Pieter van den Hoogenband & Cathy Freeman
The following is an assignment I did in PE in 2000. We had to choose two people/teams from different sports who were to compete in the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, and to follow their progress. At this stage, my writing wasn't very good But I got an A or an A+ on the assignment (can't remember which).
PIETER VAN DEN HOOGENBAND & CATHY FREEMAN
PIETER VAN DEN HOOGENBAND
Before the Olympics, there was only one male swimmer everyone was talking about: Ian Thorpe. Nevertheless, I wasn't impressed. I'd heard of a certain swimmer who was about to turn the Sydney Olympic swimming pool upside down: Pieter van den Hoogenband.
The 22-year-old medical student from Maastricht, the Netherlands was going to prove to the world - especially Australia - just exactly what he was made of. The Dutchman - almost 2 metres tall with his 1.93 metre frame - would be competing in three individual events and two team events, and was sure to make a splash. And so he did.
Pieter's first event for the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games was the Men's 200m Freestyle, Heat 5. He won this event with a time of 1:46.71 and made it to the semi-finals. But was that enough to open everyone's eyes? Maybe not.
But in his next event, he certainly did. He won the Men's 200m Freestyle, Semi-final 1 with a blitzing time of 1:45.35 - a new world record! "I wanted to break 1:46," he stated. "To do a 1:45 and break the world record was just incredible." The winner of 6 gold medals in the European Championships proved to be happy, but not egotistical.
Pieter is considered to be the fastest "free swimmer" (without turns or starts) and his stroke is considered to be among the most efficient in world swimming. This was proved fact when he won his first medal for the Games - a gold one! Not only that, but he equalled his own world record with 1:45.35. The silver and bronze medallists, Ian Thorpe of Australia and Massimiliano Rosolino - a half-Australian of Italy - were powerless to stop him.
Lips were all a flurry with the news that Pieter van den Hoogenband had beaten Ian Thorpe. Some claimed that Ian Thorpe would have won, but he was suffering an illness. But excuses are excuses, and Pieter won the glorified gold that was made for him. His coach, Jacco Verhaeren, was very proud.
As expected, the "Flying Dutchman" was gracious and modest when it came to that race. "I just wanted it so badly, it's unbelievable I won. I have so much respect for Ian [Thorpe]. It was so amazing. I was just so relaxed. It was a big dream. I was enjoying every stroke. I really want to go and get drunk, but I've got a lot more competition to come, so that will have to wait a few days. I wanted to get the best out of this body. I thought he [Ian Thorpe] would break the world record tonight. It's really weird." After completing the race, he and Ian shared a hug as they watched the scoreboard.
The partying was on hold. Scheduled to participate in the Men's 4x100m relay, the Netherlands team was disqualified.
"Pieter the Great" had conquered one event, now onto the next. The Men's 100m Freestyle, Heat 9. He was on the pace, winning with a time of 48.64.
Pieter recaptured attention in the Men's 100m Freestyle, Semi-final 2 with another world record - this one being 47.84. Could it really be? Could this man beat the famed Russian four-time Olympic gold medallist Alexander
Popov?
People had to wait until the final. First they had to sit through the Men's 4x200m Freestyle Final. Pieter was the last swimmer and he broke his own record, but it didn't count. Alas, the Netherlands team came only third with a time of 7:12.70. But all medals are good.
The media didn't pay much attention to the Netherlands in this event. Instead, the public eye was cast upon the USA and Australia. Who would win? Australia did, with the USA in second. Still, Pieter and his
team mates Martijn Zuijdweg, Johan Kenkhuis and Marcel Wouda were all very happy to receive their bronze medals and admire their flag.
The time had come. Pieter won the Men's 100m Freestyle Final with a time of 48.30. Second was Russia's Alexander Popov and third was the USA's Gary Hall Jr. After the event, he said, "I just had to win this race tonight. I did it. I am still dreaming." And he has every right to.
Next up: the Men's 50m Freestyle, Semi-final 2. This time Pieter reigned with a time of 22.11. About the final he stated, "I am fairly tired. I didn't get any rest after my 100m win. I got to sleep at 12:30am and had to get up at 7:30am. If I have a good rest before the 50m final, hopefully I will break 22 seconds and we will see what the other guys do. To make the final is great. If I win a medal, that is fine."
However, not all went according to plan. Pieter came third with 22.03. There were two equal firsts awarded to two Americans, Anthony Ervin and Gary Hall Jr.
All in all, I have to say that Pieter van den Hoogenband is an amazing swimmer - my personal equal-favourite. He realised his dreams and performed even better than that. He couldn't believe that he had done so well.
The most memorable highlights of the Olympics for me were the Men's 200m Freestyle Final and when Pieter was spotted shaking the Australians' hands in the Competitors Call Room after the Men's 4x200m Freestyle Final.
So there you have it: there's a new king of the pool - Pieter van den Hooganband. And we haven't seen the last of him yet!
Results at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games
§ Men's 200m Freestyle, Heat 5 - 1st 1:46.71
§ Men's 200m Freestyle, Semi-final 1 - 1st 1:45.35 WORLD RECORD
§ Men's 200m Freestyle, Final - 1st 1:45.35 EQUALLED WORLD RECORD
§ Men's 100m Freestyle, Heat 9 - 1st 48.64
§ Men's 100m Freestyle, Semi-final 2 - 1st 47.84 WORLD RECORD
§ Men's 4x200m Freestyle Final - 3rd 7:12.70
§ Men's 100m Freestyle Final - 1st 48.30
§ Men's 50m Freestyle, Heat 10 - 2nd 22.32
§ Men's 50m Freestyle, Semi-final 2 - 1st 22.11
§ Men's 50m Freestyle Final - 3rd 22.03
2 GOLD MEDALS
2 SILVER MEDALS
CATHY FREEMAN
After the Olympics, Australia's patriots were talking about two Australian heroes: Ian Thorpe and Cathy Freeman. But what exactly made Cathy the queen of Australian sport?
We travel back to 1990, where 16-year-old Cathy Freeman decided to try out for the Australian 4x100m relay track team in the Commonwealth Games. She was selected and the team won gold.
We skip forward to her first Olympic Games - Atlanta, USA in 1996. She won a silver medal in the Women's 400m with 48.63.
But perhaps people know her best for lighting Sydney's Olympic torch. She had a lot to say about that. "I was a bit embarrassed at first because I could think of a handful of other people who could have done the job. But, oh well, how could I say no, how could I refuse? It will definitely be a good story for my grandchildren. I'm so proud and honoured to have lit the flame. I don't quite understand why it has happened to men, but I'm very proud."
But before she could put her foot on the track to compete, an incident occurred to cause much media flurry. Her main rival, France's Marie-Jose Perec, had fled the country due to a claimed attack. Naturally, the media flocked to Cathy to judge her reaction.
"I'd love her to be happy and comfortable in my own country, or wherever she might be."
On the track, she got off to a great start. The Women's 400m, Round 1, heat 4 progressed her on after she came first with 52.63.
Then there was the Women's 400m, Round 2, Heat 4. She won this also with a time of 50.01.
Now there were only two steps left. The Women's 400m, Semi-final 2 left her with one sep to go after winning with 50.01.
You know what comes next: victory. The woman who most admires her mother did a victory carrying both the Aboriginal and Australian flags. The time of 49.11 gave her her first Olympic gold medal.
She had lots to say. "I can't believe that something like this is happening to a little girl like me. It has really spun me out and turned my world upside down. I felt everyone's emotions inside of me and I'm very relieved it's over. I could feel everybody's happiness and joy absorbed into every pore of my body. All I know is I've made a lot of people happy from all sorts of backgrounds who call Australia home. It's been a dream of mine since I was a little girl and that's why I got really emotional. It just gave me a really big thrill to see my family so happy. Big smiles and a few tears. My message to everyone is thank you for watching, a simple thank you. If you were wanting me to win, thank you, thank you, thank you."
Next up: the Women's 200m Qualifying, Heat 2. She came third with 23.11 behind Leoni Mani and Muriel Hurtis.
Then the Women's 200m Quarter finals, Heat 1. Cathy was again third with 22.75 behind Beverly McDonald and Pauline Davis-Thompson.
Then the final. A disappointing start led to a lacklustre seventh place with 22.53. The medallists (in order) were Marion Jones, Pauline Davis-Thompson and Susanthika Jayasinghe.
There was one event remaining: the Women's 4x400m Final. Cathy was the fourth runner behind teammates Nova Peris-Kneebone, Tamsyn Lewis and Melinda Gainsford-Taylor. The team came fifth with 3:23.81. The medallists (in order) were the USA, Jamaica and Russia.
A solitary medallist in Sydney, but still an Australian Olympic hero. But in a way, she's just like the rest of us. "I am normal," she has stated. "I get annoyed when there is no paper in the loo."
And who can disagree with that?
Results at the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games
· Women's 400m Heat 4 - 1st 51.63
· Women's 400m Round 2 - 1st 50.31
· Women's 400m Semi-final 2 - 1st 50.01
· Women's 400m Final - 1st 49.11
· Women's 200m Qualifying, Heat 2 - 3rd 23.11
· Women's 200m Quarter finals, Heat 2 - 3rd 22.75
· Women's 200m Final - 7th 22.53
· Women's 4x400m Final - 5th 3:23.81
1 GOLD MEDAL
Past & Present Italians Pieter van den Hoogenband & Cathy Freeman Safety Conditions in Motorsport What It Is Like to Be a Teenager
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