in perhaps the fastest aquatic venue in the world. The 14,600 seat Georgia Tech Aquatic Center has been designed with deep water and a wave absorbing pump system which will create a glass like surface enhancing the possibilities of a number of world records falling. Seven gold medalists from the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona and eight world record holders lead this distinguished list of world class athletes.
The list of individual gold medalists returning in the women's competition includes Krisztina EGERSZEGI (HUN), who captured gold medals in the 100m backstroke, 200m backstroke and the 400m individual medley; Janet EVANS (USA), 800m freestyle; Dagmar HASE (GER), 400m freestyle; Kyoko IWASAKI, (JPN), 200m breaststroke and LIN Li (CHN) in the 200m individual medley.
Only two gold individual medalist return in the men's competition. Aleksandr POPOV (RUS), in the 50 and 100m freestyle and Kieren PERKINS (AUS) in the 1500m freestyle.
World record holders scheduled to compete in the women's competitions includes LE Jingyi, 50m freestyle (24.51) and the 100m freestyle (54.01), EVANS, 400m freestyle (4:03.85) and the 800m freestyle (8:16.22), HE Cihong (CHN), 100m backstroke (1:00.16), Franziska van ALMSICK (GER), 200m freestyle (1:56.78), Penny HEYNS (RSA), 100m breaststroke (1:07.46).
The men's world record holders includes POPOV, 100m freestyle (48.21), PERKINS, 1500m freestyle (14:41.66), Denis PANKRATOV (RUS), 100m butterfly (52.32) and the 200m butterfly (1:55.22), Jani SIEVINEN (FIN), 200m individual medley (1:58.16), Tom DOLAN (USA), 400m individual medley (4:12.30). Also, the United States has never been defeated in the 400m freestyle relay in Olympic competition. The foursome of David FOX, Joe HUDEPOHL, Jon OLSEN and Gary HALL, Jr. set the world record in this event at the Georgia Tech Aquatic Center in 1995, during the Pan Pacific Championships, with a mark of 3:15.11.
Competition will begin on Saturday, 20 July, day one of the 1996 Olympic Games with prelims and finals of the women's 100m freestyle, men's 100m breaststroke, women's 400m individual medley and the men's 200m freestyle. Prelims will begin at 10:05 with the finals beginning at 19:30.
This is an official publication of the Atlanta
Committee for the Olympic Games Sports Publications Department.
Written by David Blanchard.
| An estimated 5.3 million visted Centennial Olympic Park between opening day - 13 July - and closing day - 4 August, making the park the most single most visited Olympic site during the Games. |