Lithuania teen makes Olympic pool history
Source: Agencies |
August 1, 2012, Wednesday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
LITHUANIA'S Ruta Meilutyte became the first 15-year-old Olympic swimming champion for 40 years as she powered to the 100m breaststroke gold medal on Monday.
Meilutyte held off fast-finishing American world champion Rebecca Soni to become the youngest winner of an Olympic swimming gold since Australia's Shane Gould enjoyed a triple triumph at the 1972 Munich Games. The blonde schoolgirl was emotional about her achievement and shed tears on the podium after her country's national anthem was played to sustained applause from the crowd at the Aquatics Centre.
Meilutyte also became the first swimmer to win a gold medal for Lithuania, once part of the former Soviet Union.
"I put all my strength into that race. I still can't believe it. I'm shocked, but in a good way," she said.
"I started crying on the podium, that's when it started to sink in. I can't believe it. It's too much for me. It was hard and difficult. But it means a lot to me and I'm so proud."
She surged clear off the starting blocks to beat Soni in one minute 05.47 seconds.
Meilutyte held off fast-finishing American world champion Rebecca Soni to become the youngest winner of an Olympic swimming gold since Australia's Shane Gould enjoyed a triple triumph at the 1972 Munich Games. The blonde schoolgirl was emotional about her achievement and shed tears on the podium after her country's national anthem was played to sustained applause from the crowd at the Aquatics Centre.
Meilutyte also became the first swimmer to win a gold medal for Lithuania, once part of the former Soviet Union.
"I put all my strength into that race. I still can't believe it. I'm shocked, but in a good way," she said.
"I started crying on the podium, that's when it started to sink in. I can't believe it. It's too much for me. It was hard and difficult. But it means a lot to me and I'm so proud."
She surged clear off the starting blocks to beat Soni in one minute 05.47 seconds.
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