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Thursday, September 21
De Bruijn setting pace for field
Associated Press
SYDNEY, Australia -- Once again, Amy Van Dyken is an Olympic
underdog.
|  | | Amy van Dyken, left, and Inge de Bruijn will likely square off again in the 50 free final. |
In 1996, she edged a favored Chinese swimmer in the 50-meter
freestyle to capture her fourth gold medal of the Atlanta Games.
Now, Van Dyken is matched against the seemingly unbeatable Inge de
Bruijn of the Netherlands for title of world's fastest woman.
Can anyone touch the wall before the Flying Dutchwoman, who
already has two golds at the Sydney Games?
"Yes," Van Dyken said, without hesitation.
No one has so far. De Bruijn set an Olympic record in the 50
freestyle preliminaries at 24.46 seconds, beating out Americans
Dara Torres and Van Dyken.
De Bruijn, winner of the 100 butterfly and 100 freestyle, beat
the 8-year-old Olympic mark of 24.79, set by China's Yang Wenyi.
"I'm just having fun," she said. "I feel on top of the world,
really confident and comfortable. It feels like I am in a dream."
Ian Thorpe was back in the pool for the Australians, answering
the question about whether he would get a chance to add to a medal
haul that already includes three golds and a silver.
"Thorpedo," who has been bothered by an upper respiratory
infection, swam the freestyle leg of the 400 medley relay but the
Aussies managed only the fourth-best time in qualifying.
Van Dyken, 27, of Englewood, Colo., was the first American woman
to win four golds in a single Olympics at Atlanta. Since then, she
has undergone two shoulder operations.
Van Dyken wasn't even sure if she would compete at the Olympic
trials, but recovered quickly enough to make the U.S. team. Now,
she's in position for another medal after qualifying third at
25.04.
"It's probably going to take a world record to win it," Van
Dyken said. "I didn't think that coming in, but Inge is swimming
fast."
The 50 freestyle is the only individual event for Van Dyken at
what is likely her final Olympics. She also was part of the world
record-setting team in the 400 freestyle relay.
"If I start thinking about that, I'll get all emotional," Van
Dyken said. "You've got to go out there and swim like you're going
to be swimming for the next 10 years."
Torres, the 33-year-old from Beverly Hills, Calif., ignored a
sore shoulder to touch second in 24.96.
"I'm actually doing pretty good," said Torres, competing in
her third individual event after winning bronze in both the 100
butterfly and 100 freestyle. "I wanted to break 25 seconds. I know
I'm going to get faster."
The top 16 advanced to the evening semifinals, with the final
Saturday.
Even with Thorpe anchoring, the Aussies managed only 3:39.38 in
the 400 medley relay, putting them just behind the American team of
Neil Walker, Ed Moses, Tommy Hannan and Jason Lezak (3:38.59).
Germany led with 3:38.50. Hungary took second in 3:38.58.
"It's no longer Australia vs. the USA," Moses said. "We're
just trying to run that medal count up and get as many people to
medal as possible."
The U.S. women's relay team also struggled. Courtney Shealy,
Staciana Stitts, Ashley Tappin and Van Dyken were fourth in the 400
medley preliminaries at 4:06.16. Australia led with 4:04.75,
followed by Japan and Germany.
Tappin swam the final race of her career. The two-time gold
medalist will be dropped from the team for Saturday's final, as
will Van Dyken.
The 25-year-old Tappin said she plans to open "the hottest
nightclub ever in San Diego."
"I've been swimming for 16 years," Tappin said. "Knowing this
was my last race, I wanted it to be happy one. I was smiling the
whole time."
Kieren Perkins must know the feeling. Written off before the
Olympics, he began pursuit of an unprecedented third straight gold
in the 1,500 freestyle with a stunning time in the preliminaries.
The 27-year-old Aussie was top qualifier in 14:58.34, pounding
the water and thrusting an arm skyward as the sellout crowd at the
Sydney International Aquatic Center roared.
Perkins has struggled leading up to the Olympics, much as he did
before winning gold at the Atlanta Games. He's one of only three
men with back-to-back 1,500 wins.
Erik Vendt, 19, of North Easton, Mass., was second in 15:05.11,
with Australian Grant Hackett third at 15:07.50. The Aussies are
trying to go 1-2 in the 1,500 for the third straight Olympics.
Vendt, who became the first American to break 15 minutes at the
Olympic trials, was among those amazed by Perkins' performance.
"It was kind of demoralizing," Vendt said. "But I definitely
feel I can come back faster."
Chris Thompson, 21, of Roseburg, Ore., also made Saturday's
final, qualifying sixth at 15:11.21.
The United States has failed to win a medal in the event since
1984, when Mike O'Brien and George DiCarlo went 1-2 at Los Angeles.
No American even advanced to the final four years ago.
Heading into the final two days of swimming, the Americans led
with nine gold medals and 25 overall. The Australians were next
with 12 medals but just four golds.
The Americans were in good position to pick up more medals
Friday night. Brooke Bennett was the top qualifier in the 800
freestyle, an event she won in Atlanta four years ago. Gary Hall
Jr. of Phoenix qualified fastest in the 50 freestyle semifinal.
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ALSO SEE
Swimming results
De Bruijn beats out Thompson for gold in 100 free
Krayzelburg wins second medal of Games
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