Swimming: New Dawn?
- August 7th, 2013
- Posted by EU Australia
The Australian swimming team came good at the Barcelona World Championships; among the high performers Cate Campbell (picture, centre block) breaking a drought of years for the team with her win in the prestigious 100 metres freestyle.
The Queenslander, 22, clocked 52.34, against the world record of 52.07 seconds.
Her victory on Saturday (4.8.13) called to mind grand days, as when the great Dawn Fraser (picture) captured Gold in the 100-metres, at the 1956, 1960 and 1964 Olympics.
Coupled with the win by James Magnussen (22, New South Wales, timed at 47.71), in the men’s 100 metres two days earlier, it was the first time at the biennial World Championships that Australians had won the two events, since 1960.
In that year it was Dawn Fraser and John Devitt.
In the 2013 medals tally, weighted to Gold, the Australians, who failed against expectations at the London Olympics last year, were rated sixth with 14 medals (3 Gold).
They trailed the United States, China, Russia, France and Hungary.
Displays of excellence abounded in the pool; the American Missy Franklin, 18, turning heads, winning six Gold medals.
Reference
FINA (International swimming federation), home, Barcelona 2013 Medals Table, 4.8.13.
http://www.fina.org/H2O/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=3892&Itemid=1519, (6.8.13).
Pictures FINA