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Sydney 2000 Relived: Day 4, 19 September 2000

 

Sydney 2000 Relived: Day 4, 19 September 2000

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AOC
Equestrian Sydney 2000

Australia captured its greatest daily gold medal haul of the Games with victories in the equestrian team three day event, the men’s 4x200m freestyle relay and Susie O’Neill in the women’s 200m freestyle.

The equestrian victory was a personal triumph for Andrew Hoy who joined the legendary Dawn Fraser in winning his third gold medal in three consecutive Olympic Games.

Andrew Hoy wins Team gold riding Darien Powers
IMAGE / Andrew Hoy wins Team gold riding Darien Powers

Hoy, riding Darien Powers, had to avoid dislodging five rails in his final ride and the gold medal was safely secured with two rails to spare.

With Fraser in attendance, joining Hoy on the gold medal podium were Matt Ryan, Stuart Tinney and Phillip Dutton after the team combined to overcome the rugged conditions to outclass Great Britain and the USA.

Sydney 2000, Australian team of Matt Ryan, Phillip Dutton, Stuart Tinney and Andrew Hoy celebrate winning Gold in the final of the Team Three Day event 1
IMAGE / Sydney 2000, Australian team of Matt Ryan, Phillip Dutton, Stuart Tinney and Andrew Hoy celebrate winning Gold in the final of the Team Three Day event 1

“I would have to say the first gold medal was fantastic, the second unbelievable and this one in front of a home crowd is just unbelievable,” said a jubilant Hoy.

Team-work was also in order when Ian Thorpe, Michael Klim, Bill Kirby and Todd Pearson smashed the 4x200m freestyle world record when powering to a 5.59sec gold medal victory over the USA. In the morning heat, Grant Hackett and Daniel Kowalski, substituted for Thorpe and Klim.

Men's 4x2000m relay gold for Australia
IMAGE / Men's 4x2000m relay gold for Australia

Thorpe set up the victory with a powerful opening leg before Klim rammed home the advantage in the second leg and with Australia more than three seconds under the world record.

Pearson and Kirby then swam flawlessly to leave the American’s trailing in their wake.

Kirby was surprised to be given the final relay leg responsibility and said; “When I was first told I would be swimming the anchor leg. it was a bit daunting for about five minutes. Then I said, ‘I’m positive in myself’ and I went out to have fun.”

Thorpe’s third gold medal saw him join Murray Rose, Shane Gould and Betty Cuthbert as a triple gold medallist at a single Games. [Since 2000, Jodie Henry and Petria Thomas both won three gold medals at Athens in 2004.]

Sydney 2000, William Kirby, Todd Pearson, Michael Klim and Ian Thorpe win gold in the Men's 4x200m Relay
IMAGE / Sydney 2000, William Kirby, Todd Pearson, Michael Klim and Ian Thorpe win gold in the Men's 4x200m Relay

Before the men’s relay team ended the session, the capacity crowd was on its feet when O’Neill hung on to win the women’s 200m freestyle relay in a gripping race.

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WATCH / Susie O'Neill relives the 200m freestyle gold medal race, presented by Channel 7

O'Neill, who was fastest in the heats and semi-finals, saw off a determined late spurt from Slovakia's Martina Moravcova to win in 1min 58.24secs.

Defending champion, Claudia Poll from Costa Rica, who was bidding to become the first woman to retain the 200m freestyle crown, had to settle with a bronze medal.

"That was pretty painful," O'Neill said. "Thank goodness it's over, I'm so relieved I finished."

O’Neill trailed Moravcova at the end of the first lap before making her move at the 70 metre mark.

She stretched her lead to 0.55 when they turned for home, but with the capacity crowd including Australian Prime Minister John Howard willing her to victory, she thrashed her slender arms through the water to reach the wall first.

Susie O'Neill of Australia
IMAGE / Susie O'Neill of Australia

"I tried not to listen because they were putting me off," she said. "So, I just closed my eyes and tried to swim my own race."

Australia also enjoyed further medal success when Justin Norris claimed the bronze medal in the 200m butterfly behind USA’s Tom Malchow.  Norris attacked the race from the start and managed to hang on over the final 50 metres to claim his medal.

Justin Norris celebrates his bronze medal place in the final of the Mens 200m Butterfly
IMAGE / Justin Norris celebrates his bronze medal place in the final of the Mens 200m Butterfly

Finishing fifth in the race was 15-year-old Michael Phelps, who was the youngest USA swimmer since 1932. NBC TV commentator, 1984 Olympic Games triple gold medallist, Rowdy Gaines, predicted, “Boy, this guy’s going to be great one day.”

No truer words were spoken.

Finally on Day 4, arguably one of the most memorable swims in Olympic history as Eric "Eric the Eel" Moussambani won his 100m freestyle heat, the hearts of the world and international fame.

Eric Moussambani
IMAGE / Eric Moussambani

The Equatoguinean had never swam in an Olympic-sized swimming pool before, but won his heat after the rest of the field were disqualified for false starts.

The crowd helped a tiring Moussambani through the final few meters with rapturous applause - the finishing time was the slowest in Olympic history, but that didn't matter.

 

 

My Sydney 2000, presented by Swisse | Hosted by Tim Gilbert

 

#MySydney2000

Sydney 2000, 20 year anniversary
IMAGE / Sydney 2000, 20 year anniversary
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