{"id":333281,"date":"2018-10-17T09:55:11","date_gmt":"2018-10-17T16:55:11","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=333281"},"modified":"2018-10-25T13:28:17","modified_gmt":"2018-10-25T20:28:17","slug":"the-50th-anniversary-of-mark-spitzs-first-olympic-gold-medal-at-the-mexico-city-olympics","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/the-50th-anniversary-of-mark-spitzs-first-olympic-gold-medal-at-the-mexico-city-olympics\/","title":{"rendered":"The 50th Anniversary of Mark Spitz’s First Olympic Gold Medal at the Mexico City Olympics"},"content":{"rendered":"

Each day through October 26, Swimming World will take you back 50 years to the Olympic Games in Mexico City, and will re-tell the stories of those Games through archived meet recaps through the\u00a0Swimming World Vault<\/a>.<\/i><\/p>\n

Mexico City, Mexico – On October 17, at 10:00 AM the first qualifying heat of the women’s 4×100 meter medley relay boomed off the starting blocks in the spacious new Alberca pool heralding the beginning of 10 days of competitive swimming and diving. This event was five days after the Opening Ceremony, but to some athletes who had been training at altitude for close to a month, and to others who had been living at the Olympic Village for many weeks, it was the end of\u00a0ma\u00f1ana.<\/p>\n

October 17, 1968<\/h2>\n

Women’s 4×100 Medley Relay<\/h3>\n

The women’s 400 meter medley relay was expected to be an American breeze despite the fact the U.S. “B” team of Jane Swagerty<\/strong>, Sharon Wichman<\/strong>, Susie Shields<\/strong> and Janie Barkman<\/strong> had qualified second (4:34.7) to Australia by a tenth as each won separate heats.<\/p>\n

On paper the American quartet of Kaye Hall<\/strong>, Catie Ball<\/strong>, Ellie Daniel<\/strong> and Sue Pedersen<\/strong> were capable of going 10 seconds faster than their “sister” team, and the question was “how fast could the Aussies go?”<\/p>\n

Wasting no time after the gun, Miss Hall took the lead but was unable to shake the determined Australian, Lynne Watson<\/strong>, and had to be content with a body length lead at 1:07.8 to 1:08.5. Even more determined was 14-year-old Judy Playfair<\/strong> who came up on Miss Ball and cut the U. S. lead to three tenths, out-splitting Catie 1:15.9 to 1:16.3.<\/p>\n

Miss Daniel swam a terrific butterfly leg but was unable to shake 18-year-old, Lyn McClements<\/strong>, who dropped her time several seconds to 1:05.0 opposite Ellie’s 1:04.8. When Miss Pedersen took over for the U. S., the crowd relished an upset as Australian’s anchor, Jenny Steinbech<\/strong>, was but two yards back. However, Sue turned on the juice with 50 meters to go and brought home the medal with 59.4 to Jenny’s 1:00.6.<\/p>\n

The U. S. girls clocked 4:28.3, a world and Olympic record, and the Australians were timed in 4:30.0, tying the old world mark and well under the 4:33.9 Olympic standard the U. S. set in 1964. West Germany, with great swims from Uta Frommater<\/strong>, 1:15.7 breast, and Heide Hustede<\/strong>, 1:06.1 fly, took third from the Russians, 4:36.4 to 4:37.0. East Germany was fifth, 4:38.0, Great Britain sixth, 4:38.3 (Alex Jackson<\/strong>, 1:00.9 free), Holland seventh, 4:38.7 (Ada Kok<\/strong> 1:05.5 fly)and Hungary eighth, 4:42.9 (4:41.2 in prelims).<\/p>\n

The medley relay was an eye popper for the Americans, as the Australians showed that the United States was not invincible. It served as an ice-breaker for the meet, relieving the pressure of the tearful U. S. girls who were anxious to get started.<\/p>\n

U. S. women’s coach Sherman Chavoor<\/strong>, said:\u00a0“The challenge is good. I think our girls can go faster but were a little nervous.”<\/span><\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The U. S. girls have a pending world mark of 4:28.1 set at Colorado Springs during their high altitude training. (This mark was rejected by FINA at their Mexico meeting prior to the Games.)<\/p>\n

\"susan-pedersen-1968-olympics-mexico-city\"

Susan Pedersen, Photo Courtesy: Swimming World Archive<\/p><\/div>\n

Medalists:<\/em><\/p>\n

    \n
  1. United States, Kaye Hall, Catie Ball, Ellie Daniel, Susan Pedersen, 4:28.3 (Olympic Record)<\/li>\n
  2. Australia, Lynne Watson, Judy Playfair, Lyn McClements, Janet Steinbeck, 4:30.0<\/li>\n
  3. West Germany, Angelika Kraus, Uta Frommater, Heike Hustede, Heidemarie Reineck, 4:36.4<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Historical Notes: <\/em><\/p>\n