{"id":394723,"date":"2025-09-19T02:30:22","date_gmt":"2025-09-19T09:30:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=394723"},"modified":"2025-09-19T05:15:05","modified_gmt":"2025-09-19T12:15:05","slug":"the-night-duncan-armstrong-became-the-dragon-slayer-and-laurie-lawrence-embodied-a-caged-animal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/the-night-duncan-armstrong-became-the-dragon-slayer-and-laurie-lawrence-embodied-a-caged-animal\/","title":{"rendered":"Seoul Anniversary: The Night Duncan Armstrong Became the Dragon Slayer and Laurie Lawrence Embodied a Caged Animal"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Night Duncan Armstrong Became the Dragon Slayer and Laurie Lawrence Embodied a Caged Animal<\/strong><\/p>\n

On Sept. 19, 1988: Ranked 46th in the world in the 200 freestyle entering the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, Australia\u2019s Duncan Armstrong was an afterthought in medal discussions. When the championship final was over, however, Armstrong was the gold medalist and his stunning triumph set off one of the great coaching celebrations the sport has seen.<\/em><\/p>\n

Wherever Duncan Armstrong<\/strong> looked, he had reason to be in awe. From what he heard, he had reason to be in awe, too. It was the championship final of the 200 freestyle at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, South Korea and Armstrong was supposed to be an also-ran in a clash of titans.<\/p>\n

Next to Armstrong was the United States\u2019 Matt Biondi<\/strong><\/a>, the world\u2019s most dominant swimmer of the time and \u2013 prior to arriving in Seoul \u2013 tabbed as a threat to equal the seven gold medals won by Mark Spitz<\/strong> at the 1972 Games in Munich. As the meet announcer introduced Biondi, set to compete in Lane Five, it seemed like a dissertation was being read. Accolade followed accolade. If spectators somehow didn\u2019t know Biondi before his introduction, they were well-versed on his accomplishments afterward.<\/p>\n

Also behind a starting block was West Germany\u2019s Michael Gross<\/strong>, nicknamed \u201cThe Albatross\u201d for his seven-foot wingspan. Like Biondi, Gross was wildly decorated, an Olympic champion from four years earlier and a world titlist on multiple occasions. He headed into the final of the 200 freestyle as the world-record holder, a mark he set en route to the gold medal at the 1984 Games.<\/p>\n

In another lane was Poland\u2019s Artur Wojdat<\/strong>. Although not as esteemed as Biondi and Gross, Wojdat was quite accomplished. He was the world-record holder in the 400 freestyle and was viewed as a future star in the sport, a man who was just tapping into his potential.<\/p>\n

Then there was Armstrong, a Commonwealth Games champion for Australia two years earlier, but hardly of the same status as his fellow competitors. He ranked just 46th in the world in the 200 freestyle at the time of the Olympic Games and when it was time for Armstrong\u2019s introduction in Seoul, it was basically over as soon as it started. Little was said, prompting Armstrong to think, \u201cOh, come on!\u201d More, Armstrong didn\u2019t exactly possess an imposing physique. While Gross was a towering 6-foot-7 and armed (literally) with a propeller-like wingspan, Biondi looked like a sculptor\u2019s dream creation, himself 6-foot-7 and rippling with muscles. Armstrong? He was built nothing like an Adonis. Rather, he was an unimposing 6-foot-2 and 160 pounds.<\/p>\n

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Photo Courtesy: Swimming World Magazine<\/p><\/div>\n

If Armstrong was not a contender in many minds, Laurie Lawrence<\/strong> was unaware that his student was an underdog. One of the finest coaches in Australian history, Lawrence saw great potential in Armstrong. Physically, he drove Armstrong into the ground in training, providing a new definition of what was painful. Equally important, Lawrence influenced Armstrong on a mental level, convincing his charge that excellence was attainable. It was that mentality which allowed Armstrong to believe \u2013 if others did not \u2013 that guys like Biondi and Gross were beatable.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe\u2019s a wonderful and enthusiastic person,\u201d Armstrong said of Lawrence. \u201cHe just sells it. He sells passion. He\u2019s a wonderful man. In swimming, where you have to do hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of laps, passion and enthusiasm are very important. He really understood the Olympic equation that you only get one shot. The door of opportunity only opens once every four years. He gave you the tools of the trade to step on deck so the Olympic pressure would not crush you. You look down your lane and know you\u2019ve done everything you possibly can and you\u2019re prepared for this race. Someone has got to win it. Why not me? You go out against great opposition and perform your best and not let the pressure cooker crush you.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

The pressure cooker is what Biondi was under. In the 16 years since Spitz packaged the finest Olympic performance in history \u2013 seven gold medals and seven world records \u2013 the sport was waiting for someone to challenge that epic run. Biondi was that man. He was slated to race seven events \u2013 four individual and three relays \u2013 and the potential for a gold medal in each event certainly existed.<\/p>\n

Of all the events, however, the 200 freestyle was going to be the toughest for Biondi, who was more of a sprinter extending his talent as far as it would go. In the case of the 200 freestyle, that was four grueling laps against athletes who were primarily middle-distance performers. While Biondi knew the situation and fans in tune with the sport understood the task at hand, the casual follower saw the 200 freestyle as nothing more than a fragment of a seven-piece puzzle.<\/p>\n

\u201cI’d like to say something,\u201d Biondi wrote for Sports Illustrated<\/em><\/a>. \u201cI’m doing this diary because I want to voice the other side of the Olympics. Everyone will be counting the medals and the times and the world records, and making this big judgment: Is Matt a success or a failure? It seems there’s so much emphasis put on that stuff and so little on how a person grows as he works his way toward the Olympics. To me, it’s the path getting there that counts, not the cheese at the end of the maze. Having said that, I have to admit that I’ve got a case of prerace jitters right now. I want to win. After all, I’ve trained my whole career for this.\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

Armstrong, too, wanted nothing more than to win, and he might have been in a more advantageous position to get the job done. While Biondi and Gross were under enormous pressure, Armstrong was in a nothing-to-lose position. It was a scenario which paid tremendous dividends.<\/p>\n

As the 200 freestyle started, Armstrong immediately put himself in contention. While Biondi had the lead at the 50-meter mark and Sweden\u2019s Anders Holmertz<\/strong> was in front at the midway point, Armstrong was lurking \u2013 and his coach knew it. A nervous wreck in the stands, Lawrence paced and fidgeted throughout the race. With a rolled-up program in his hands, Lawrence repeatedly pounded his hand with the paperwork, or waved it in the air. Armstrong was where Lawrence wanted him to be.<\/p>\n

\"MattDuring the third lap, Armstrong remained near the front of the pack, not losing touch with the leaders. As the athletes hit the 150-meter mark, Biondi had regained the lead and was one lap from collecting what would be the most difficult gold medal. Armstrong, though, produced a sterling final turn, one he called a \u201ccracker,\u201d and he was suddenly even with Biondi. A few strokes later, Armstrong was ahead. As the swimmers charged through the final 15 meters, Armstrong was clearly in front and ended up securing the gold medal with a world record time of 1:47.25. Holmertz managed to clip Biondi for the silver medal, with Biondi fending off Wojdat and Gross for the bronze medal.<\/p>\n

\u201cI finished third in a great 200 (freestyle) behind Holmertz and Duncan Armstrong of Australia, who broke Gross\u2019\u2019 world record with a 1:47.25,\u201d Biondi wrote in his Sports Illustrated<\/em> diary. \u201cI was happy. I swam the way I wanted to and beat the guys I thought I needed to, Gross and Wojdat. Duncan just had a hell of a swim. I had the lead and he stayed right on my shoulder, right by the lane line. I think he should buy me a beer or something because he probably got a pretty good draft from me.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n