Brendon Smith became AustraliaтАЩs first medallist in Tokyo, but an Aussie swim great was left wondering what could have been after he stormed home to finish third.
Brendon Smith has won AustraliaтАЩs first medal at the Tokyo Olympics after collecting bronze in the menтАЩs 400m individual medley.
Virtually unknown before he arrived in Japan, Smith swam like a man possessed on his final lap to finish third in 4:10.38, just outside the Australian record he set in SaturdayтАЩs heats.
Smith became just the second Australian man to win an Olympic medal in the 400 medley, the most gruelling event in the pool, joining Rob Woodhouse who also won bronze in 1984.
Smith qualified fastest for the final with a semifinal time that would have won him the Olympic gold but was unable to repeat that effort and keep up with the American pair of Chase Kalisz and Jay Litherland, who took gold and silver.
However, he did an amazing job to get on the podium.
The 21-year-old was last heading into the concluding freestyle leg and seventh when he turned on the last lap but stormed home to open AustraliaтАЩs medal count.
тАЬThat is fantastic to see. Brendon Smith at his first international meet, his first Olympic Games to come away with a bronze medal. He wouldnтАЩt have been expecting that,тАЭ Ian Thorpe said on Channel 7.
тАЬThe thing thatтАЩs tough here, I have to point it out, is if he had swum the time he did in the heat he would have won that final.
тАЬAnd itтАЩs being able to back up from those races and what you do in recovery to be able to get the best out of yourself but still a bronze medal, if you asked him before he came in to these Olympic Games, I doubt he would have said he would have expected to medal.тАЭ
Smith told Channel 7: тАЬUnbelievable. I canтАЩt believe it. 12 months ago when the Games were cancelled or postponed, I thought give me another opportunity, another year to better my preparation from last time so, you know, to improve that much and to be able to get on the podium is incredible.
Adding, to his family at home: тАЬThank you so much for supporting me. Yeah, canтАЩt believe it.тАЭ
