Swimming at the 2000 Summer Olympics – Men's 100 metre freestyle
| Men's 100 metre freestyle at the Games of the XXVII Olympiad | |||||||
| Venue | Sydney International Aquatic Centre | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Date | September 19, 2000 (heats & semifinals) September 20, 2000 (final) | ||||||
| Competitors | 74 from 66 nations | ||||||
| Winning time | 48.30 | ||||||
| Medalists | |||||||
| |||||||
| Swimming events at the 2000 Summer Olympics  | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Freestyle | ||||
| 50 m | men | women | ||
| 100 m | men | women | ||
| 200 m | men | women | ||
| 400 m | men | women | ||
| 800 m | women | |||
| 1500 m | men | |||
| Backstroke | ||||
| 100 m | men | women | ||
| 200 m | men | women | ||
| Breaststroke | ||||
| 100 m | men | women | ||
| 200 m | men | women | ||
| Butterfly | ||||
| 100 m | men | women | ||
| 200 m | men | women | ||
| Individual medley | ||||
| 200 m | men | women | ||
| 400 m | men | women | ||
| Freestyle relay | ||||
| 4×100 m | men | women | ||
| 4×200 m | men | women | ||
| Medley relay | ||||
| 4×100 m | men | women | ||
The men's 100 metre freestyle event at the 2000 Summer Olympics took place on 19–20 September at the Sydney International Aquatic Centre in Sydney, Australia.[1]
Netherlands' Pieter van den Hoogenband stormed home on the final lap to claim his second Olympic gold medal at these Games. He posted a time of 48.30 to hold off Russia's defending Olympic champion Alexander Popov by almost two-fifths of a second (0.40).[2] Failing to attain a third straight triumph in the same event, Popov settled only for the silver in 48.69. Meanwhile, U.S. swimmer Gary Hall, Jr. powered home with a bronze in 48.73.[3][4]
After breaking a split world record in the 4×100 m freestyle relay on the opening night, Australia's overwhelming favorite Michael Klim missed out the podium in a close race against Hall by a hundredth of a second, finishing with a time of 48.74.[5] Klim was followed in fifth by Hall's teammate Neil Walker (49.09), and in sixth by Sweden's three-time Olympian Lars Frölander (49.22). Russia's Denis Pimankov (49.36) and another Aussie Chris Fydler (49.44) rounded out the finale.[4]
Earlier in the semifinals, Van den Hoogenband cleared a 48-second barrier to set a new world record of 47.84, slashing 0.34 seconds off the mark set by Klim from the relay.[6]
One of the most popular highlights in the event took place in the first heat. Dubbed as Eric the Eel, Equatorial Guinea's Eric Moussambani received a dubious honor of being the slowest Olympic swimmer in history. Two other swimmers, Niger's Karim Bare and Tajikistan's Farkhod Oripov, plunged into the pool and were cast out of the race under a no false-start rule, leaving Moussambani as the last man standing. Cheering by a large crowd, he finished a one-man heat in 1:52.72, nearly seven seconds slower than a winning time by Van den Hoogenband over double the distance a day before.[7][8]
Records
Prior to this competition, the existing world and Olympic records were as follows.
| World record |  Michael Klim (AUS) | 48.18 | Sydney, Australia | 16 September 2000 | [9] |
| Olympic record | Michael Klim (AUS) | 48.18 | Sydney, Australia | 16 September 2000 | [9] |
The following new world and Olympic records were set during this competition.
| Date | Event | Name | Nationality | Time | Record |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 19 September | Semifinal 2 | Pieter van den Hoogenband |  Netherlands | 47.84 | WR |
Results
Heats
.svg.png){kind=small}
.svg.png){kind=small}
.svg.png){kind=small}
.svg.png){kind=small}
.svg.png){kind=small}
.svg.png){kind=small}
Semifinals
Semifinal 1
| Rank | Lane | Name | Nationality | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Michael Klim | Australia | 48.80 | Q |
| 2 | 5 | Alexander Popov |  Russia | 48.84 | Q |
| 3 | 3 | Denis Pimankov | Russia | 49.43 | Q |
| 4 | 7 | José Meolans |  Argentina | 49.66 | NR |
| 5 | 2 | Lorenzo Vismara |  Italy | 49.67 | |
| 5 | 8 | Duje Draganja |  Croatia | 49.67 | NR |
| 7 | 6 | Salim Iles |  Algeria | 49.70 | =NR |
| 8 | 1 | Christian Tröger |  Germany | 49.80 |
Semifinal 2
| Rank | Lane | Name | Nationality | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 4 | Pieter van den Hoogenband | Netherlands | 47.84 | Q, WR |
| 2 | 5 | Lars Frölander |  Sweden | 48.93 | Q, NR |
| 3 | 2 | Neil Walker |  United States | 49.04 | Q |
| 4 | 3 | Gary Hall, Jr. | United States | 49.13 | Q |
| 5 | 6 | Chris Fydler | Australia | 49.55 | Q |
| 6 | 8 | Attila Zubor |  Hungary | 49.58 | |
| 7 | 7 | Roland Mark Schoeman |  South Africa | 49.84 | |
| 8 | 1 | Gustavo Borges |  Brazil | 49.93 |
Final
| Rank | Lane | Name | Nationality | Time | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
 | 4 | Pieter van den Hoogenband | Netherlands | 48.30 | |
 | 3 | Alexander Popov | Russia | 48.69 | |
 | 7 | Gary Hall, Jr. | United States | 48.73 | |
| 4 | 5 | Michael Klim | Australia | 48.74 | |
| 5 | 2 | Neil Walker | United States | 49.09 | |
| 6 | 6 | Lars Frölander | Sweden | 49.22 | |
| 7 | 1 | Denis Pimankov | Russia | 49.36 | |
| 8 | 8 | Chris Fydler | Australia | 49.44 |
References
- ↑ "Swimming schedule". Australian Broadcasting Corporation. 14 September 2000. Retrieved 14 May 2013.
- ↑ "Double Dutch: Van den Hoogenband captures second gold in 100 free". Sports Illustrated (CNN). 20 September 2000. Retrieved 23 May 2013.
- ↑ Longman, Jere (20 September 2000). "Sydney 2000: Swimming; Hyman, in Surprise, Joins No. 1 van den Hoogenband". New York Times. Retrieved 23 May 2013.
- 1 2 Whitten, Phillip (20 September 2000). "Olympic Day 5 Finals (200 Breast, 100 Free, 200 Fly, 800 Free Relay)". Swimming World Magazine. Retrieved 23 May 2013.
- ↑ Morrissey, Rick (21 September 2000). "Dutch Treat In The Pool". Chicago Tribune. Retrieved 23 May 2013.
- ↑ Jerardi, Dick (20 September 2000). "Van Den Hoogenband Making Name For Self". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved 23 May 2013.
- ↑ Penner, Mike (19 September 2000). "Eric the Eagle Leaves a Lasting Impression". The Philadelphia Inquirer. Retrieved 23 May 2013.
- ↑ Lord, Craig (20 September 2000). "Eric The Eel". Swimming World Magazine. Retrieved 23 May 2013.
- 1 2 3 "Sydney 2000: Swimming – Men's 100m Freestyle Heats" (PDF). Sydney 2000. LA84 Foundation. pp. 118–120. Retrieved 13 May 2013.