Al-Ahram Weekly On-line 28 Sep. - 4 Oct. 2000 Issue No. 501
Published in Cairo by AL-AHRAM established in 1875

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The biggest splash

A united American team proved that blood is thicker than water, setting world records in the men's and women's 400-metre relays to cap a brilliant swimming display.

B J Bedford, Megan Quann, Jenny Thompson and Dara Torres formed the women's team that obliterated the six-year-old record and completed a US sweep of Olympic golds in the three women's relays. The foursome of Lenny Krayzelburg, Ed Moses, Ian Crocker and Gary Hall Jr did the trick in the men's race, polishing off the meet with the country's 14th gold medal in 32 events. "A lot of people talked about this relay," said Krayzelburg, the record-holder in the 100 and 200 backstroke. "It was important to all of us to show we could swim well and break the world record."

Americans won 33 medals overall -- 15 more than second-place Australia -- with the men taking 17 and the women 16. The US won four of six relays and at least one medal in 25 of 32 races.

"It's just been an outstanding job on the part of the Americans in coming together as a team and stepping forward," Hall said. "It's the most closely bonded team that I've ever been a part of. When you're faced with a worthy opponent, it forces you to work for it," Hall said. "We were able to use the threat of being dethroned as the best swimming nation to step up and reach another level we would have never reached."

"The US was dominant for so many years. It has forced us to raise the level of the sport. You swim faster or you're left behind," Hall added.

Each member of the women's team posted the fastest time in her respective discipline. Torres finished up with the freestyle and touched the wall first as the US won in 3 minutes, 58.30 seconds.

The performance, more than three seconds faster than the silver medal-winning Aussies, destroyed the Olympic mark of 4:02.54 set by the US at the 1992 Barcelona Games and shattered the world record of 4:01.6 established by China in 1994. "It was absolutely unbelievable," said the 16-year-old Quann, who also won gold in the 100 breaststroke. "We were under the world record after my leg. I knew we would do it once Jenny touched the wall."

Hall finished up for the men, who were threatened but never passed by Germany and Australia. The Americans ended up with a 3:33.73, more than a second faster than their record time set at the 1996 Atlanta Games.

An Quann of the US celebrates after winning gold in the 100 metre breaststroke

"It's one of those things words can't describe," said Hall, who shared gold with fellow American Anthony Ervin in the 50 freestyle. "It's unbelievable."

A buzz was in the air before the women's event, which came after Australian legend Keirin Perkins failed in his attempt for a third straight gold medal in the men's 1,500 freestyle. He thanked his coach afterwards. "I'll just take this opportunity to thank him and everyone else -- my wife, my kids and my sponsors," said the 27-year-old Perkins, who added that the race was likely to be his last. "They've supported me for a long time and I wouldn't be here without them."

Perkins passed the torch to countryman Grant Hackett, whose 14:48.33 was 5.29 seconds faster than Perkins but over six seconds slower than his world record. Hackett knew what it would take to emerge from Perkins' shadow. "It was going to take an Olympic gold," Hackett said. "This is everything. This is the one you want to win. This is the Olympics, in your own country, here in Sydney. I mean, it's everything you work for."

The crowd had barely stopped cheering the two when Bedford jumped into the pool to start the women's relay. She gave the US the lead with a backstroke time of 1:01.39. Quann extended it, swimming the breaststroke in 1:06.29 before Thompson's 57:25 in the butterfly gave the US a commanding lead. The Americans never let up as Torres swam the final leg in 53.37 seconds, nearly a second faster than Australia's Susie O'Neill.

Krayzelburg also gave the US an advantage with the backstroke. Moses swam the breaststroke and Ian Crocker the butterfly before Hall finished for his second gold medal in as many days.

Hall, Torres, Thompson, Krayzelburg, Quann and Bennett all won multiple golds. Thompson, who increased her gold medal-winning relay total to eight, and Krayzelburg, who won the 100 and 200 backstrokes, each claimed three.

Torres won five medals -- two gold and three bronze -- to lead the meet.

Thompson and Hall each finished with four, along with Dutch stars Inge de Bruijn and Pieter van den Hoogenband, Australian sensation Ian Thorpe and his compatriots O'Neill and Michael Klim.

De Bruijn was the only one to win three individual golds, adding the 50 freestyle to her victories in the 100 freestyle and 100 butterfly. She also holds the world record in all three.

"I'm ecstatic about winning three gold," she said. "A lot of people predicted I would win all three, but I still have to do it." De Bruijn had a hand in three of the 25 world or Olympic records set at the state-of-the-art Sydney International Aquatic Centre where swimmers were allowed to wear body suits for the first time in Olympic competition.

"It has a lot to do with the progress around the world," Hall said.

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