The Frenchman Alain Bernard prevailed in his epic duel with the Australian Eamon Sullivan and won the gold medal in the men's 100 meter free, the queen of swimming test, with a time of 47.21, yesterday in the Olympic Games in Beijing.
Bernard was imposed on Sullivan, plusmarquista global discipline that kept the silver with a time of 47.32, as well as to American Jason Lezak and the Brazilian Cesar Cielo Filho, who took the bronze after making the same time (47.67).
"The best moment was when I come back and see the 1 next to my name. It's huge. I do not know if I realize, but it is huge, I do not know what to say," Bernard tried to explain to the press.
"At no time, I felt defeated. At first, in the curve, 15 metres from the wall, one metre from the wall, always told me that while we had not touched we were not lost," he said.
"The relay (4x100 where France lost at the last moment with the United States) I served as a lesson. That really shook me. Capsizing would have been very well and not being able to react."
The bicampeón Olympic test, Dutchman Pieter van den Hoogenband, had to be content with fifth place (47.75). "They're strong, too fast, is a new generation and it is time to take a step to the side. They did a great job."
Bernard was imposed on Sullivan in a new edition of mourning that both swimmers maintained since March, but was unable to beat the world record that the Australian had set up on Wednesday in the semifinals, oust the French own. Check the Olympic Medal Standings.
"We are very righteous among us, there is a lot of fair play among swimmers, we respect," said French gendarme on his rivals.
"All credit to Alain, swam a great race and really worked on my weaknesses, is a formidable competitor to return from that relay involves a lot of willpower and it showed today," said Sullivan, who agreed with medal silver.
Bernard Sullivan arrived and almost matched in the first 50 m on Thursday, followed by the surprising Brazilian Cesar Cielo in third place.
In the final 50 meters was almost impossible to distinguish who was at the helm and had to wait for the giant screen of the "Water Cube" confirmed the winner.
The Australian had been graded by beating the world record of the specialty with a time of 47:05 in the second round of the semifinals of the Games in Beijing, which Bernard had established the previous series in the same semifinal.
The French ran in the first semifinal of proof 'queen' swimming beating of entry, with a time trial in 47.20, world record that Sullivan had established two days before the dispute over the final 4x100 meter free (47.24) .
But the Australian's response has been swift and Sullivan, who went faster, cut other 15 hundredths to leave time trial in 47:05 and establish a brand that Bernard was unable to break back.
The Brazilian Cesar Cielo Filho succeeded on Wednesday that the bronze was classified in extremis for the final with the eighth best time (48.07).
Heaven was surprised because it "did not have many expectations because I was in lane eight, was a very big surprise."
Lezak, the American hero who submitted to Bernard in the 4x100, for his part said that "it was a very tough race, as one becomes older is more difficult to recover, I'm just very happy to have been able to swim faster."
"Definitely feels very good to have a medal itself, is what has motivated mne for four years, obviously looking for gold and came in the 4x100 free relay, said Lezak, whom Michael Phelps has defined as a" corridor relay professional "
