MEN'S 400 FREE
Last evening two underdogs surprised
the field as Henning Muhlleitner and Felix Aubock finished 1-2 in the heats
respectively, the only ones clocking 4:43s in the evening. If that was a
surprise, then how we should describe Ahmed Hafnaoui’s swim in the final? The
Tunisian barely made the cut, he was just 0.14sec ahead of the 9th seeded.
Then, swimming on lane 8 this morning, he just kept going.
Event results
Everyone waited the Aussies’ breakaway
– Elijah Winnington and Jack McLoughlin had ousted Olympic title-holder Mack
Horton at the trials in June so the expectations were high but… Only McLoughlin
reached the necessary gear and for a while he seemed to have it. Italy’s
Gabrielle Detti, bronze medallist at the last three majors, also struggled,
just like the Saturday evening heroes, Muhlleitner and Auboeck. Hafnaoui? He
just did not fade away. Many expected that this miracle would not last after
200m. Or 250m. No, he should fall back for the last 300m.
But Hafnaoui didn’t slow down. On the
contrary, McLoughlin could not hold on while the Tunisian managed to pull one
last gear and reached the wall 0.16sec ahead of the field, giving his country
the second Olympic gold in the pool after Oussama Mellouli’s 1500m free win in
Beijing 2008. McLoughlin finished second and US’ Kieran Smith earned the bronze
next to Hafnaoui, on lane 7. These were the only three with times of 3:43.
Muhlleitner and Aubock finished tied 4th, Detti came 6th and world rank leader
Winnington dropped to 7th. He still tops that chart with 3:42.65 from the
Aussie trials. But that was then – this is the Olympics, where only racing
counts. And in that Hafnaoui was simply outstanding.
"I just can't accept that – it
is too incredible”
that was his initial reaction. Later,
at the press conference he added: “In the second 200m I felt great in the
water, I could go fast. It was a great fight at the end. Of course, I surprised
myself… When I touched the wall and saw that I was first… Amazing! I was in
tears on the podium, seeing the flag of my country and the anthem… It was
great…”
"I normally wear glasses so I
was pretty far out of it. When I saw what I came in the heats I was, like, this
is perfect, because that was going to be my race plan. I knew those boys had
real big back ends (latter part of the race) so I was trying to get out in
front and just say, 'chase me' and it almost paid off” McLoughlin said.
"I couldn't really see all the
way over (to lane eight). I could see some splashes and I could see the middle
of the pool moving at me (during) the last 100m, but I was just trying to hold
on. I didn't really breathe the last 10m and I was kind of sinking at the end,
so got there in the end."
"I am super stoked for second, a
little annoyed I didn't get the win. It was my first international medal. Last
year I was pretty close to quitting, so to be here now is pretty surreal and
I'm very happy." the Aussie runner-up concluded.
WOMEN'S 4X100 FREESTYLE
Watching the Australian meets in the
spring, it was inevitable that this relay title would land Down Under as Cate
Campbell and Emma McKeon offered one speedy swim after the other. Here in the
final it was close till the halfway mark, then came McKeon and had a 51.35
blast (5th fastest split ever) – over this third leg she gained full two
seconds on everyone else in the field as she simply left everyone behind. With
Cate Campbell swimming the anchor leg, it was not even a question if they could
beat their old world record from 2018 – they not only did that but for the
first time ever, completed the course under 3:30 minutes (3:29.69), to set the
first WR here in Tokyo.
"Depth and high standards”
replied Cate Campbell to the question of Australia’s secret of lowering the
world record pretty constantly. "We've all really had to step up year in
and year out, but also supporting each other. We come together at least once a
year and train together for a full week. We push each other and challenge each
other but we do that in a really supportive way. There is no malice and no
animosity towards one another, and I think that has just spoken volumes.
BY FINA
Michael Phelps Teaches Swimming
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