USA Olympians Missy Franklin, Matt Grevers strike back-to-back gold in 100-meter backstroke
The USA Swim Team added two more gold medals at the 2012 Olympic Games in London on Monday.
It all began when seventeen-year-old Missy Franklin, who is competing in her first Olympics, posted a time of 58.33 in the 100-meter backstroke, earning her first Olympic gold medal in dramatic fashion, overtaking the leader with just 10 meters left in the race.
Franklin could barely contain her emotion after the race.
“It’s exceeding the expectations a hundred million times over. I just won an Olympic gold medal and I don’t even know what to think now.
It was Franklin’s second medal of the Olympic Games; she captured a bronze as a member of the 4×100-meter freestyle relay team.
Not long after Franklin’s victory, Matt Grevers, a member of the USA Men’s Olympic Swim team, captured his first Olympic individual gold medal of his own, also in the 100-meter backstroke. With a time of 52.16 seconds, he set a new Olympic record, just .22 seconds shy of the world record held by former American swimmer, Aaron Peirsol.
Grevers’ teammate, Nick Thoman, took home the silver in the event, marking the first time in these Olympics that the Americans have take the top 2 spots on the podium.
The Men’s and Women’s US Swim Teams now have now won a combined total of 12 medals in London this week, including 4 gold, 5 silver and 3 bronze.
Though USA star Ryan Lochte failed to medal in the 200-meter freestyle, fellow member of Team USA, Rebecca Soni, captured silver in the 100-meter breaststroke.
So far, the both USA Swim Teams have done a great job during these Olympic Games, and with lots more events remaining for several of the athletes, it’s only just the beginning.
