http://www.theage.com.au/sport/swimming/magnussen-wins-100m-freestyle-gold-20110728-1i299.htmlMagnussen wins 100m freestyle gold
Stathi Paxinos
July 29, 2011 - 5:51PM
Magnussen wins 100m freestyle
A boy from regional NSW with a Norwegian surname that means 'son of a king' has become one of the most feared men in the pool.
James Magnussen, 20, who has taken the swimming world championships in Shanghai by storm, proved too strong in the 100 metre freestyle final for the men who had previously been regarded as the best sprinters in the world, including 2009 world champion Cesar Cielo.
Magnussen - who has proclaimed "crazy things" happened when he was confident - was brilliant in overcoming the class field, winning in 47.63 seconds and becoming the first Australian since Mike Wenden at the 1968 Mexico Olympics to win the two-lap event at a major international competition.
He was hot favourite to take out the final and did not disappoint, producing his trademark strong finish to touch ahead of Brent Hayden of Canada (47.95) and France's William Meynard (48.00).
The result was even more remarkable because he had suffered a minor case of pneumonia in the lead-up to the championships and could not train for more than a week prior to leaving for China.
The Port Macquarie swimmer exploded into favouritism for the 100m title with his blistering 47.49-second lead-out performance in Australia's 4x100m freestyle relay win on Sunday night, the fastest ever 100m swim without a "super suit".
It caps a remarkable rise for Magnussen, who travelled with the Australian team as a relay swimmer only last year.
He is only the fourth Australian to earn a medal in the event at a world championships after Eamon Sullivan (bronze, 2007), Ian Thorpe (bronze, 2003) and Michael Klim (silver, 1998).
With AAP
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