Roland and Ryk on the podium
29 July 2005
Roland Schoeman and Ryk Neethling became the first pair of South African swimmers to share the podium at the FINA World Championships when they won silver and bronze respectively in the 100 metres freestyle in Montreal on Thursday.
The pair qualified fastest and second fastest for the final, but were pipped by Italy's Filippo Magnini in the battle for gold.
It took a huge effort from the Italian to defeat the South African stars; his winning time was 48.12, making him the second fastest swimmer in history, behind only the world record holder, Pieter van den Hoogenband’s 47.84.
A surprise
The result was a surprise to Magnini himself. He bettered his previous best time by a considerable 0.61 seconds and admitted afterwards that he thought the battle for gold would be between Schoeman and Neethling. "For me, it was a dream to be at the top," he said, "I thought it would be third place because the two South
African athletes are very strong."
Schoeman was second in 48.28, fractionally slower than the 48.23 he swam at the Athens Olympics to claim silver behind Van den Hoogenband. He was philosophical after once more narrowly missing out on the gold in the 100 metres freestyle in a major championship.
"You live and learn," he said. "I'm getting better experience racing against the best."
Neethling claimed third in 48.34, which would have easily been good enough for third at the Athens Games where he just missed out on a podium finish. He also finished comfortably clear of the fourth-place finisher Jason Lezak.
'I can't complain'
"It's my best time, so I can't complain about that. I'm just happy that we got two (South Africans) on the podium," said Neethling.
He also expressed the hope that the result would help inspire young South Africans and Africans - like Penny Heyns did previously when she won two gold medals at the Atlanta
Olympics - that they could become world champions.
Schoeman led the race from the start, touching first at the halfway mark in a blistering 22.42, better than world record pace. Neethling followed in second.
In the second 50 metres, though, Magnini reeled the South Africans in, just out-touching Schoeman for the gold.
American superstar Michael Phelps, venturing into foreign territory, managed only seventh-place after turning in last place.
'I was just destroyed'
He admitted the challenge had been too great. "I wasn't able to go out with those guys," he explained. "I was in their wake. I was just destroyed."
Schoeman and Neethling have so far won four medals between them in Montreal. Schoeman won the 50 metres butterfly in a world record time and then captured silver in the 100 freestyle, while Neethling won bronze in 100 and 200 freestyle.
That, most likely, won't be the last heard from the two stars in the
championship. Both are entered in the 50 metres freestyle and could be in the mix to add to their, and South Africa's, medal haul.
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