article by Nicholas Pucci
Lenny Krayzelburg, 25-year-old American born in Odessa, Ukraine, is the new name in US swimming at the 2000 Sydney Olympics. It is above all, however, the new master of the backstroke specialtythat four years earlier in Atlanta, in 1996, had seen six different athletes climb on the podium of the two races of 100 and 200 meters, so much so that winning two gold medals at the 1998 World Championships in Perth. However, he had to give way to the short course World Championships held in Athens in March, beaten by compatriot Neil Walker and Cuban Rodolfo Falcon (second over 100 meters in Atlanta), who are present in Australia and are advancing their legitimate candidacy for the gold medal. ‘gold.
We start with the short distance, the 100 meters, which sees in the third heat a young hopeful, the 18-year-old Austrian Markus Rogan who four years later in Athens, in 2004, will already be on the podium, but on his debut he does not go beyond a 58″35 in the first round which excludes him from semifinals. Obviously the last three heats are the fastest, ed already highlight the state of form of Krayzelburg, who gets the best lap time in 54″38 (seventh series), the only one under 55″ together with the Australian Matthew Welsh (sixth series), 54″70, while the German Stev Theloke (fifth series) swims in 55″. Walker and Falcon in turn qualify, while Emiliano Merisi is eliminated who in Atlanta had been sixth over the 100m and bronze medal over the 200m.
Own Matthew Walsh wins the first semifinal in 54″52 ahead of his compatriot Josh Watson and Neil Walker, while in the second Krayzelburg improves again, 54″32, clearly ahead of Theloke, thus taking on the role of the main favorite to win the finalwhile Falcon, with a disappointing sixth place, is excluded from the decisive act. The final ended in a duel to the last stroke between the American and the Australian Walshwho holds the lead of the race until the final 20 meters when Krayzelburg overtakes him and is forced to swim in the Olympic record time, 53″72, to win the gold medal ahead of Walsh who finishes in 54″07, while Theloke steals the bronze medal from Watson.
This is what happens on September 18 at Sydney International Aquatic Centre in Homebush Bay. Two days after the challenge between Krayzelburg and Walsh is renewed on 200 meterswith the addition of the very young and very talented Aaron Peirsol, just 17 years old, who beat his rival at the Trials of American selection, with Emanuele Merisi “uncomfortable fourth” like the Icelandic Oran Arnarson. Nonetheless Krayzelburg is already clearly the fastest, winning the sixth heat in 1’58″40with Peirsol and Merisi recording second and third time competing against each other in the fifth heat, while Walsh is also anticipated by his compatriot Cameron Delaney who, however, does not pass the obstacle of the semifinals.
In the first of which Peirsol and Walsh compete in parallel with the American who imposes himself for the trifle by three hundredths of a second, while in the second Krayzelburg with a time of 1’57″27, unapproachable for anyone, clearly clarifies how strong is his desire to hit the Olympic doublewith Merisi who is two and a half seconds behind but qualifies for the final, also finishing behind the Romanian Florea and the Croatian Kozulj. In the final the battle between Krayzelburg, Peirsol and Walsh is of absolute level, with the two Americans finally going to occupy the first two positions, with Krayzelburg once again at the Olympic record in 1’56″76, while Walsh takes the medal of bronzewith Merisi finishing with an honorable fifth place.
Lenny Krayzelburg is still Olympic champion and confirms that he is number one on the backstroke, with the almost obvious addition of victory also with the 4×100 medley relay who, together with Ed Moses, Ian Crocker and Gary Hall jr., with a time of 3’33″73 he also sets the world record. As you wanted to prove…
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