Germany's Britta Steffen continued her winning streak at the Beijing Games Sunday, pocketing the gold in the 50-meter freestyle with a fingertip advantage.
Steffen set a new Olympic record in 24.06 seconds, edging five-time Olympian U.S. Dara Torres to a second place by 0.01 second.
"I am very happy that I took the lead from the beginning," said Steffen, who already won the women's 100m freestyle gold on Friday. "In the first 20 meters, I noticed Dara Torres beside me. My coach had told me that the last 10 meters would decide the result."
Steffen, who started swimming at seven, almost quit the sport after winning a bronze medal in Sydney and going home empty handed from Athens. Her coach tried to convince her to continue but she took a year off and sought the help of a psychologist.
Steffen went back into the pool in August 2005, won the 50m and 100m freestyle at the German National Championships and made a phenomenal appearance at the 2006 European Championships when she won four gold medals and set three world records.
"I really worked a lot with my psychologist. When I was on the blocks this time I didn't feel like everyone else was better than me. I know now that this is rubbish, I can do this," she said after the 50-meter race.
Australia wunderkind Cate Campbell, who is making her maiden Olympic show in Beijing, won bronze in 24.17 seconds.
"At 16 to win an individual Olympic medal is beyond my wildest dreams, it's incredible," said the Aussie girl. "I was in complete shock. Wow, is that a 3 near my name? Not an 8?"
Compbell also gave her complement to Torres, who began to win Olympic medals before she was born. "Dara has come back. She's got a little kid. She's incredible, very inspiring."
Torres, whom Michael Phelps called "mom", is a 41-year-old five-time Olympian. She has won 12 Olympic medals, including three silvers at the Beijing Games.
Torres announced her retirement twice. The first time she returned to the pool was for the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, then she had been out of the pool for seven years, quitting after the 1992 Olympic Games and missing the 1996 Games in her homeland.
Despite this long lay-off she managed to win five medals in Sydney, two relay gold medals and three bronze. She then retired again, feeling there was not much left for her to prove.
After another long period out of the pool, and a daughter, Torres decided to return to the Olympics one more time to prove that age, and motherhood, do not spell the end of an athletic career.
"I've had so many people come up to me and say they'd love to see a 40-year-old make the Olympic team, so if it inspires others, then it's rewarding for me, too." Torres said before coming to Beijing.
Torres's stunning psyche has aroused some speculations questioning whether she has taken performance enforcing drugs. In the lead-up to the Beijing Games she and a dozen other US athletes volunteered for a special program aimed at proving without doubt that they are clean of any performance enhancing substances.
She voluntarily provides extra blood and urine samples for testing, tests that go well beyond normal protocols and requirements. She was also reportedly met with the Chief Executive of the United States Anti-Doping Agency, Travis Tygart, telling him"DNA test, blood test, urine test, whatever you want to do. Just test me."
She even offered to provide hair samples and she gave permission for all the evidence to be stored and tested later when technology allows, "I want to show everyone I am totally clean," she said.
On the 0.01 gap between her and Steffen, Torres said she felt "pretty good" with the silver medal, even though a gold medal was her goal.
"I'm competitive so I wanted to win gold in the 50 (meters). I gave it my best shot and I'm thinking, maybe I shouldn't have filed my nails last night," She said.
Compbell's teammate, world record holder Libby Trickett, was one step off the podium, finishing fourth in 24.25, well of her own personal best.
(Xinhua News Agency August 17,2008)