World

U.S. Tops Aussies In The Pool

By CBSNews.com staff CBSNews.com staff

September 20, 2000 / 8:59 AM EDT / CBS

The United States discovered more gold in the swimming pool at the Sydney Olympics on Wednesday, with one American setting a new record for gold medals and another upsetting a swimmer from pool powerhouse and host nation Australia.

Jenny Thompson set a women's record for career swimming gold medals with seven, anchoring an American 800-meter freestyle relay that nipped Australia in 7 minutes, 57.80 seconds.

Thompson's performance came minutes after Misty Hyman shocked world-record holder Susie O'Neill - another Aussie - in the 200-meter butterfly.

The U.S. victories avenged men's losses to Australian hero Ian Thorpe and his teammates, who beat the Americans by a fingertip in the men's 400 free relay earlier in the week, then blew them out in the 800 free relay.

Russian Alexei Nemov put on a golden show in the men's gymnastics all-around Wednesday, twirling and tumbling his way to the title that eluded him four years ago. He took the gold with 58.474 points.

"I did my best for Russia, my family and my loved ones," he said.

China's Yang Wei won the silver, finishing 0.113 points behind Nemov. Oleksandr Beresh of Ukraine took the bronze.

Five-time U.S. national champion Blaine Wilson finished sixth, continuing America's all-around drought. The United States hasn't won an all-around medal since Peter Vidmar's silver in 1984.

Swimmer Thompson, who has won all her golds in relays, surpassed the six swimming golds won by Kristin Otto of former East Germany.

The United States was in second place when Thompson jumped in the pool. But she overtook Petria Thomas, pulled away down the stretch and brought the relay home in Olympic record time.

Hyman seemed as shocked as the Australian fans that she won. "Oh my God!" she screamed. "Oh my God!"

Hyman led from the start and clocked an Olympic record 2:05.88, narrowly missing O'Neill's world mark. Later, she threw back her head and drank in the moment as she stood on the medal podium and sang along with the national anthem.

The Netherlands also had its flag raised on a magic day for the small European country.

Pieter van den Hoogenband won gold in the 100 free, his second of the games, and denied Russian Alexander Popov an unprecedented third straight Olympic title in the event.

That's not all the Dutch did Wednesday.

The Netherlands shocked Cuba 4-2 in baseball, the first Olympic defeat ever for a Cuban team.

Cuba had won 21 straight at the Olympics and ran away with the gold medal in the first two baseball tournaments at Barcelona and Atlanta.

Ken Brauckmiller, who pitched for San Francisco 12 years ago, held the tough Cuban lineup to seven hits over eight innings and Hensley "Bam Bam" Meulens hit a bases-loaded double to lead the Dutch.

"This is one of the biggest accomplishments in all of Dutch sports," shortstop Robert Eenhoorn said.

The U.S. baseball team efeated the Netherlands 6-2 on Tuesday and plays Cuba on Saturday in the preliminary round.

Although the Cold War is over, the basketball rivalry between the United State and Russia isn't.

The United States women trailed Russia at the half, but took the lead for good on Nikki McCray's 3-pointer with 16:45 left and went on to win 88-77.

Russia was the last team to beat the United States in the Olympics, doing so as the Unified Team in 1992. The Americans (3-0) secured a berth in next week's quarterfinals with Wednesday's victory.

U.S. women also won in soccer, locking up a spot in the Olympic semifinals with a 3-1 win over Nigeria. Brandi Chastain, Kristine Lilly and Shannon MacMillan scored for the United States, which took control of the game midway through the first half.

The Americans' toughest rival, Norway, also advanced with a 2-1 victory over China.