Eamon Sullivan capitulates as James Magnussen earns Men’s 100m freestyle gold - Swimming News
The three-time Olympic medallist, Eamon Sullivan capitulated as James Magnussen earned gold medal of the Men’s 100m freestyle on fifth day of the 2012 EnergyAustralia Swimming Championships at the South Australia Aquatic and Leisure Centre in Adelaide.
The 20-year-old Magnussen, who became world champion of the 100m freestyle at the 2011 World Championships in Shanghai, has overpowered Sullivan for the second time in such a short period.
Sullivan, who is the former Australian champion and silver medallist of the 100m event at the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, finished fourth in the discipline. He failed to qualify for the individual 100m event but his fourth finish has qualified him in the
Australian 4*100m freestyle relay team to the 2012 London Olympic Games.
Magnussen clocked a blistering 47.10 seconds to claim gold medal of the double lap freestyle event. His time is the fastest, clocked by any swimmer in the textile suit and he remained just 0.20 seconds slower from the world record of 46.91 seconds, owned
by Cesar Cielo of Brazil at the 2009 Rome World Championships.
He remained almost half a second ahead of James Roberts, who posted 47.63 seconds for silver medal while Matt Targett finished third with an effort of 48.32 seconds. In contrast, Sullivan stayed 1.43 seconds slower from the gold medallist and finished fourth
by posting 48.53 seconds.
After winning gold medal of the event, Magnussen said, “I feel pretty confident after that swim, but I'm certainly not going to rest on my laurels and I'm going to do everything in my power to break that world record because I do want to be considered the
fastest man in history.”
“I executed everything pretty close to the way I wanted to, [and was] not quite good enough [last night] but I'd definitely give that world record another crack. I backed myself tonight and I really went after it and I really felt it in that last 10 metres,”
he added.
With his stupendous effort, Magnussen has not only sent an alarming message to his strongest competitor, Cielo, but he has also aroused expectations of his supporters, who are eager to see him lowering the world record at the London Games.
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