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OLYMPIC SPECIAL CHINADAILY TUESDAY, JULY 31, 2012 chinadaily.com.cn Issue No 7 £1

The gold medal time of Yannick Agnel ’s time in a dead heat 1:43.14in the 200 meters freestyle fi nal. 1:44.93 for second with Park Tae-hwan

TYM GLASER Sun shines on new era in the pool

I’m walking on sunshine, wooah I’m walking on sunshine, woooah I’m walking on sunshine, woooah and don’t it feel good! Walking on Sunshine — Katrina and the Waves

un Yang was on the verge of becom- ing the greatest freestyle swimmer in Olympic history. S With a victory in Monday’s 200 meter freestyle fi nal, the Chinese super fi sh would have been in line to complete the unprecedented feat of winning a sprint (200m), middle distance (400) and marathon (1,500) in the pool. Unfortunately for Sun, and the history books, he had to settle for a shared silver with his Asian nemesis Park Tae-hwan and behind French rocket Yannick Agnel. Before you launch water bombs at me and spout the names of Johnny Weissmuller (AKA Tarzan), , Graham Th orpe and as the greatest proponents of CUI MENG / CHINA DAILY propelling oneself through the water, please remember the word “freestyle” when I proclaim Sun Yang cuts through the water during the men’s 200m freestyle fi nal at the Olympics on Monday. Yannick Agnel captured the gold medal while Sun tied for second with South Korea’s Park Tae-hwan. Sun among the best splashers of all-time. None of them challenged for freestyle titles at a Games over the 200, 400 and 1,500 distances. In fairness, there wasn’t a 200 race in Chee- tah’s pal’s day in Paris in 1924, and it’s prudent to note that (and I really want to beat my chest and make that primal African call now) Weiss- Agnel steals thunder in 200m muller won fi ve Olympic gold medals and set 67 world records before leaping from the pool to Hollywood and making 12 Tarzan fi lms. Frenchman races to second gold medal and spoils Chinese star’s dream of a hat-trick But that’s by the by, Sun is transcending his chosen stroke, and with a win in the 1,500 on Sunday (Beijing time), which should be a fait By REUTERS in London of nerves to win the gold medal. accompli, he will set a gold-silver-gold standard Th e 15-year-old not only became in freestyle that may never be emulated. Yannick Agnel captured his sec- the fi rst swimmer from her coun- In the 400, he was a solid favorite, but Mon- ond gold medal in 24 hours at the try to win an , but day’s 200 seemed to be a novelty event to whit- London Olympics when he won she did it in under extraordinary tle away the time before his blitz in the pool’s the men’s 200 meters freestyle fi nal circumstances. marathon event. on Monday, beating a stellar fi eld The start, a time when swim- Th at was before he decided to earnestly take in one of the most exhilarating mers are already battling their on all-world opponents like new American races in the pool. nerves, was delayed by a technical superhero , Park, Agnel and Ger- Agnel, whose stunning anchor malfunction that saw the starter’s many’s . leg swim won the 4x100m gun go off before he had called “on It’s almost frightening how much better this freestyle relay the previous night, your marks”. American Breeja Lar- 20-year-old from Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, led all the way to win gold in a time son dived into the pool on the gun can get over the next few years. He already boasts of 1 min 43.14 sec, 1.14 outside Paul but was able to race because of the the world record in the 1,500m (14:34.14) and it Biedermann’s world record, set at malfunction. seems only a matter of time before those shorter- the 2009 World Championships in The eight finalists sat down distance records are his as well. Rome when the now-banned poly- while the problem was fi xed and an To put his potential feat in a terrestrial per- urethane bodysuits were allowed. unfazed Meilutyte still got off the spective, it would be like champion Jamaican China’s Sun Yang, who won the blocks fastest and led at the turn, sprinter Usain Bolt competing over those dis- 400 freestyle on Saturday, dead- but then had to survive a fierce tances (200, 400, 1,500) on the track … but that heated for second with South challenge from American Rebecca just couldn’t happen. Korea’s Park Tae-hwan in 1:44.93 Soni, the reigning world champion Th ere’s no doubt Bolt could win the 200 while American world champion in the event. and 400 (he was a 400 star in juniors before he Ryan Lochte was fourth. The more experienced Soni dropped it for the 100), but few athletes in the Th e 200 requires a combination drew level in the fi nal few strokes world — if any — are physically confi gured to of speed, stamina and tactical nous but Meilutyte kept her cool and sprint and endure. and Agnel had all three in abun- got her hands on the wall fi rst in 1 Sun is cut from a unique cloth; one which we dance, dictating the race from the min 05.47 sec. should all appreciate and enjoy in equal mea- outset then bursting clear of his Soni was second in 1:05.55 while surements. rivals on the final lap to provide Japan’s Satomi Suzuki finished Sit back, relax and enjoy Sun shine. France with its third gold medal in third in 1:06.46. London’s Aquatic Centre. Also on Monday, China’s Ye Tym Glaser is a senior sports copy editor who is In the women’s 100m breast- Shiwen recorded the fastest time very profi cient at staying afl oat. He can be con- stroke, Lithuanian teenager Ruta FEI MAOHUA / XINHUA in the semifinals of the women’s tacted at [email protected]. Meilutyte survived the ultimate test China’s Ye Shiwen (right) was the top qualifi er in the 200m individual medley semifi nals in 2:08.39. 200-meter individual medley.

Contacts In this issue LONDON: NEWS ...... 2,8,9,11,12 Silver and bronze are golden too, say fans Phone +44 (0)207 398 8270 OLYMPICS ...... 3-6 Fax +44 (0)207 398 8260 COMMENT ...... 7 By CUI JIA interview with China Central Th e CCTV reporter hugged whelmingly supported Wu and gize for,’’ said Guangzhou resi- Feedback [email protected] COVER STORY ...... 10 and PENG YINING Television on Monday. Wu, 23, and told him that it was other Chinese athletes who dent Wu Zhilin, an avid sports Circulation & Advertising BUSINESS ...... 13-17 “I feel terribly guilty for disap- a proud achievement to win the failed to get gold. The obses- fan. [email protected] LIFE ...... 18-21 Despite winning silver in the pointing my country, the Chi- silver medal and he would have sion for Olympic gold should “His reaction shows how BEIJING: WORLD ...... 22-23 men’s 56kg weightlift ing event nese weightlift ing team and all another opportunity. not lessen the remarkable feat much he, as a Chinese athlete, News (86-10) 6491-8366 at the , Wu the people who supported me,” Aft er all, the Olympic maxim of getting an Olympic medal of cared about the gold. But win- Subscription (86) 400-699-0203 Jingbiao, Chinese double world he said fi ghting back the tears states that it is not the winning whatever hue, they said. ning silver also deserves to be Advertisement (86-10) 6491-8631 champion, apologized profuse- in front of the camera. “I really but the taking part that counts. “It’s understandable that Wu celebrated.’’ E-mail [email protected] ly for, as he put it, letting down wanted to be the best but I didn’t Back in China, public opin- regretted not getting the gold iPhone app chinadaily.com.cn/iphone his fans and his country in an make it,” he said. “I am sorry!” ion and online comments over- but he has nothing to apolo- SEE “MEDAL” PAGE 2