Olympic flashback

This is the final article in a series chronicling the history of swimming in the Olympic Games from Athens in 1896 all the way through Atlanta in 1996.

1988

(Seoul. Korea]

Countries: 159

Athletes: 8,465 [6.279 men; 2,186 women]

Events: 237

Swimming Events: 31 [16 men's and 15 women's]

Top Medal-winning Nations:

USSR 132 [55 gold-31 silver-46 bronze]

East Germany 101 [37-34-30]

USA 94 [36-31-29]

The worldwide Olympic Games were back. For the first time since 1976, the Games weren't marred by a largescale boycott, leading to more competitive events than ever before. However, the Games weren't without scandal, as Canada's Ben Johnson was stripped of his gold medal in the 100meter dash after testing positive for steroids.

The steroid story also haunted the women's swimming events, as East German women won eight of 13 individual golds and 20 of 45 medals overall. One swimmer who broke through the German women's stranglehold on the podium was 17-year-old Janet Evans. Evans won gold three times: in the 400 free (4:03.85, which remains the world record to this day), the 800 free and the 400 IM. Evans' reaction to her 400 free time remains an enduring image of Olympic elation.

The days of domination by one nation on the men's side appeared over, as competitors from nine dif ferent countries won individual golds, and a total of 16 different countries were represented in the medal count.

For the U.S., only Evans and Matt Biondi won individual gold, Biondi's attempt to duplicate Mark Spitz's "seven swims, seven golds" masterpiece came up just short. He did win seven medals, but "only" five gold (50 and 100 free plus three relays). Biondi added a silver in the 100 fly and a bronze in the 200 free. The 100 fly was, perhaps, the most agonizing race for Biondi, as he was outtouched (53.00 to 53.01) by Surinam's Anthony Nesty, who earned his country's first Olympic medal.

Hungary's Tamas Darnyi earned the title of the world's best all-around swimmer by winning both IMs in world record time (2:00.17 and 4:14.75). Darnyi would retain both titles four years later in Barcelona.

In the 200 fly, West Germany's Michael Gross took home the men's gold and America's Mary T. Meagher won a bronze on the women's side, behind two East Germans, as two of the greatest swimmers in history ended their Olympic careers.

1992

[Barcelona, Spain]

Countries: 169

Athletes: 9,364 [6.657 men 2,707 women]

Events: 257

Swimming Events: 31 [16 men's and 15 women's]

Top Medal-minning Nations:

Unified Team 111 [45-38-28]

USA 108 [37-34-37]

Germany 82 [33-21-28]

Many memories of Barcelona start with America's basketball "Dream Team," which included Magic Johnson, Larry Bird and Michael Jordan, and attracted worldwide attention.

At the same time, there was another dream team in the pool. The dynamic freestyle duo from the Unified Team

Alexander Popov, winner of the 50 and 100 freestyles, and Evgeni Sadovyi, winner of the 200 and 400 freestyles-displayed a potent combination of power and grace. They also served notice that despite the disintegration of the USSR as a political power, her swimming tradition would not be lost. Sadovyi also led the Unifies Team (made up of the states of the former Soviet Union) to gold in the 4 x 200 free relay, handing the U.S. its first defeat in this event in Olympic history.

Three of the greatest names in American swimming history stood on top of the podium in their specialty vents: Pablo Morales in the 100 fly, Mel Stewart in the 200 fly and Mike Barrowman in the 200 breast.

The dominant woman in the pool was Hungary's Kristina Egerszegi, who won both backstrokes (in Olympic record times of 1:00.68 and 2:07.68) and the 400 IM. Summer Sanders, who captured the attention of many a poolside photographer, also captured two gold medals (200 fly and 4 x 100 medley relay) and a silver medal behind Egerszegi in the 400 IM.

Sadly, the demise of the East German sports machine did not lead to a suspicion-free Games-the Chinese women, whose program was just beginning to come under scrutiny due to the alarming similarities between it and the former East German program, captured both sprint freestyles, the 100 fly and the 200 IM.

For the first time since 1964, a unified German team participated in the Olympics. Jorg Hoffmann, who took home a bronze in the 1500 free, was the lone men's medalist for the Germans, while Dagmar Hase (400 free and 200 back) and Franziska van Almsick (100 and 200 free) each won two individual medals.

1996

[Atlanta, Georgia]

Countries: 197

Athletes:10,310 [6,797 men; 3.513 women]

Events: 271

Swuimming Events: 32 [16 men's and 16 women's]

Top Medal-winning Nations:

USA 101 (44-32-25]

Germany 65 [20-18-27]

Russia 63 [26-21-16]

The Atlanta Games got off to a roaring start when America's distance swimming queen, Janet Evans, passed the flame to America's greatest living sports legend, Muhammad Ali, and he lit the torch above the Olympic Stadium. The home crowd became a not-so-secret weapon for the many U.S. teams, including the swim teams. Gary Hall, Jr., following in his father's Olympic footsteps, likened the crowd noise to a shock wave, which he and his teammates rode to the tune of 13 gold medals and 26 medals overall.

Kieren Perkins, who obliterated the mile world record four years earlier in Barcelona, retained his 1500 title by defeating fellow Aussie Daniel Kowalski. Another title defender was Alexander Popov, who won both the 50 and 100 freestyles, narrowly holding off Gary Hall, fir. Hall, however, extracted a measure of revenge by leading the U.S. teams to victory in the 4 x 100 free and 4 x 100 medley relays, just ahead of Popov's Russian relay teams.

One of the best races of the meet was the 400 IM, featuring University of Michigan training partners Tom Dolan (world record holder) and Eric Namesnik (silver medalist in this event in 1992). After trailing for much of the race, Dolan pulled ahead slightly on the freestyle leg and touched out Namesnik for the gold.

Amy Van Dyken heard some of the loudest roars of the meet. After a disappointing fourth in the 100 free; she rebounded to win four gold medals; becoming the most decorated athlete, male or female, of the Games. Van Dyken's golds included the 50 free and 100 fly along with the 4 x 100 medley and free relays.

South Africa's Penny Heyns won both breaststrokes, just ahead of 14 year-old Amanda Beard. Another American youngster,15 year-old Beth Botsford, shocked the world by winning the 100 back.

The comparatively ancient (at 21) Kristina Egerszegi closed out her Olympic career with her third straight Olympic victory in the 200 backstroke, becoming only the second woman (Australia's Dawn Fraser was the first) to win an Olympic title in the same event three times.

Copyright Sports Publications, Inc. Sep 2000
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