Men's 200m Freestyle : THORPE (AUS) scores gold in pool showdown 16 Aug. 2004
ATHENS, 16 August - Australia's Ian THORPE won his second gold of these Olympic Games and avenged his defeat of four years ago in Sydney when he came home over the top of defending Olympic champion Pieter van den HOOGENBAND (NED) in the the Men's 200m Freestyle final at the Olympic Aquatic Centre.
In a blue riband event pitting reigning world champion and world record holder THORPE against van den HOOGENBAND and American swimming sensation Michael PHELPS, it was the cool Australian who paced himself best to win in an Olympic record time of 1:44.71.
Van den HOOGENBAND had gone out fast in the first 100 metres, turning more than a second ahead of world record pace at the half-way mark, only to be reined in by his great rival. The result gave van den Hoogenband his second silver of the Games.
PHELPS came third to add a bronze medal to the gold he won in the 400m Individual Medley.
Respect!What a great sportsman!He's in the league of his own!
ATHENS, 16 August - Australia's Ian THORPE won his second gold of these Olympic Games and avenged his defeat of four years ago in Sydney when he came home over the top of defending Olympic champion Pieter van den HOOGENBAND (NED) in the the Men's 200m Freestyle final at the Olympic Aquatic Centre.
In a blue riband event pitting reigning world champion and world record holder THORPE against van den HOOGENBAND and American swimming sensation Michael PHELPS, it was the cool Australian who paced himself best to win in an Olympic record time of 1:44.71.
Van den HOOGENBAND had gone out fast in the first 100 metres, turning more than a second ahead of world record pace at the half-way mark, only to be reined in by his great rival. The result gave van den Hoogenband his second silver of the Games.
PHELPS came third to add a bronze medal to the gold he won in the 400m Individual Medley.
Respect!What a great sportsman!He's in the league of his own!
