On September 22, 1988, Janet Evans delivered a performance that was well ahead of its time. Racing at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, Evans claimed victory in the 400-meter freestyle with a finish that was awe-inspiring.<\/em><\/p>\n

When Janet Evans<\/strong> stepped onto the blocks for the final of the 400 freestyle at the 1988 Olympic Games in Seoul, the American star already had a gold medal in her grasp. A few days earlier, the 17-year-old bested the field in the 400 individual medley, an event that was the weakest of her three entries. As a result, Evans had to feel good heading into freestyle action, which was her strength.<\/p>\n

As the world-record holder, Evans was the favorite in the 400 freestyle, but she was expected to be challenged by East Germany\u2019s Heike<\/strong> Friedrich<\/strong> and Anke Mohring<\/strong>. Although they may not have tested positive for doping, it was widely understood that Evans wasn\u2019t just racing against Friedrich and Mohring, but also against the systematic-doping program of East Germany<\/a>.<\/p>\n