As August 2014 rolls around there’s a lot of nostalgia about the Athens Olympics. One of the most incredible races of that meet was the Men’s 4 x 100 freestyle relay final, where South Afica pulled off a huge shock, taking the gold medal in a world record time.
To mark 10 years of that achievement, South African news site EWN tweeted the recollections of anchor leg swimmer Ryk Neethling “as live” as he relived the events of that night. He recalled the race as follows:
#Athens1 21h01 – Race starts & Roland leads immediately. Best start in the world. 100fly WR holder Ian Crocker has terrible swim for the US
— EWN Sport (@EWNsport) August 15, 2014
Roland Schoemann was the only lead off leg swimmer to break 49s – his split of 48.17 was a second ahead of second placed Italy. Ian Crocker for the US had a stinker, splitting 50.05 and leaving the Americans last at 100m.
#Athens10 21h02 – Lyndon is in. Our strongman. Phelps in for USA, Lyndon extends lead. Halfway through the race we're a body length clear!
— EWN Sport (@EWNsport) August 15, 2014
Lyndon Ferns was second in, consolidating the lead with a 48.13 split. As Darian Townsend enters the water the picture is changing for Neethling on the anchor.
#Athens10 21h03 – Next is Darian, only 18. His instruction is to keep calm 1st 50 & bring it back strong. Popov in for World Champs, Russia.
— EWN Sport (@EWNsport) August 15, 2014
#Athens10 21h03 – Darian swimming a perfect race. When he turns at 50 I realise it is now up to me. I have to bring it home. @RykNeethling
— EWN Sport (@EWNsport) August 15, 2014
#Athens10 21h03 – I have swum this race a million times in my head but now it looks different. We are so far in front….
— EWN Sport (@EWNsport) August 15, 2014
#Athens10 21h03 – Didn't expect this & I change tactics on the block. I'm going all out from the dive to kill off our opponents chances.
— EWN Sport (@EWNsport) August 15, 2014
Townsend did what was asked of him, splitting 48.96 and sending Neethling into the water with a sizeable lead.
#Athens10 21h04 – @RykNeethling pic.twitter.com/C941oak23w
— EWN Sport (@EWNsport) August 15, 2014
South Africa set a new world record of 3:13.17, taking half a second off the existing Australian mark they’d set winning the event in Sydney. Behind him, Pieter van den Hoogenband split a barely credible 46.79 to haul the Netherlands into the silver medal position and relegating the US to bronze – the second shock of the night.
Here’s the race as called on US television.