by sportswriter Zhang Wei
BEIJING, Aug. 13 (Xinhua) -- Italian Pellegrini sensationally clinched the title of the women's 200-meter freestyle in a world record time at the
Beijing Olympic Games here on Wednesday.
With all top three swimmers in the tough final swimming under the previous world record of one minute and 55.45 seconds, set by the 20-year- old Pellegrini in Monday's heats, the Italian pushed herself forward with a strong dash to win her first Olympic gold in 1:54.82.
As the world record holder of the 400m freestyle, Pellegrini only managed a fifth finish in the event on Monday by clocking 4:04.56, more than three seconds off her personal best.
"What came into my mind when I won is I was saying, 'Finally, Finally.' Because this 200-meter freestyle I have been expecting to win for the last four years," said Pellegrini who finished second in the four-lap event four years ago in Athens.
"I am in good shape. Breaking world record feels so good," Pellegrini said.
Pellegrini also revealed her secret of wearing two swimsuits in the final.
"I put training swimsuit below the other swimsuit. Because the swimsuits of new generation are sometimes, it happens, they break very easily as it happened yesterday in semifinal. So in order to avoid any problem and ensure myself not naked, I wore underneath another swimsuit. This is a simple training swimsuit."
Pang Jiaying, who astonishingly led the first 50 meters under world record split time of 27.01 seconds, grabbed a precious bronze for China in 1:55.05, 0.08 seconds behind runner-up Sara Isakovic of Slovenia.
Chinese sprinter Pang, 23, was extremely elated for her final result which was more than two seconds faster than her previous personal best.
"I swam fast in the first half under my own pace, I'm so happy with the time," said Pang, after bagging home the second medal for the host swimming team.
"My coach told me that an eighth finish was OK," said Pang, "so I was really relaxed and felt no pressure at all. I was in good shape and hopefully the bronze medal could encourage our team."
Zhang Lin's silver medal in the men's 400-meter freestyle on Sunday was China's first Olympic medal credited to a male swimmer.
The 20-year-old Isakovic was even more ecstatic for her silver. "It's amazing. It's the first medal for Slovenia swimming, so it's great for my country. It's a fantastic time and I never expected it in my wildest dreams. I'm going to celebrate with my family and the rest of my team."
Isakovic upstaged Romanian veteran Camelia Potec by just 0.02 seconds to win the women's 200-meter freestyle in 1:57.45 in the European Championships this March as Pellegrini was disqualified for a false start in the heats.
The final was so tough that American hopeful Katie Hoff was only placed fourth in American record of 1:55.78, followed by defending Olympic champion Potec in 1:56.87.
The 19-year-old Hoff came to
Beijing as hot favorite in several events, but failed to claim any gold until now with a bronze medal in the 400-meter individual medley and a silver in the 400-meter freestyle.
China's Pang Jiaying swims during the final of women's 200m freestyle at the
Beijing 2008 Olympic Games in the National Aquatics Center, also known as the Water Cube in Beijing, China, Aug. 13, 2008. Pang grabbed bronze in 1:55.05.(Xinhua/Fei Maohua)
