American swimmer Michael Phelps needed a little help from his friends to pip France in the relay on Monday and keep alive his dream of eight golds in the most exciting moment so far of the Beijing Olympics.
While records tumbled in the Water Cube pool, a familiar shadow fell over the third day when a Spanish cyclist became the first competitor to fail a drug test in Beijing.
China had so far avoided the doping scandals that so tarnished the Athens Olympics four years ago. But the International Olympic Committee (IOC) announced Maria Isabel Moreno (29) was caught taking the endurance-boosting EPO drug.
Moreno, who could now face a two-year ban and also miss the 2012 London Olympics, went home to Spain after the test that was taken before the Games’ opening. The IOC plans more than 4 500 tests and expects between 30 and 40 positive cases.
Phelps, who has made the early headlines in Beijing with his quest for an unprecedented medal haul, left the United States team second after the first leg of the 4×100 metre freestyle relay.
And France looked sure to win when former record holder Alain Bernard led by half a body length with one lap to go.
So it took an astonishing comeback from Phelps’ American teammate Jason Lezak to beat the French by a finger-tip at the death.
”I’ve never seen anything like that before,” US head men’s coach Eddie Reese said. ”Running down somebody who holds the world record and is on their game is incredible.”
A relieved and usually cool Phelps (23) pumped his arms in the air and screamed for joy amid wild celebrations on the US team whom France had boasted about ”smashing” in the build-up.
”Jason finished that race better than we could even ask for,” Phelps said. ”I was so fired up.”
The Americans took nearly four seconds off the world record, a big margin in swimming. In all, five relay teams beat it.
”Experience prevailed over talent today, and I regret that,” lamented Frederick Bousquet on a deflated French team.
Making yet more swimming history in the same race, Eamon Sullivan claimed the individual world record from Bernard when he led the Australian team off on the first lap.
Japan’s ‘perfect’ swim
The race left Phelps with two golds, after he destroyed his own world record on Sunday to win the 400m individual medley.
He is still on course to beat Mark Spitz’s 1972 record of seven golds in a single Games. And after six in Athens, Phelps needs only two more to have the most golds of any Olympian.
Also thrilling a capacity crowd at the shimmering pool venue, the most decorated Asian swimmer of all time, Japan’s Kosuke Kitajima, justified his pre-race hype by shaving 0,22 seconds off the world record to win the 100m breaststroke.
Women swimmers were not to be outdone.
Australia’s Libby Trickett was told by coaches to build up her backside before Beijing due to a weakness in gluteal muscles. That paid off when she won gold in the women’s 100m butterfly.
Zimbabwe’s Kirsty Coventry had vowed to show her nation in a positive light in China despite its economic and political crisis. She did just that by shaving 0,20 seconds off the world record for 100m backstroke during her semifinal.
Then Rebecca Adlington won Britain’s first Olympic women’s swimming title in nearly half a century with a last-gasp victory in the 400m freestyle after being fourth at the final turn.
”I am so proud to be British,” she enthused.
India, the world’s second most populous nation after China, won its first ever individual Olympic title with Abhinav Bindra’s gold in the men’s 10m air rifle. He also needed a thrilling comeback, shooting a near perfect hit at the end.
”I haven’t prayed so much in my life,” said a nerve-wracked Randhir Singh, Indian Olympic Association secretary-general.
Thunderstorms overnight finally cleared away Beijing’s notorious smog and temperatures have dropped, easing athletes’ health fears over pollution and summer heat.
The rain began on Sunday, causing havoc with rowing and tennis and delaying the appearance of big names like Roger Federer and Rafael Nadal.
By early afternoon on Monday, China still led the medal table with six golds to three for both the United States and South Korea. China came second to the United States in Athens and wants to go one better in front of its own people.
That would underline the message of growing economic and national might China is hoping to project through its hosting of a spectacular, no-expense-spared Games.
Chinese national pride has swelled with a jaw-droppingly lavish opening ceremony and early sporting triumphs. That has pushed into the background pre-Games criticism of its human rights record and stifling of anti-government dissent. – Reuters