US Olympic Trials, Day 7 Finals: Gary Hall Busts a Move, Wins 50 Free in World-Leading 21.91

By Phillip Whitten

LONG BEACH, Calif., July 13. AS Muhammad Ali demonstrated: if you’re going to talk the talk, you’d better be prepared to walk the walk (or, in the case of swimming, swim the swim).

For weeks, Gary Hall, Jr. – the Muhammad Ali of swimming — has been talking the talk, challenging 100-meter freestyle champion Jason Lezak, demanding that Marion Jones be barred from the Olympic Games, and predicting a world record for himself.

Yesterday, he qualified second behind Lezak in the semifinals of the 50 free, his premier event, after officials had called his heat off the blocks. The near false start seemed to rattle Hall a bit, making him slightly tentative. But a talk with coach Jon Olsen this morning seemed to chase away the jitters.

Tonight, Gary Hall, Jr., a Type I diabetic, was swimming’s Ali, ready for his Thrilla in Manila, his Rumble in the Jungle.

Off the blocks with Lezak, known for his strong starts, Hall inched ahead, touching in 21.91 seconds – the world’s fastest time of 2004 and faster than his gold medal-winning time from four years ago. Lezak touched right behind Hall in 22.05, just a shade off his 21.98 from yesterday’s semifinals.

Arizona State’s fast-improving Nick Brunelli was a surprise third in 22.39, just ahead of Hall’s Race Club teammate, Sabir Muhammad, 22.41. Aaron Ciarla, a third Race Club swimmer, was eighth.

It was after the race that the ebullient Hall personality burst forth. Not content with climbing out of the pool using the indented steps on the side, he pulled himself out of the water and onto the starting block, where he first waved to the wildly cheering crowd, then bowed to them, as the cheers grew louder.

But that was only prelude. Instead of walking around the pool deck and acknowledging the crowd, Hall ran up the stairs into the crowd, trailed by a horde of photographers and autograph-seekers. Hugging family members, friends and his physician, Hall kept the crowd in frenzy. Unnoticed among the Hall contingent in the stands was friend, former teammate and co-Olympic champion, Anthony Ervin.

Later, in a press conference, Hall announced his campaign to become the US flag-bearer in Athens. In 1976, his father, Dr. Gary Hall, Sr., also a three-time Olympian, was the flag-bearer — the last swimmer to carry the flag.

Hall also reiterated his plan to swim a world record 21.5 in Athens, saying “I think it is humanly possible.” He also said he was looking forward to competing against Russia’s Alexander Popov, calling Popov “a great competitor.”

“I have a tremendous amount of respect for Alex,” he said. “I haven’t had many opportunities to race him, but I am looking forward to doing so in Athens."

Gary Hall Jr. went into the crowd after his race to thank his family and friends.
(Photo: M. Collins)

Fans cheer for Jason Lezak at the Olympic Trials
(Photo: M. Collins)

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