Mel wins bronze
- Paul Munnings
- 11th August 2008
Sunshine Coast swimmer Melanie Schlanger.
A DELIGHTED Melanie Schlanger created some Sunshine Coast sporting history thanks to a pivotal swim for Australia's 4x100m freestyle relay team at the Beijing Olympic Games yesterday.
The 21-year-old became the first homegrown Coast swimmer to win a Games medal when the Australians claimed the bronze behind the Netherlands and the United States on the first morning of finals at the Water Cube.
In her first Olympics, Schlanger was the third swimmer up for the Aussies, the defending Olympic champions and world titleholders who dropped back to last after teenager Cate Campbell's opening leg.
Schlanger followed Alice Mills to enter the water in seventh position, put her "head down and bum up" and brought her team up to third place before handing over to Libby Trickett who touched the wall to bring up an Australian record time of 3:35.05.
The world record-holding Dutch clocked 3:33.76 while the US was only just ahead of the Australians in 3:34.33.
It was the first time Australia had been beaten for the sprint relay gold medal at a major international meet since they won the Olympic title in Athens.
"It's an Australian record so we can't be too disappointed in that," said Schlanger, who developed her swimming at the Maroochydore club.
"The world has moved ahead since last year (at the world titles) and we have to try and keep up with them.
"I think all of our girls put in all we've got and I'm rapt to have an Olympic medal.
"Just to make the team and be over here competing is a dream. To come away with a medal is something else."
Trickett, who posted the fastest split time of the Australians, was ecstatic with the bronze.
"We got in a really great performance as a team and we have come up with our fastest ever relay," Trickett said.
"We came up with third which is an amazing achievement for four young girls who have come a very long way in four years."
Schlanger was celebrating with her family yesterday afternoon before turning her mind to the 4x200m freestyle which has heats set down for Wednesday night with the final on Thursday.
She is one of eight Australian swimmers who are yet to discover what role they will play.
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