Special report: Beijing 2008 Olympic Games
BEIJING, Aug. 10 (Xinhua) -- With no expression on
face, U.S. swimmer Katie Hoff waited quietly for her name to be announced first
at the awards ceremony. Her name should have been announced last.
Coming off a historic three-win performance at last
year's world championships, Hoff is expected to snatch the gold Sunday in the
women's 400 meters individual medley (IM), an event which she held the world
record. However, despite mounting expectations, Hoff settled for a bronze.
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Katie Hoff of the United States competes
during the final of women's 400m individual medley at the Beijing 2008
Olympic Games in the National Aquatics Center, also known as the Water
Cube in Beijing, China, Aug. 10, 2008. Katie Hoff won the bronze medal
with 4 minutes 31.71 seconds. (Xinhua/Fan Jun)Photo Gallery>>> |
With a pretty solid start, Hoff ranked third after
the first 100m butterfly but was edged to the fifth after another 100m
backstroke.
In the breaststroke, which is her best stroke, Hoff
managed to climb to the third but still unable to overtake Aussie swimmer
Stephanie Rice and Zimbabwean Kirsty Conventry.
Standing on the right side of Rice on the podium,
Hoff smiled and waved to the audience, among whom included U.S. President George
W. Bush and his wife.
Facing swarms of journalists, Hoff said calmly she
was happy with her first Olympic medal, even though a gold could be better.
Four years ago, Hoff made her Olympic debut and was
so unnerved that she vomited on the pool deck. She didn't make the 400m
individual medley final and finished seventh in the 200m individual medley.
"I wasn't mentally prepared for that," Hoff said
before coming to Beijing. "The second time around is so much easier because you
have an idea of how things are. Having experience gives me a huge advantage. I
can't control my competitors, but if I have great swims, then I should do pretty
well."
Her failure to secure the gold aroused speculations
that same problem might have happened to her again. However, the 19-year-old
talent denied it.
"I was feeling relaxed. It was a tough race, But I
can't reallybe mad. I was only like a half-second off my best time, so I'm happy
to get my first medal of the Olympics. I was trying, but I can't have it at the
end," Hoff said.
Hoff trains at the same club that handled the early
development of Michael Phelps, a guy she sees as "pseudo big brother", and
shares his diverse program, specializing in the 200 and 400 meter individual
medleys, 200 meter freestyle and the 800 meter free relay.
In the Beijing Games, with another four individual
events and at least one relay to race, Hoff will be nearly as busy as Phelps.
