Karen's Story
Karen Phillips was competing at her first major event for Australia when she produced a PB of 2 min 10.56 secs to win a silver medal in the women’s 200m butterfly. The only woman to beat Phillips, 18, was world record holder Mary T Meagher of the United States. Phillips’ medal was only Australia’s second in the event, coming four years after Michelle Ford’s bronze in Moscow. But since Phillips’ memorable swim, Australia has only missed a medal once in the event, in 1988. Heroes such as Susie O’Neill (bronze in 1992, gold in 1996, silver in 2000) and Petria Thomas (silver in 1996, bronze in 2000, silver in 2004) have excelled in the race.
Read More
