By PETER JESSUP
Dutch swimmer Pieter van den Hoogenband spoiled Australia's ready-made party last night when he stole Ian Thorpe's third gold medal.
Van den Hoogenband had signalled his intentions by breaking Thorpe's world record for the 200m in the semifinals the night before, when Thorpe was 0.02s behind.
Last night in
the 200m finals, he was further back, 0.48 off the pace.
The pair hugged at the end and congratulated each other, then called in bronze medal winner Italian Massimiliano Rosolino, who had given both a run for their money.
The winner, Thorpe and Rosolino were locked together for three of the four lengths and turned to the last at the same split.
The Dutchman took a lead straight off the wall, and Thorpe could not catch him. The only leg Thorpe swam faster was the third, his time for 50m of 27.31 beating van den Hoogenband's 27.36. In the last 50m, the Dutchman went 27.14, Thorpe 27.62.
Van den Hoogenband had predicted it would take a world record time to win the event and he was right, his 1.45.35 equalling the mark he set in the semis on Sunday.
The roof had lifted off when Thorpe came out from the team bunker, the only one in the field in a full steamer. The others wore a variety of speed suits, and van den Hoogenband long pants.
The roof went skywards as the field turned for the last lap. It settled quickly once it became clear to the packed house that the Thorpedo was not going to do what he had in the 4x100m relay two nights before and take another gold to add to his two.
Australian Grant Hackett, expected to be in the finish-line photo, did not look at all confident as he walked up to the blocks, and that is how it turned out. He finished 4.11s behind the winner.
Thorpe still looks to be the big winner at these Games, with another chance for gold in the 4x200m relay and only the Americans likely to threaten that.
Being beaten last night may turn out to be the best thing for him because it is clear that he believes he can go faster, and the sour taste and the lesson learned are only likely to make him harder in future.
