Lezak keeps Phelps' Dreams Alive with Phenomenal Effort

Obviously we are disappointed that we didn’t get a medal, but we gave everything we had, we are proud with our effort and how we represented South Africa. - Ryk Neethling commenting on the 4x100 Freestyle Final (SA finished 7th).

“I knew I was going to have to swim out of my mind,” Lezak said, adding, “I had more adrenaline going than I’ve ever had in my life.” - Jason Lezak, who improved his best time by 1.2 seconds, and overtook the French world champion who was half a body length ahead.

clipped from www.nytimes.com When the water settled, the giant video scoreboard showed that Lezak had out-touched Bernard by 0.08 of a second. Phelps’s pursuit of Mark Spitz’s record of seven swimming gold medals in one Olympics remained alive with a little help from his mates. Lezak’s split of 46.06 seconds was the fastest anchor leg ever, by 0.73, and his personal best by over 1.2 seconds. The United States was timed in 3 minutes 8.24 seconds, shattering by nearly four seconds the world record that its B team had set the previous night. France won the silver in 3:08.32. Australia, benefiting from a world-record setting lead-off swim of 47.24 from Eamon Sullivan, was third.