Update by Les Tan
Beijing, Monday, August 11, 2008 – Tao Li finished fifth in the 100m butterfly this morning at the Beijing Olympics in a time of 57.99 seconds. This was slower than the Asian record time of 57.54sec she set yesterday in the semi-final. Zhou Yafei of China finished ahead of Tao Li in fourth in 57.84sec.
The race was won by Australian Lisbeth Trickett in a new Oceanic record time of 56.73sec while Christine Magnusson of the USA was second in 57.10sec. Jessica Schipper of Australia was third in 57.25sec.
The 18-year-old Tao Li, swimming in Lane 6, had the fourth-fastest 100m butterfly time this year going into this race. However, even if she had managed to equal her Asian record time, she would have still finished fourth based on the timing of the first three competitors. This does not take away from the fact that Tao Li is the first Singaporean to reach an Olympic swimming final.
The world record is held by Inge De Bruijn with a time of 56.61sec which was set at the Sydney Olympics in 2000.
She’s still very young. Next Olympics, definitely at least a Bronze. =D
Singaporeans should be proud of the effort that Tao Li and all those whom have been working with her have put in over these past 3 days. Too often articles detailing Singaporean achievements are framed in terms of ‘failure’ instead of offering positive support to the people who have sacrificed so much to do their country proud – regardless of the outcome. Let’s put her swim in the final in perspective: it was her first Olympics – where every time you progress from a heat to a semi final and then a final the times get faster and the race strategies of your competitors shift and you have to change your race plan in order to combat that; she was swimming against other competitors at least 1 foot taller than her – which creates an almighty ‘bow wave’ of water for her to swim through, making it more difficult than just swimming in the race itself; it’s tough mentally, emotionally, physically to put in a 100% effort 3 times with little rest in 36 hours and better your result on each outing – and gets tougher when the weight of expectation grows with each swim knowing the hopes of a nation rest on your shoulders. Let’s focus on what hasn’t been mentioned: Tao Li has posted the 4th fastest time IN HISTORY for that event. She is in the top 8 IN THE WORLD. And her PB time of 57.4 would have won her the Gold medal in Athens. I’d hardly class that as ‘failure’, would you?
Pity indeed! But congratulations to Tao Li for taking the Singapore flag to its first Olympic swim final.
What a pity Tao Li just missed out after being so much in contention!
Definitely a force to be reckoned with for the years to come!
You are right.
Thanks for catching the typo!
😉
hey, in the olympics website, zhou ya fei came in with a timing of 57.84.
check it out here: http://results.beijing2008.cn/WRM/ENG/INF/SW/C73A1/SWW021101.shtml#SWW021101