Martinenghi Sneaks Home In 59.03, 0.02 Up On A Peaty/Fink Snap In Almost The Slowest Race Of The Century
"It was a dream come true to be Olympic champion. It’s insane, it’s insane. I was only focusing on myself. When I touched the board and saw one light I was so happy. The time wasn’t so fast but I don’t care. I was the fastest." Martinenghi
Adam Peaty shared silver with Nic Fink 0.02sec shy of Nicolo Martinenghi, who won the Olympic 100m breaststroke title in 59.03, the slowest victory since Kosuke Kitajima's at Athens 2004.
China's triple World champion Qin Haiyang finished seventh, in 59.50.
Right. Pull the other one! Gold, 2.15sec outside the World record? I suppose next you'll be telling me that the 100m free was won in 48.95, slower than the 1996 final in Barcelona?
No, really, it's true. Martinenghi could hardly believe it himself. He later said: "I looked up at the board and thought 'what, I won it in 59!?"
It will all go down as one of the great mysteries of Olympic swimming history, one not even the doubts about pool depth and a clutter of tech furniture on the pool floor glaring and staring up at swimmers can resolve.
For Martinenghi it was a dream come true. He emerged from the fray to say: “To become Olympic champion today, next to Adam — one of my idols when I grew up. Amazing."
