For Australians on Saturday, the final day of swimming brought some consolations in the pool, but nothing which could compensate for the bruises of a bad week. It wasn't quite the duel meet which the pre-publicity had suggested it would be; pesky Europeans kept getting in the way of the Aussies and the Yanks, but when the medals were counted the Americans had a far more handsome number.
The Americans left the pool in the same triumphant spirit with which the Australians had entered it a week ago. The Americans set two world records in clear relay victories over their hosts. Sydney-siders clapped and gritted their teeth.
Jenny Thompson goes into a twilight life as the grand dame of American swimming. She won her eighth career relay gold and her 10th medal overall in the 4x100 metre medley relay. Thompson, BJ Bedford, Megan Quann, and Dara Torres won in 3:58.30, erasing the mark of 4:01.67 set by China at the 1994 world championships.
In another poignant twist for Australians, Gary Hall Jnr outswam Michael Klim on the anchor leg as the American men added the men's 4x100 metre medley relay medal to their haul.
All that was left for a hungry Aussie crowd to savour was the sight of two yellow swim caps leading the field throughout the 1,500 metres race.
Grant Hackett and Kieren Perkins finished first and second respectively. Perkins had been attempting to win the event for the third time in succession and his hopes were boosted as Hackett swam poorly early last week and then permitted Perkins to post the fastest time in qualifying. Their success continued the traditional Australian dominance of the event and had a delighted crowd temporarily packing away it's troubles.
There was no escaping the American dominance though, and with Hall Jnr anchoring the men's 4x100 metre medley relay, painful memories of Perkins' ill-advised cross words with the US captain before the Games began were hard to avoid. Hall had a good Olympics and with Lenny Krayzelburg, Ed Moses and Ian Crocker set a world record on Saturday of three minutes, 33.73 seconds, bringing down the mark of 3:34.84 set by their compatriots in Atlanta.
The final tally of swimming hardware then: the Americans won 33 medals, including 14 golds, during the week. Australia took 18 medals but only five golds, the same as the Dutch. Fifteen world records were broken. Half a dozen drug accusations were made. No positive tests came to light.
When it was all over the US men's relay team grinned as one and unfurled a banner which said: "Sydney 2000. In our hearts forever. Thanks Australia."
The Australian crowd was appreciative but it was a case of kind words in a time of troubles. Five golds? For this Rome was built?
