SWIM SHOCKER U.S. HYMAN BEATS `MADAME BUTTERFLY'.Byline: Karen Crouse Staff Writer SYDNEY, Australia - Butterfly specialist Misty Hyman Misty Dawn Marie Hyman (born March 23, 1979 in Mesa, Arizona) is an American swimmer who won the gold medal in the 200m butterfly at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. Hyman was only supposed to contend for silver on that night (September 20, 2000), as Australian Susie O'Neill was was Tom Candiotti
In 1998, the underwater fishkick that had propelled her, dolphin-like, into world prominence was outlawed by swimming's international governing body Noun 1. governing body - the persons (or committees or departments etc.) who make up a body for the purpose of administering something; "he claims that the present administration is corrupt"; "the governance of an association is responsible to its members"; "he . For the next year, Hyman was adrift. The Stanford senior had pioneered the technique in which she pushed off the wall on her side and did a dolphin kick dolphin kick n. A swimming kick used mainly in butterfly in which the legs are extended straight back and moved up and down in unison with a slight bend in the knees on the upward movement. Noun 1. underwater for 30 meters before taking her first armstroke. She had won seven national titles using the technique and wasn't sure if she could win another one without it. ``I'll be honest with you,'' she said Wednesday. ``It was a huge challenge. I really felt like that fishkick was what brought me to this level. I wasn't sure I would continue to be at the elite level without it.'' She doesn't have to wonder - or worry - anymore. With apologies to Pieter van den Hoogenband Pieter Cornelis Martijn van den Hoogenband (born March 14, 1978 in Maastricht) is a Dutch swimmer and a triple Olympic champion. He is the current world record holder in 100 m freestyle swimming (47.84s). , Hyman pulled off the upset of the Olympic swimming competition in the 200-meter butterfly on Wednesday, defeating hometown favorite Susie O'Neill Susan ("Susie") O'Neill (born August 2, 1973) is an Australian former competitive swimmer from Brisbane, Queensland, who was famously nicknamed "Madame Butterfly". She won the 200 m butterfly at the 1996 Atlanta Olympics and the 200 m freestyle in Sydney. , the defending Olympic champion and reigning (but just barely) world-record holder. It was easily the biggest upset this side of The Netherlands baseball team; O'Neill had not been defeated in the event in six years. Hyman, 21, was timed in 2 minutes, 5.88 seconds, trimming two seconds off the personal best she posted in the semifinals and tearing the collective tongue right out of the crowd of 17,500 at the International Aquatic Centre. She also shaved 0.08 second off Mary T. Meagher's American record, which had stood as the world record for 19 years until O'Neill clocked a 2:05.81 during May in the Olympic pool. Unlike Hyman, Inge de Bruijn Inge de Bruijn (born August 24, 1973) is a former Dutch swimmer, and a four-time Olympic champion. Biography Career Inge de Bruijn was born in Barendrecht, South Holland, and she had tried several sports before settling with swimming. got a world record Wednesday, but the gold medal gold medal traditional first prize. [Western Cult: Misc.] See : Prize will have to wait; she lowered her own global mark in the semifinals of the 100 freestyle with a 53.77 clocking. Her countryman, van den Hoogenband, who had upset Ian Thorpe Ian James Thorpe OAM (born 13 October 1982 in Sydney, New South Wales), also known as the Thorpedo or Thorpey, is a former Australian freestyle swimmer. in the 200 freestyle earlier in the week, denied Russia's Alex Popov his third consecutive Olympic gold medal in the 100 freestyle by out-touching the decorated veteran 48.30 to 48.69 (Aussie Michael Klim, who set the world record last week, was fourth.) Domenico Fioravanti of Italy won the 200-meter breaststroke with the third-fastest time in history (2:10.87) and the U.S. women prevailed in the 800 freestyle relay. Hyman's swim, however, was the highlight during the fifth of eight days of competition. Seeded fourth in the final, she set a blistering pace. Hyman was the only finalist to post a split less than 60 seconds. When she touched 0.6 second ahead of O'Neill at the 150 and turned for home, the U.S. team held its collective breath. Hyman has a history of fading in the final 50 meters, and O'Neill is known for her strength down the stretch. ``So many times I have struggled coming home on the last lap,'' Hyman said. ``I pushed off that wall tonight and I said, `I can do this. I can finish this.' '' O'Neill gained a little ground, but not enough to spoil Hyman's waking dream. Upon touching the wall, she turned around and stared at the scoreboard. As it sunk in that she had won, she began mouthing ``Oh my God.'' U.S. teammate Kaitlin Sandeno, who finished sixth with a personal best of 2:08.81, hurried over to Hyman's lane and swallowed her in a hug. Said Sandeno later, ``This just shows that people you don't think can be beat at this meet can be beat.'' After receiving her gold medal, Hyman retired to the interview room. There she gave a speech worthy of an Oscar winner, thanking everyone from her parents to her Pilates instructor and chiropractor chiropractor a practitioner in chiropractic. chiropractor A health professional trained in chiropractic; chiropractors do not perform surgery or prescribe drugs; of 50,000 licensed chiropractors in the US, many practice 'straight' chiropractic, ie (welcome to swimming in the new millenium). If she was more bubbly than champagne, there was a reason. Four months ago, Hyman's swimming was so flat she contemplated retirement. ``I was questioning myself and my own worth as a swimmer,'' she said. Richard Quick, her coach at Stanford, and fellow swimmers and Cardinal support staff talked her out of it. ``There were so many people who just believed in me so much,'' Hyman said, ``and wouldn't let me throw in the towel.'' It just goes to show, it takes a village sometimes to raise the U.S. flag to the rafters. MEDAL LEADERS* Gold Silver Bronze Total United States 10 7 6 23 Australia 7 8 7 22 China 6 4 7 17 Russia 4 7 6 17 France 6 7 3 16 Italy 4 2 6 12 Germany 3 4 4 11 *through 77 of 93 medal events TODAY'S MAIN EVENTS Water Polo: W. semifinals Gymnastics: W. individual all-around finals Track & Field: M. 20K Walk final, M./W. 100 first round Diving: W. prelims Swimming finals: W. 200 breaststroke, M. 200 backstroke, W. 100 freestyle, M. 200 IM TODAY ON TV NBC NBC in full National Broadcasting Co. Major U.S. commercial broadcasting company. It was formed in 1926 by RCA Corp., General Electric Co. (GE), and Westinghouse and was the first U.S. company to operate a broadcast network. 10 a.m.-Noon Swimming, Beach Volleyball 7 p.m.-Midnight W. Gymnastics, Swimming finals, Equestrian 12:35-2:05 a.m. U.S. M. Basketball, U.S. M. Volleyball MSNBC MSNBC Microsoft/National Broadcasting Company 10 a.m.-5 p.m. U.S. Softball, Rowing, Cycling, Tennis CNBC CNBC Center for the Neural Basis of Cognition (artificial intelligence) CNBC Consumer News and Business Channel CNBC Congress of National Black Churches, Inc. 5-9 p.m. Boxing CAPTION(S): photo, 3 boxes Photo: (1 -- color) Misty Hyman, left, celebrates with teammate Katlin Sandeno after winning the 200 butterfly Wednesday. Tom Hanson/Associated Press Box: (1) Medal leaders (see text) (2) TODAY'S MAIN EVENTS (see text) (3) TODAY ON TV (see text) |
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