Alexander Dale Oen seizes Men’s 100m breast-stroke title: Day two – European Swimming Championships
Alexander Dale Oen of Norway met expectations of his fans by seizing the title of Men’s 100m breast-stroke on day two of the 2011 European Short Course Swimming Championships in Szczecin, Poland on Friday, December 9.
The 26-year-old Dale Oen overwhelmed the efforts of his competitors in the two-lap breast-stroke discipline. With his promising efforts and impeccable strategy, he surpassed his opponents on the podium for gold medal.
The Norwegian swimmer followed the lead of his strongest rivals, Damir Dugonjic of Slovenia and Fabio Scozzoli of Italy in the first lap. Dugonjic’s notable start placed his slightly ahead of his opponents in the start.
He completed initial lap of the race in a fastest time of 26.68 seconds while Scozzoli emerged as the second fastest swimmer by ending his foremost lap in a time of 26.75 seconds. Dale Oen remained 0.07 seconds slower than Scozzoli and ended his first lap
of the race in a third fastest time of 26.82 seconds.
Subsequently, Dale Oen elevated his efforts in the final lap. With his gruelling strategy, he covered the lead of his opponents in the second lap and posted a miraculous time of 57.05 seconds for gold medal.
With his tremendous effort, he remained 0.76 seconds behind the European and Championship record of 56.29 seconds, owned by Robin Aggele of Netherlands from 2009. He was also 1.44 seconds away from improving the world record of 55.61 seconds, set by Cameron
Van Den Burgh of South Africa during 2009.
The gold medallist remained 0.24 second ahead of Dugonjic, who stepped on the victory stand for silver medal by submitting a fantastic effort of 57.29 seconds.
He faced strong resistance from Scozzoli, who tried hard to edge out him on the finishing end but remained just a nail away from securing silver medal of the swim. Scozzoli was only 0.01 seconds slower from his preceding swimmer and hit the wall with a timing
of 57.30 seconds for bronze medal.
Dale Oen was contented with his victory in the breast-stroke swim whereas the champion aroused expectations of his fans by saying that he will try to improve national record in his future events.
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