‘Mr. Relay’ wins his own medal in 100-meter freestyle

By Mechelle Voepel

McClatchy Newspapers

BEIJING — Maybe it didn’t match his astonishing relay leg earlier this week for sheer drama. But the race that Jason Lezak swam this morning was very important to him, too.

He ended up with a bronze in the men’s 100-meter freestyle, with Frenchman Alain Bernard winning the gold. Lezak has been “Mr. Relay” for Team USA, but this was his first individual medal at the Olympics.

“That’s what’s been driving me the last four years,” said Lezak, whose 47.67-second time trailed Bernard (47.21) and Australia’s Eamon Sullivan (47.32). “Going into these Olympics, I was shooting for the gold medal, but to win any medal feels really good. It feels like everything I’ve done over my career has paid off.”

It was Bernard that Lezak caught and out-touched Monday in the 4x100 relay for the United States’ victory, preserving Michael Phelps’ chances at eight gold medals. Today (Wednesday night in the United States) Phelps didn’t have a final, so it was the rare day so far here that he hasn’t picked up any hardware.

But he positioned himself to get more, as he won his semifinal heat of the 200 individual medley in 1:57.70. Fellow American Ryan Lochte won the other semifinal in 1:57.69.

“The biggest thing over the next two days is trying to get as much rest and recovery as possible,” Phelps said. “Tomorrow’s 200 IM is going to be a hard race, and so is the 100 (butterfly) against (Ian) Crocker. Crock’s been waiting around for this event, so you know he’s going to be ready.”

Phelps races in the 200 IM final and the 100 butterfly semifinals Friday.

Along with Lezak’s bronze today, the U.S. team picked up one other medal: a bronze in the women’s 4x200 freestyle relay, won by Australia. The United States swimmers — Allison Schmitt, Natalie Coughlin, Caroline Burckle and Katie Hoff — finished in 7:46.33.

It was Coughlin’s fourth medal of these Games, and she’s not done yet. She could still win two more.

“She’s an amazing athlete, and it’s so exciting for Team USA,” Burckle said. “Everybody looks up to Natalie, and she’s a great team leader.”

Earlier in the morning, Coughlin swam in the semis of the 100 freestyle and won her heat with a time of 53.70. The world and Olympic record-holders, Australia’s Libby Trickett and Germany’s Britta Steffen, respectively, were in her heat.

“I was really fortunate to have them in my heat and to judge myself off of,” Coughlin said. “So I am in perfect position for the final.”

Aaron Peirsol, who cruised to the men’s 100 backstroke gold Tuesday, easily won his semifinal heat of the 200 backstroke today (1:55.26) and will be in the final Friday. Sunday, he and Lezak are expected to be part of the 4x100 medley relay in which Phelps will go for what he hopes is his eighth gold.

But Peirsol pointed out that none of the U.S. relay swimmers are thinking they are doing this “for” Phelps.

“We absolutely respect and admire Michael, but the feeling on the team is by no means does one man come first,” Peirsol said. “The other night when Lezak hit that relay, guys (on the team) were bringing up the fact that if he didn’t touch (Bernard) out, Mike wouldn’t have his eight golds. But it’s honestly not something Mike talks about.”

For his part, Lezak said the 4x100 free relay had given him quite a momentum boost ... but at the same time took a lot out of him physically. Which is why he was all the more pleased with getting a bronze today.

“I’m lucky I survived out there,” said Lezak, at 32 the oldest male swimmer on the U.S. team. “I’m feeling a little tired right now and I’ve got a couple of days’ rest, which is much-needed.”