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Misty day American Hyman upsets O'Neill in 200 butterflyLatest: Wednesday October 11, 2000 12:22 PM
SYDNEY, Australia (CNNSI.com) -- American Misty Hyman upset Australia's "Madame Butterfly" Wednesday, edging defending champion Susie O'Neill for gold in the 200-meter butterfly. The 21-year-old Hyman took the lead early and held on to win in an Olympic record 2 minutes, 5.88 seconds, just missing O'Neill's world record by seven one-hundredths of a second. "I've played it over so many times in my head, but I never thought it would come true," said Hyman, who, discouraged by health problems and slow times, was ready to quit swimming in May. Pieter van den Hoogenband of the Netherlands won gold in the 100 freestyle in 48.30 seconds, denying Russian Alexander Popov an unprecedented third straight Olympic title in the event. O'Neill finished second in 2:06.58. Petria Thomas of Australia took bronze in 2:07.12. O'Neill, known as "Madame Butterfly," broke the oldest record in swimming in May at the Australian Olympic trials when she lowered Mary T. Meagher's 19-year-old world record. But Hyman went out strong and held a body-length lead over O'Neill at the 150-meter mark. The crowd of 17,500 at the Sydney International Aquatic Center urged O'Neill on with shouts of 'Susie!,' but the Aussie never made a run at Hyman. "I swam as well as I could," O'Neill said. "Obviously, I'm disappointed. Unfortunately, I know my best time would've done it."
Hyman, a first-time Olympian, swam a lifetime best to stun O'Neill, who was the heavy favorite. She broke out in a huge grin and screamed 'Oh, my God!" over and over when she realized she'd won. O'Neill swam over to congratulate her. Until her shocking victory, Hyman was known mostly for using a unique underwater fish kick that was banned by FINA, the sport's international governing body, in 1998. That forced her to change her racing style. "It was a huge challenge," she said. "I had developed a technique for swimming that brought me to an elite level. I was not sure if I was an elite swimmer anymore." Hyman was so discouraged and troubled with sinus and asthma conditions that she called her trainer in May with a message: "I'm ready to throw in the towel." After receiving her gold medal, a giddy Hyman waved her floral bouquet and was swamped by American teammates, who spilled out of the stands and knocked over a cardboard barrier in their rush to congratulate her. "I can't believe it," said Kaitlin Sandeno of Lake Forest, Calif., who was sixth in 2:08.81. "This all means the world for Misty and for our team. We're real pumped right now. It just means people they say can't be beat can be beat." Rhythmic clapping broke out even before the 200 butterfly finalists appeared on deck. As they walked single file to their lanes, camera flashes twinkled in the stands and a quick chant of "USA! USA!" rang out for the two American women. Seconds before the starting gun, a lone man cried out, "Let's go, Susie!" Watching from the stands, Chelsea Clinton beamed after Hyman pulled off the biggest upset so far on the fifth night of the eight-day meet. Inge De Bruijn qualified first for the eight-woman 100 freestyle final in 53.77 seconds, lowering the mark of 53.80 she set in May in Britain. "It was great," she said before hurrying off to watch countryman Van den Hoogenband in the 100 freestyle final. "The last seconds were very tough, but I think I can go faster." De Bruijn broke her first world mark Sunday when she won the 100 butterfly. Swimming in the lane next to De Bruijn, Jenny Thompson of Dover, N.H., was second-quickest in 54.40. Dara Torres of Beverly Hills, Calif., was third in 55.02. The final is Thursday. "I don't think I've got that oomph right now," Torres said. Domenico Fioravanti of Italy became the first to ever sweep the men's breaststroke golds, winning the 200 by three body lengths in 2:10.87. He became the first Italian swimmer to win Olympic gold when he won the 100 breaststroke. Terence Parkin of South Africa took silver and Davide Rummolo of Italy earned bronze. Fioravanti draped his left arm around Rummolo on the medals podium. Kyle Salyards of Lancaster, Pa., was sixth in 2:13.27. Lenny Krayzelburg of Studio City, Calif., and Aaron Peirsol of Irvine, Calif., qualified 1-2 for the 200 backstroke final. Krayzelburg lowered the Olympic record for the second time Wednesday. He broke it in the morning preliminaries, then swam even quicker in the semifinals with a time of 1:57.27. Peirsol was second in 1:58.44. "I'm not really worried about the records," Krayzelburg said. "I've definitely got a lot more in the tank." The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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