ATHENS - Teenager David Davies smashed a 13-year-old European record to win a sensational second medal for Great Britain on the final day of the Olympics on Saturday.
Davies, 19, bettered German Joerg Hoffman’s 1991 European mark by five seconds and his own British record by 12 seconds to win the bronze medal in 14.45.95.
Distance freestyle sensation Grant Hackett, unbeaten in the event for seven years, won gold in 14:43.40, outside the world record. Larsen Jensen of the U.S. finished second just 0.66 ahead of Davies in 14:45.29.
”I’m very happy. It was unbelievable. It was a great race. I swam on my own and it was a great, great feeling,” Davies said.
”I had a great kick towards the end. I told my coach if I drop dead in the pool at the end, just come in and get me – I don’t care.”
The Welshman, who burst onto the scene after finishing a surprise sixth place at the Manchester Commonwealth Games, said he was surprised by the time and how close he was to Hackett.
“I never thought I’d go that fast. I tried to relax all week. I was hoping for a good result but I’m totally shocked. In the past Grant Hackett would always be so far ahead but at the end Jensen and I were catching him.
“It’s the best experience of all and I’m only 19. I just went in there thinking I have nothing to lose.”
Teammate Graeme Smith, a 1500m bronze medallist from the Atlanta Games, was sixth place in 15:09.71. After a staggering 11 years ranked in the world top 10, the Scotsman has decided to retire from the sport.
”I’ve been at the top in world swimming for a long time and I think that’s quite an achievement,” said the Stockport swimmer.
”Getting here wasn’t something I could have done alone. I have a great team backing me – two wonderful coaches and some fantastic training partners. I couldn’t have asked for better.
”There was no medal for me today but after the career I’ve had the journey was better than the end result.”
The men’s 4x100m medley team of Gregor Tait, James Gibson, James Hickman and Matt Kidd were a disappointing eighth place in Saturday’s final. They were outside the national record they set in the heats, coming home in 3:37.77, overpowered in a tempestuous lane three by the world record-breaking U.S. team in the next lane.
Hickman, who retires at the end of the year, admitted the Games had been as good as he had hoped but was keen to point out that a “vast improvement” had been made in British swimming.
”In the last four years things have just got better and better and we’ve been getting 85-90 percent of it right. There’s been a vast improvement but there are still times when it doesn’t all come together.
”Things take time. In a few more years we can be real challengers in the world,” he said.
James Gibson, who fell short on his dream of an Olympic 100m breaststroke final, said: ”We’ve got to look back at what we’ve done this year and what we’ve done in the past. It’s been disappointing for many of us but what I’ve experienced here has been very special and I’m very proud to be representing Britain.”
”I’ve come here and made two finals and that’s better than I’ve ever done before,” added Tait. “I haven’t swum as well as I wanted to. It’s a learning curve and I’ll definitely be coming back again.”
Matt Kidd, who swam one the wave-ridden anchor leg said: “It was tough this week and we knew it was going to be tough tonight. There were a hell of a lot of waves but I just had to go for it.”
Meanwhile, the misery continued for the female British swimmers when the 4x100m medley relay quartet of Katy Sexton, Kirtsy Balfour, Georgina Lee and Kathryn Evans were disqualified after initially finishing sixth in a time under the British record.
-ENDS-
■ The 2004 Olympic Games take place in Athens, Greece, between August 13 and 29. Swimming runs from August 14 to 21.
For further details contact Martin Petty, British Swimming Communications Officer in the UK on 01509 632237, 07968 411689 or email martin.petty@swimming.org
Or contact Dave Richards, Team GB Swimming Press Attaché in Athens, on +44 77899 26136 or email david.richards@swimming.org
