Jul - Aug 2002 View the PDF - Swimnews Online

Multi Disabilty 100 free Canadian medal winners:Stephanie Dixon, silver, and Kirby Cote bronzewall, never giving Thorpe a chance. Welsh wasoff his best with his 54.72, while Thorpe did a PB withhis 55.38 to out-touch Malaysia’s Alex Kim, whobroke a national record with his 55.44.“That’s my best time,” said Thorpe. “I’m morethan happy to come second. If I hit the wall and I’vedone my best, I can be happy with the result.” And ofcourse the gracious Thorpe, who smiles and sings toevery anthem played for him, gave creditwhere it is deserved in this race. “Icongratulated Matt. He’s world champion,he’s an excellent backstroker, and a greatswimmer.”Watching England’s 19-year-oldRebecca Cooke drop seconds and secondsfrom her best times is exciting even for thosewho do not follow distance swimming.Cooke just goes for it from the get-go,spinning her arms and never slowing down.She added another gold with her 400 freewin, again looking fresh and lively withinseconds of finishing. “I am completelyecstatic, just overwhelmed with it all,” shesaid. “It didn’t feel hard at all. It was comfortable andI felt in control all the way through.”Upset with her silver in the 100 back, AussieDyana Calub was out for revenge, and she got it,winning the 50 back in 28.98 over Canadian JenniferCarroll in 29.05 and England’s Sarah Price in 29.08.Calub explained her 50 strategy: “I got there becausein the 50s you can’t make a mistake. If you make amistake, it’s all over.”Price had less than an hour between her win inthe 200 back and her 50 back final. She was rankedfifth in the 50 coming into the meet, so she was happywith her bronze. “I was on a high after the 200, andto be honest that is what got me through that length.”After the semis of the 50, Price commented on hermeet thus far, “I’ve not had a lot of sleep in the last 24hours. It’s been wild and I am enjoying every moment.The English team is going so well, it just keeps gettingbetter and better.”The men’s 200 IM might have seemed close atthe 100 but when it came time to swim the free leg it12was game over. Justin Norris destroyed thefield on the final free leg to win his third goldmedal with a 2:01.32. English swimmers AdiTurner and James Goddard posted best timesfor the silver and bronze in 2:02.10 and2:02.48. Goddard, who won the 200 backearlier this week, said while receiving a hugfrom teammate Sarah Price, “I can’t believeI got another medal!”Day Six, Sunday, August 4South Africa’s Roland Schoeman spoiled twosweeps—that of England’s Mark Foster, who waslooking to win the 50 free for the third Games ina row, and that of Aussie Brett Hawke, who lost his country’schance for a gold-medal sweep on the last night of swimmingat the Games. “That was spectacular!” said Schoeman,whose time of 22.33 was 0.01 seconds ahead of Hawke(22.34) and just ahead of Foster (22.47).It was the battle of the young guns in the 200 breastand 20-year-old Jim Piper of Australia won. He was off hisbest time, but after a disappointing 100, he went out andDan GalbraithWorld record in the 50 breast semis for Zoe Baker (ENG)Patrick Kramertouched in 2:13.10, just ahead of Olympic silver medallistTerrence Parkin of South Africa (2:13.34). Canada’s MikeBrown, just 18 years old, lowered his best time by over twoseconds to win bronze. His time was just off the Canadianrecord, but Brown was all smiles. “I would have liked therecord, but I’ll take a 2:13.8 any day! My goal coming intothis meet was to final, but after the 100, I had a bit moreconfidence.” Brown qualified tied for first after the heats,but knew the final would be tough. “I knew it would be a lotharder race tonight, but I did have a medal at the back ofmy mind.”Everyone thought Aussie Jen Reilly had this one in thebag, but Kiwi Elizabeth Van Welie was not going to make iteasy for her. Reilly beat Van Welie on the last turn and camehome to win with a 4:43.49 to Van Welie’s 4:44.56. Reillysmiled and celebrated to the tune R-E-S-P-E-C-T! But shehad better watch out, because Van Welie swam the final ofthe 200 fly twenty minutes before her 400 IM final. “We’llparty tonight!” said Van Welie. “I never thought of going fora medal, I just went for a time. I never wanted to pull out ofthe 200 fly, because that is my event and that is what I camehere to do.”For Reilly it was a welcome relief to finally win gold.“I’m stoked to finally get through and get gold at the endof a difficult week. It has been a fantastic highlight. Isuppose the DQ in the 200 IM gave me something to thinkabout. I made sure there were two hands on the turn goinginto the freestyle.”Grant Hackett, a body length ahead of the field at the25 in the 1500 free, is an amazing freestyler. And whileHackett put metre after metre between him and the rest ofthe field, the battle for silver was tight. Heading into the 750mark, Scotland’s Graeme Smith and Aussie Craig Stevenswere swimming stroke for stroke, with just 0.3 secondsseparating them. Smith was able to pick it up over the last300 to finish second in 15:07.19 to Stevens’ 15:09.24.Hackett was so far ahead, yet he was 20 seconds off his best,finishing with a 14:54.29. “I wanted to go a 14:55...I havethe Pan Pacs in two weeks, so I was holding back a bit. I havea lot of traveling in the next two weeks and some toughcompetition, and I don’t want to get ill or anything.”With three out of the four 100 winners, Australia wastagged to win the women’s 4x100 medley relay with ease,but South Africa gave them a run for their money. CharleneWittstock led out on back, with Sarah Poewe winning thebreast leg with a 1:07.95 split, followed by Mandy Loots onfly who touched dead even with Aussie Petria Thomas at the300. It would come down to the free, but Jodi Henrydestroyed Helene Muller on the takeover, and Australia wonthe final women’s event in a new Games record.The last night is always the best at an internationalmeet. You have got the men’s 1500, which is always excitingdespite its length, and then of course the medley relays. Inthe men’s 4x100 medley relay, it was the Aussies whodominated the entire race, with three teams battling forsilver. England managed to touch out Canada, whomanaged to touch out South Africa.And as the Commonwealth Games came to a close,with the host nation seeing the biggest improvement, it wasIan Thorpe who summed up the meet best. “It’s been afantastic Games, not only for Australia, but for all teams.I’m just pleased to have had the opportunity to be a part ofit. It’s been a successful Games for me personally, as well aseveryone else.”Multi disbality 50 free Canadian silvermedal winner Philippe Gagnon.Dan GalbraithSWIMNEWS / JULY-AUGUST 2002