Andrew Jeffcoat of New Zealand took gold in the men's 50m backstroke final. Photo / Getty
Andrew Jeffcoat of New Zealand took gold in the men's 50m backstroke final. Photo / Getty
By Kris Shannon in Birmingham
Andrew Jeffcoat's sudden emergence has taken him all the way to the top step of the podium.
The unheralded swimmer tonight completed a startling ascent by winning the 50m backstroke final at Sandwell Aquatics Centre, claiming New Zealand's fifth gold medal in the pool atthese Games.
Jeffcoat reacted sharply, emerged first from the water and led the whole lap to break the New Zealand record for the second time in Birmingham, stopping the clock just 0.03s off the Commonwealth record in a time of 24.65 seconds.
"It's something you dream of," he said. "You wake up every day for moments like that. There's not a lot that I can say, really - you can't really put it into words. It's a special feeling. Probably the best feeling I've ever had."
Jeffcoat is a relative stranger at this level, having competed at his first long-course world championships in June. But at least one person hasn't been shocked by his rise.
"I haven't surprised myself - I know I'm capable of these times," he said. "It's just being able to step up on the big stage.
"We train for these sort of moments, we train to be able to come in and do PBs. That was 0.17 faster than my PB, so it's not a huge drop, but it was enough to get a medal."
That previous PB was set in last night's semifinals, from which Jeffcoat advanced as the second-fastest qualifier.
The 23-year-old was determined to improve on what had seemed a creditable fourth-place finish in the 100m event, a result that hinted at what was to follow but one that left Jeffcoat unsatisfied.
"It's a bit of a redemption moment for me," he said. "Getting fourth isn't fun, and to be able to come and have fun and love what I do again is something special.
"Even if I didn't have the gold medal wrapped around my neck, if I'd done the time or if I'd come in and had fun, that's a win in itself."
Andrew Jeffcoat of New Zealand took gold in the men's 50m backstroke final. Photo / Getty
That was especially true after a previous year filled with some less enjoyable moments. Jeffcoat was left "on the brink of depression" after missing out on the place at the Olympics, watching at home while desperate to be in Tokyo.
He was then absent at this year's national championships after catching Covid from a teammate, adding to the level of anonymity he experienced coming into these Games.
Jeffcoat finished 13th in the 50m at June's world championships but, with the best backstroke exponents belonging to the United States and continental Europe, he was primed to reach a high after a few lows.
"My career's been full of ups and downs," he said. "Every time there's a down I'll have a moment to dwell on it, have a bit of a cry and a bit of a moan, but I'll get back and I'll use it.
"Missing out on the Olympics last year was one of those moments. But instead of giving up and calling it quits, I vowed to myself I'd do everything I could to not miss out again."
That vow fulfilled, his reward secured, Jeffcoat has little time to celebrate, set to compete in the 200m backstroke on the penultimate day in the pool.
But he knows he will eventually have plenty of people with whom to toast his success after what has turned into a breakthrough Games.
"This isn't just my medal," he said. "This is for everyone who's been supporting me, everyone who's ever given me a bed, everyone who's ever given me a meal. This is for them."
