U.S. female swimmers win team gold

Click here for more on this story

Posted: Sunday August 16, 1998 03:07 PM

NEW YORK (CNN/SI) -- While all 18 members of the U.S. women's swim team will share the excitment of winning the gold, only four will take home the cash prize.

The American team, led by Cristina Teuscher and Jenny Thompson, won the team gold after defeating Germany 78-44, its third straight dual-meet win at the Goodwill Games.

"I didn't have any concrete goals, just to swim good times," Thompson said. "But I'm real happy that the team was undefeated. The dual-meet format made things more exciting."

The gold medal is worth $50,000 to the winning team, and since only four of the 18 team members are out of college, those four get to share the loot.

Thompson of Dover, New Hampshire; captain Lea Maurer of Crestwood, New York; Richelle Fox of Scotia, New York; and Ashley Tappin of New Orleans will take home $12,500 each for the team gold medal.

"I just bought a '96 Tahoe that I have $15,000 left to pay on it, and this money will got straight to that," Tappin said. "As long as I have been swimming, it has never been money oriented. So for me to come away with all this money is unbelievable. I just thank my lucky stars."

With an additional $1,000 going to the best time in each event during the three dual meets, Thompson had a chance - pending the World Team-China meet later Saturday - to win a total of $14,500 and four gold medals.

Teuscher, of New Rochelle, New York, ineligible for prize money because she still attends Columbia, won the 200 freestyle and the 200 individual medley against Germany.

Teuscher had a chance for five gold medals: the team gold, the 800 and 400 freestyles, the 200 IM and the freestyle relay. But the World All-Star team, in an 86-35 dual-meet victory over China, took away her golds in all but the 800 and the team event.

"It was a fairy tale week - an emotional roller-coaster, intense and exciting," Teuscher said. "I think this will make me stronger and more confident. I wanted to prove it to myself more than anybody else."

Thompson won the 100 freestyle and swam a leg of the winning 400 medley relay against Germany.

Saturday night's U.S. freestyle relay team was disqualified for an early start, but Teuscher and Thompson still had the fastest pending relay time earlier in the week.

Even with the disqualification, the United States won 10 of the 14 events against the Germans, including the first six to give it a 38-14 lead.

Thompson had the best time of the week in the 100 butterfly and two relays. She would have to split the $2,000 in relay money with Tappin and Fox.

Thompson also had the best time going into the final World Team-China matchup, but Martina Moravcova of Slovakia topped Thompson with a time of 55.46 seconds, .10 better than Thompson, who won the silver.

Maurer, with the best time in the 100 backstroke, won an additional $1,000, while Fox and Tappin could win another $500 for their relay shares.

Related information
Stories
U.S. men defeated by World All-Stars
Stats
Swimming Results - August 1 Women's Team Swimming Results - August 1
Multimedia
Click here for the latest audio and video
Message Boards
Make a splash! Post your comments on CNN/SI's Goodwill Games Swimming Message Board! Join the discussion
Search our site	Watch CNN/SI 24 hours a day
	Sports Illustrated and CNN have combined to form a 24 hour sports news and information channel. To receive CNN/SI at your home call 1-888-53-CNNSI.