Word: hoogenband
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Phelps may have entered Athens a phenom, but he left a sportsman. On day three of his golden quest, he chose to swim in the 200-m freestyle, knowing he was not favored. Racing stroke for stroke against Olympic champions Ian Thorpe of Australia and Pieter van den Hoogenband of the Netherlands, Phelps finished third, giving notice that he could compete with the best. "Racing the two greatest freestylers of all time in an Olympic final--it's fun," Phelps said after the race. "I had fun out there...
There is something mesmeric about Ian Thorpe's style. Surrounded by the best swimmers in the world, Pieter van den Hoogenband and Michael Phelps among them, his languid crawl seems almost too slow, too casual, for the race. Van den Hoogenband appears to be pulling ahead on each of the first three laps; each time Thorpe turns beautifully and claws back the difference...
...Their success was especially sweet since the Yanks and Aussies were the two strongest, deepest teams in the pool. Australia's Ian Thorpe won four medals, including a gold in the 200-m freestyle, his marquee matchup with Phelps, who got the bronze, and Dutch champion Pieter van den Hoogenband, who took silver. But the U.S. could even share credit for some wins that didn't show up in their medals tally, because many of the athletes swimming for other countries are products of the American collegiate system. Three of the four South African men trained at the University...
...history - and this is his pet event," said a subdued Hackett. "(Thorpe) must be just hurting." Thorpe is perhaps the nation's most revered sports personality and fans were quick to demand a review of the process - even a ditching of the rules. Arch-rival Dutchman Pieter van den Hoogenband described the situation as "laughable" and said Australian selectors were "arrogant." "It shows a lack of respect to treat (Thorpe) like this." Swimming Australia defended the starting rule as one known to schoolchildren the world over. SA president John Devitt says the Olympic selection system may be severe...
Aussie Ian Thorpe, a.k.a. the Thorpedo, Holland's dynamic duo of Inge de Bruijn and Pieter van den Hoogenband, and Americans Jenny Thompson, Gary Hall Jr., and Lenny Krayzelburg highlight the first week. More than 15 swimming world records fall...