Melanie cheers on our golden girls
- 15th August 2008
Sunshine Coast swimmer Melanie Schlanger.
GOLD is where you find it and the Sunshine Coast's Melanie Schlanger amazingly scored a large Olympic chunk of it from the stands of Beijing's Water Cube as her 4 x 200m freestyle relay team-mates stunned the world.
Her part in the jaw-dropping win – a big slap in the face for the red-hot favourite US team which was forced to settle for bronze behind China - came in the qualifying race the night before.
Schlanger could have been forgiven for having mixed emotions, having had to sit this one out.
This was far removed from her experience at the last world championships in Melbourne when she was one of the four golden racers in the 4 x 100m.
But Schlanger was elated and just as awe-struck as every other spectator there at the world record smashing swims of Stephanie Rice, Bronte Barratt, Kylie Palmer and Linda Mackenzie.
It just so happened that unlike most other deliriously proud Aussie onlookers – these unfazed four had swum her to gold. All heat swimmers from teams that place in the finals are awarded medals to acknowledge how valued their contribution is.
Schlanger's qualifying team-mates from Wednesday of Felicity Galvez, Angie Bainbridge and Lara Davenport, who had placed Australia sixth in the final, also knew exactly how it felt to be superfish out of water.
"It's really fantastic to be a part of the eight – we always thought they were a chance to do something (out of the box) in the final because Stephanie is so talented and Kylie is a good relay swimmer."
Schlanger said she was desperately willing Mackenzie on as the Chinese swimmer tried to mow down her final leg lead.
"All the Aussie team wishes one another well, but I've been rooming with Linda in her dorm, so I guess I've been feeling closest to her this week.
"I was here to concentrate on the 100m (relay), and it was always the plan that I just swim in the 200m heat.
"The gold medal will be a wonderful keepsake from these Games ... I'm definitely coming home with plenty to train for."
But she will take away much more away with her from Beijing, among the most treasured her bronze in the 100m freestyle relay.
Her swim to get the Australian team back in the race and on track for a medal, definitely had a gilt edge. It also had all her teammates raising the roof with their wild cheering...not unlike the 200m free relay.
She has more than played her part in this Olympic campaign.
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