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Sydney 2000 Relived: Day 8, 23 September 2000

 

Sydney 2000 Relived: Day 8, 23 September 2000

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AOC
Water polo gold, Sydney 2000

On a glorious day in Australian Olympic history, the Australian team bagged a record 10 medals in a single day thanks to two gold medals, won by 1500m freestyle swimmer Grant Hackett and the women’s water polo team, plus six silver and two bronze.

While Hackett’s gold medal continued Australia’s amazing record in the men’s 1500m freestyle, the women’s water polo team’s epic, last gasp 4-3 gold medal win over the USA completed an Olympic Games fairy tale.

Water polo team in a huddle in the pool
IMAGE / Water polo team in a huddle in the pool

The Australian women’s water polo team had long campaigned for equal rights and inclusion in the Sydney Olympics.

They even resorted to protesting at Sydney Airport, wearing only swimsuits, when FINA members arrived from overseas. Then in a blaze of publicity, team members were later evicted from an IOC media conference after gate crashing the event.

After finally winning Games inclusion in April 1997, the Australian team were focussed on success, and the gold medal was only secured with 1.3 seconds remaining when Yvette Higgins, the girl with the golden arm, slammed the ball into the net past the outstretched hands of two desperate American players.

Water Polo Australian women
IMAGE / Water Polo Australian women

Coach Istvan Gorgenyi praised the girls team-work when under the highest pressure.

“The girls have a lot more skills than you have seen. These skills came out when it was most important in the last two minutes of the Russia (semi-final) game and in the last seconds of the final,” he said.

Water polo team celebrate in the pool
IMAGE / Water polo team celebrate in the pool

Hackett’s 1500m freestyle victory signalled the official changing of the Olympic guard when he defeated team-mate, Kieren Perkins, who claimed the event gold medal at the 1992 and 1996 Games.

Swimming Grant Hackett of Australia celebrates after winning gold in the Men's 1500m Freestyle Final
IMAGE / Swimming Grant Hackett of Australia celebrates after winning gold in the Men's 1500m Freestyle Final

There were concerns about Hackett’s form earlier in the Games after his 200m and 400m freestyle performances, but he led from start to finish to clock 14min 48.33sec to be over five seconds clear of second placed Perkins.

“There were times during the week when I wondered, but the dream has come through with me winning gold and Kieran silver,” said Hackett.

Swimming Michael Klim, Geoff Huegill, Regan Harrison and Matthew Welsh win Silver in the Mens 4 x 100m Medley Relay Final
IMAGE / Swimming Michael Klim, Geoff Huegill, Regan Harrison and Matthew Welsh win Silver in the Mens 4 x 100m Medley Relay Final

There were further medals on the last night of swimming when the men’s and women’s medley relay teams both claimed silver medals. The men’s final team comprised Matt Welsh, Regan Harrison, Geoff Huegill and Michael Klim, while the women’s team was represented in the final by Dyana Calub, Leisel Jones, Petria Thomas and Susie O'Neill.

Rowing  Rachael Taylor and Kate Slatter of Australia celebrate winning Silver after the Womens Coxless Pairs
IMAGE / Rowing Rachael Taylor and Kate Slatter of Australia celebrate winning Silver after the Womens Coxless Pairs

The first day of rowing finals saw an instant medal rush with a silver and two bronze medals.

Rowing Luke Taylor swims out to congrulate sister Rachel Taylor and Kate Slatter of Australia after they win silver in the Women's Coxless Pair
IMAGE / Rowing Luke Taylor swims out to congrulate sister Rachel Taylor and Kate Slatter of Australia after they win silver in the Women's Coxless Pair

Atlanta gold medallist Kate Slatter and her new women’s coxless pairs partner, Rachael Taylor, earned the silver medal after a sluggish start to finish 1.56sec behind the dominant Romanian pair. The medal was an upgrade on their bronze medal won at the 1999 World Championships.

Another Atlanta Games gold medallist, James Tomkins, and his men’s coxless pair partner, Matthew Long, had to settle for the bronze medal behind France and USA after giving rival boats too much start.

Rowing Matthew Long and James Tomkins of Australia celebrate bronze in the Men's Coxless Pair
IMAGE / Rowing Matthew Long and James Tomkins of Australia celebrate bronze in the Men's Coxless Pair

“We didn’t set it up too well, so we had a lot of work to do,” said Tomkins.

Australia’s other bronze medal was secured in the men’s coxless four which saw the team of James Stewart, Ben Dodwell, Geoff Stewart and Bo Hanson finish behind Great Britain and Italy.

Great Britain’s gold medal was a triumph for rower Steven Redgrave who joined a select group to have won gold medals at five consecutive Olympic Games.

Rowing Great Britain cross the line to win Gold in the Men's Coxless Four Rowing Final ahead of Italy (Silver) and Australia (Bronze)
IMAGE / Rowing Great Britain cross the line to win Gold in the Men's Coxless Four Rowing Final ahead of Italy (Silver) and Australia (Bronze)

On Sydney Harbour, John Forbes and Darren Bundock earned Australia’s first sailing medal when securing the tornado class silver medal behind the Austrian crew when placed third in the 10th and second last race.

And history was also made when Ji Wallace won Australia’s first ever gymnastics medal when second in the men’s trampoline behind Russia’s world champion, Alexandre Moskalenko.

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WATCH / Ji Wallace remembers his Sydney 2000 silver medal, presented by Channel 7
Trampoline Jai Wallace of Australia celebrates after securing the Silver Medal in the Mens Trampoline Final
IMAGE / Trampoline Jai Wallace of Australia celebrates after securing the Silver Medal in the Mens Trampoline Final

 

 

My Sydney 2000, presented by Swisse | Hosted by Tim Gilbert

 

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