I can understand non-swimmers calling the Men's 400 Free Relay the "best swimming relay ever", but I even hear many long time swimmers calling it that too. I'm not saying it isn't (especially in the context of being part of Phelps' 8 gold's quest), but there are others to consider.
Does anyone remember the 1984 Olympic Men's 800 Free Relay in Los Angeles, in particular the anchor leg of USA's Bruce Hayes versus West Germany's Michael Gross? Gross was the 200 LCM Free WR holder, winning the 200 by 1.7 seconds and highly considered not just unbeatable, but untouchable (West Germany also had the 200 Free 3rd place finisher on their relay). Gross was a touch behind Hayes at the start, but quickly made up the difference, with Hayes fading even more. Some how, some way, with the same inner resolve that Lezak displayed, he came back and overtook Gross for a win by .04. I found several references to the final times on the internet, I wish I could find the splits from that race. Here's one result I found: www.databaseolympics.com/.../gamessport.htm
It's easy to say the current relay was a better win, but I think a lot of that is just because it's so fresh in our minds. And I still might pick the current relay as the best myself, but considering that 800 Free Relay, it's not the obvious hands down choice that people make it out to be.
Just my opinions, just my thought. Either way, the USA won them both, and I couldn't be happier!
Joe (joemagiera at ameritech dot net)
joemagiera@ameritech.net
Former Member
2000 4x100 is #1 in my book:
a. Hall v. Thorpe. Both were pinacles of the sport. All-Time greats.
b. Hall passes Thorpe, Thorpe passes him back - wow!
c. In Australlia. Like the 84 relay, there is an added specialness that the winning team was swimming on their home turf.
Former Member
I can understand non-swimmers calling the Men's 400 Free Relay the "best swimming relay ever", but I even hear many long time swimmers calling it that too. I'm not saying it isn't (especially in the context of being part of Phelps' 8 gold's quest), but there are others to consider.
Does anyone remember the 1984 Olympic Men's 800 Free Relay in Los Angeles, in particular the anchor leg of USA's Bruce Hayes versus West Germany's Michael Gross? Gross was the 200 LCM Free WR holder, winning the 200 by 1.7 seconds and highly considered not just unbeatable, but untouchable (West Germany also had the 200 Free 3rd place finisher on their relay). Gross was a touch behind Hayes at the start, but quickly made up the difference, with Hayes fading even more. Somehow, someway, with the same inner resolve that Lezak displayed, he came back and overtook Gross for a win by .04. I found several references to the final times on the internet, I wish I could find the splits from that race. Here's one result I found: www.databaseolympics.com/.../gamessport.htm
It's easy to say the current relay was a better win, but I think a lot of that is just because it's so fresh in our minds. And I still might pick the current relay as the best myself, but considering that 800 Free Relay, it's not the obvious hands down choice that people make it out to be.
Just my opinions, just my thought. Either way, the USA won them both, and I couldn't be happier!
Joe (joemagiera at ameritech dot net)
joemagiera@ameritech.net
After Lezak won, I mentioned to my kids that they just witnessed the best finish in a relay since the '84 4 x 200 relay. I then proceeded to tell them the story. I would put that finish in the same category. The albatross lost it. Great finish by Hayes.
Former Member
not to underscore the race in any way, but was bernard really talking a lot of trash? was it just one comment that got blown out of proportion and got the media all crazy about it? i haven't seen comments anywhere online, but then again maybe i'm not looking hard enough.
“The Americans? We’re going to smash them. That’s what we came here for,” Bernard said.
www.msnbc.msn.com/.../
