Thompson Wins Record Eighth Gold Medal

S Y D N E Y, Australia, Sept. 23, 2000 -- The United States left the pool with abang today, setting world records in decisive relay victoriesover host Australia on the final day of Olympic swimming.

Jenny Thompson won her eighth career relay gold — her 10th medaloverall — and Gary Hall Jr. overpowered Aussie Michael Klim on theanchor leg as the Americans won the women’s and men’s 400-metermedley relays.

But a raucous Aussie crowd had something to cheer about, too.

Grant Hackett and Kieren Perkins went 1-2 in the grueling 1,500freestyle, continuing their country’s dominance in the mile.

Men’s Relay Wins on Final Kick

In the men’s 400 medley relay, the team of Lenny Krayzelburg, EdMoses, Ian Crocker and Hall won in 3 minutes, 33.73 seconds,lowering the mark of 3:34.84 set by Americans at the 1996 AtlantaGames.

“With those guys, it’s so inspiring,” said Crocker, a18-year-old from Portland, Maine. “I always get nervous before Iswim. They calmed me down and told me to have fun.”

It was Krayzelburg’s third gold after victories in the 100 and200 backstrokes. Hall picked up his second gold after tyingteammate Anthony Ervin in the 50 freestyle Friday. Moses had wonsilver in the 100 breaststroke.

The United States won 33 medals, including 14 golds, during theeight-day meet in which 14 world records were set or tied at theSydney International Aquatic Center. The host Australians claimed18 medals and five golds.

After accepting their golds, the U.S. men unfurled a bannerreading: “Sydney 2000. In our hearts forever. Thanks Australia.”

Historic Day for Thompson

In the women’s relay, B.J. Bedford, Megan Quann, Thompson andDara Torres won in 3:58.30, erasing the mark of 4:01.67 set byChina at the 1994 world championships.

“By the time Jenny got in the pool, I knew we had the worldrecord. I knew,” said Quann, who won gold in the 100 breaststroke.

Australia’s men and women settled for silver in both medleyrelays. The American women went 3-0 against their Aussiecounterparts in the overall relays, while the U.S. men were 1-2.

The Aussie team of Matthew Welsh, Regan Harrison, Geoff Huegilland Klim took silver in 3:35.27.

Ian Thorpe, the 17-year-old Aussie sensation, wound up withthree golds and a silver in his first Olympics. He set worldrecords in the 400 freestyle and the 400 freestyle relay, swimmingthe anchor leg, and finished second in the 200 freestyle. Thorpe’sthird gold was for swimming the 400 medley relay preliminaries.

Torres: ‘Unbelievable Experience’

With eight gold medals, Thompson ended her swimming career oneshort of gymnast Larissa Lathynina of the former Soviet Union formost golds by a woman. She tied Torres forbronze in the 100 freestyle in Sydney, and won silver in the 100freestyle at the 1992 Olympics.

After finishing third in the 50 freestyle, Torres hurried withher medal across the deck to prepare for the relay, which sheanchored. Thompson, a 27-year-old from Dover, N.H., swam thebutterfly portion.

“I’m really sad it’s over,” said Torres, in her fourth andfinal Olympics at 33. “It’s been an unbelievable experience, adream come true.”

De Bruijn, Hackett Win

Inge de Bruijn of the Netherlands, already the world’s fastestwoman sprinter, won the 50 freestyle for her third individualOlympic gold.

De Bruijn swam 24.32 seconds — .19 seconds over the world recordshe set in Friday’s semifinals.

“I’m floating on a big cloud,” De Bruijn said. “I hope Idon’t land for a long time.”

Grant Hackett continued the Australian distance swimming legacyestablished by countryman Kieren Perkins, winning the grueling1,500 freestyle in 14 minutes, 48.33 seconds.

Perkins, trying to become the first male swimmer to win the sameindividual Olympic event three times, took silver. The Aussies went1-2 in the event for an unprecedented third straight Olympics.

Chris Thompson of Roseburg, Ore., finished third, earning thefirst medal in the event since the United States went 1-2 in 1984.

All three medalists went under 15 minutes for the first time inOlympic history.

Flying Dutchwoman

In the women’s 50 freestyle, Therese Alshammar of Sweden tooksilver in 24.51 seconds, finishing behind De Bruijn for the secondtime in two days. The Swede was runner-up in the 100 freestyle.

Torres won bronze in 24.63. American Amy Van Dyken, thedefending Olympic champion, was fourth in 25.04. Later, Van Dykenand Ashley Tappin earned gold medals for swimming in preliminariesof the 400 medley relay.

De Bruijn set world records in winning the 100 freestyle and 100butterfly at these games. She also anchored the Dutch 400 freestylerelay team to silver.

“I knew I could do great, but I didn’t know if I would do threegold medals,” she said. “It’s easy for the outsiders to predictthree gold medals, but you still have to do it. You’re all alone upthere. You’ve got to do it yourself.”

Torres, who made a comeback after taking a seven-year break fromthe pool, earned her third individual bronze. She was third in the100 butterfly and tied Thompson in the 100 freestyle. She also waspart of the world record-setting 400 freestyle relay.

Emotional Adieu for Van Dyken

Van Dyken, who won her sixth career gold for swimmingpreliminaries of the 400 medley relay, was coming off two shouldersurgeries since her upset of China’s Jingyi Li four years ago.

The race was the last of Van Dyken’s career.

“A couple of months ago, I didn’t know if I’d be able to swimand I got fourth. That’s pretty good,” she said.

Van Dyken, a 27-year-old from Englewood, Colo., lingered in thewater, taking in the sellout crowd of 17,500 and the Olympic rings.

“It’s the last time I’ll see the pool as a competitor. It’shard, you know,” she said. “I was a lot more emotional than Ithought I would be.”

Awesome Aussies

Hackett and Perkins were spurred by chants of “Aussie!Aussie!” during the mile. Perkins never got in front of Hackett,finishing in 14:53.59. He surrendered the title he won in 1992 andagain in ’96, when he was the underdog who qualified slowest inLane 8.

American Erik Vendt of North Easton, Mass., who became the firstAmerican to break 15 minutes at the U.S. trials in August, faded tosixth in 15:08.61.

Thompson won the bronze by seven hundreths of a second overRussian Alexei Filipets, who also went under 15 minutes. Thompson’stime of 14:56.81 snapped Vendt’s American record.

“Wow, that’s so close,” Thompson said. “I’m totally thrilled. I was really nervous before the race and I didn’t even feel thatgreat in warmups. I didn’t think it would be a good one for me.”