By Stephen J. Thomas
ATHENS, Greece August 15. THE South African men’s team came of age tonight after threatening to make an impact on men’s sprint freestyle for some time.
In a country where swimming has very little support many of the team spend their time away for home to train and compete.
The same team that swam the prelims backed up to record this famous victory tonight: Roland Schoeman, Lyndon Ferns, Darian Townsend and Ryk Neethling. Allbut Tiwnsend train at the University of Arizona.
It was Schoeman who gave his guys a huge start, the building block for the team, clocking 48.17, equalling the 4th fastest swim in history (American Jason Lezak went 48.17 at trials). Only world record-holder Pieter van den Hoogenband has ever swum faster.
At the 200-mark the Springboks were more than two seconds ahead of the USA in sixth place while the Dutch were almost three seconds adrift in last place. The firepower from the USA that was expected from first Ian Crocker (50.05) and then Michael Phelps (split: 48.74) did not eventuate and perhaps there might be some who now regret dropping the experienced competitor Gary Hall from the team.
By the 300-meter change, Neil Walker (split: 47.97) had pulled the Yanks into third place behind the Italians but still one and a half seconds behind the leaders. Lezak was anchor for USA and he split 47.86. But Ryk Neethling for South Africa went 47.91 and that man Hoogie (pictured below)for the Dutch lived up to his nickname and flew home in 46.79 (the second fastest split in history) snatching silver for the Dutch in a national record 3:14.36, leaving the USA with the bronze in 3:14.62 — their least result in Olympic history.
The Russians and Italians tied for fourth in 3:15.75 with the Aussies back in sixth place.
Men 4 x 100m Freestyle Relay Finals
Record Splits NOC Location Date
WR 3:13.67 48.18 1:36.66 2:25.37 3:13.67 AUS Sydney (AUS) 16 SEP 2000
OR 3:13.67 48.18 1:36.66 2:25.37 3:13.67 AUS Sydney (AUS) 16 SEP 2000
Final Event No: 12
Rank Lane NOC Name R.T. 50m 100m Time Time
Behind
1 4 RSA 3:13.17 WR
SCHOEMAN Roland Mark 0.65 22.62 48.17 (1) 48.17
FERNS Lyndon 0.18 22.51 48.13 (1) 1:36.30
TOWNSEND Darian 0.21 23.11 48.96 (1) 2:25.26
NEETHLING Ryk 0.27 22.32 47.91 (1) 3:13.17
2 6 NED 3:14.36 1.19
KENKHUIS Johan 0.78 23.63 49.81 (6) 49.81
ZASTROW Mitja 0.17 23.62 49.25 (8) 1:39.06
ZWERING Klaas-Erik 0.15 23.16 48.51 (4) 2:27.57
van den HOOGENBAND Pieter 0.21 22.25 46.79 (2) 3:14.36
3 5 USA 3:14.62 1.45
CROCKER Ian 0.76 23.64 50.05 (8) 50.05
PHELPS Michael 0.44 23.43 48.74 (6) 1:38.79
WALKER Neil 0.16 22.54 47.97 (3) 2:26.76
LEZAK Jason 0.15 22.25 47.86 (3) 3:14.62
4 2 RUS 3:15.75 2.58
KAPRALOV Andrey 0.81 23.89 49.27 (3) 49.27
LAGUNOV Evgeny 0.33 23.58 49.17 (=3) 1:38.44
PIMANKOV Denis 0.40 22.92 49.25 (6) 2:27.69
POPOV Alexander 0.40 22.50 48.06 (=4) 3:15.75
4 3 ITA 3:15.75 2.58
VISMARA Lorenzo 0.81 23.41 49.16 (2) 49.16
MAGNINI Filippo 0.09 22.91 48.30 (2) 1:37.46
SCARICA Michele 0.14 23.85 49.21 (2) 2:26.67
GALENDA Christian 0.14 23.24 49.08 (=4) 3:15.75
6 1 AUS 3:15.77 2.60
KLIM Michael 0.74 23.48 49.37 (4) 49.37
PEARSON Todd 0.15 23.30 49.07 (=3) 1:38.44
SULLIVAN Eamon 0.18 23.40 49.19 (5) 2:27.63
THORPE Ian 0.11 22.97 48.14 (6) 3:15.77
7 7 FRA 3:16.23 3.06
BARNIER Romain 0.69 23.75 49.65 (5) 49.65
SICOT Julien 0.10 23.57 49.31 (7) 1:38.96
GILOT Fabien 0.12 23.08 48.95 (8) 2:27.91
BOUSQUET Frederick 0.42 22.67 48.32 (7) 3:16.23
8 8 GER 3:17.18 4.01
SCHREIBER Jens 0.83 23.93 49.88 (7) 49.88
CONRAD Lars 0.19 23.41 48.72 (5) 1:38.60
SPANNEBERG Torsten 0.18 23.21 49.24 (7) 2:27.84
HERBST Stefan 0.30 23.41 49.34 (8) 3:17.18
