This is the kind of swim that the US men's team needed.
Special congratulations to Klete Keller and his anchor leg. It's not easy swimming anchor when you know Thorpe is bearing down on you. Keller kept his cool and held on for gold and a new American record.
Also must say that Klim had a good split. I was fooled, and so was swiminfo into thinking that they would go with Stevens rather than Klim. Experienced showed however and Klim did swim well.
When was the last time that the US won this race? (I remember 84 and Bruce Hayes and 88 but think the Russians won in 92 and Aussies in 96 and 2000).
Long live the "revival" of US middle distance swimming.
Former Member
This had to be the most nerve wracking relay to watch ever!
Go U.S.A.!!!!!!!!!!!:D
Mo Green-what a jackass! Saw him on the Track and Field Trials-he's not half the sprinter/man Carl Lewis is-and to compare himself to Jesse Owens-ha ha ha. I actually hope he does not win the gold then he can parade around with that stupid saying on his arms. Thank god I am a swimmer!
Whether or not Thorpe went out too fast on the first 50, I couldn't believe that he started over one second behind Keller and then made up most of it on the start. He came up from his dive/dolphin kick and was right with Keller. Did anyone else think Thorpe had an incredible start to his leg?
I was wondering right up until the final 50 whether Thorpe was really going all out or whether he was saving something for a big burst at the end. And I'd imagine Keller must have been wondering the same thing. It was certainly an exciting race!
People get excited in sports. I have yet to see anything in the swimming that made me cringe.
Just wait until track and field and Mr. GOAT Mo Green starts posing.
It's pretty obvious the difference between jubilant celebration and gloating. I'm happy to see some emotion exhibited, sometimes swimmers are a little stodgy, well, except Mr. Hall.
The picture in today's Baltimore Sun says it all. Thought I would share it with my friends. BTW, there are plenty of pictures at the Baltimore Sun website.
Originally posted by kiwi surfer
Awesome just awesome. Like you I think Thorpe went out too fast and to me at least he doesn't look to be in absolute top condition.
I disagree on both points. Thorpe had a very good split so he is in top condition. I also think his strategy to close the gap earlier was a good one. It's just that Keller had the forethought to keep to his race plan and not get flustered when Thorpe closed on him.
Obviously Phelps was tired from his 200 fly and no doubt from the cumulative pressure of the Olympics/Spitz challenge. Fortuanetly, Hackett couldn't repeat his 200 performance.
Caps off to Lochte, who also kept to his game plan and didn't get rattle when Klim closed early and to Vanderkaay.
I also have to hand it to Klim. He hasn't swum this race in a very long time. He had to endure a time trial to get on the relay and then put together a very good split, compared to Stevens. And at the end of the race was the first Aussie to congratulte the US
Originally posted by seltzer
I also have to hand it to Klim. ...... And at the end of the race was the first Aussie to congratulte the US
Interesting. There is talk in the track and field world about how the IOC, and especially the USOC, has let it be known that "showboating"/bad manners will be a very unhappy thing for those involved. Everyone does seem to have had a visit from Miss Manners at this Olympics, at least so far.
-LBJ
