Gary Hall Jr. will try to repeat Friday as the Olympic champion in swimming’s 50-meter freestyle.
But after Thursday’s semifinals, he voiced frustration at losing a spot on the 400 freestyle relay to Michael Phelps.
Having never lost in the Olympics before Hall anchored a silver-medal effort four years ago in Sydney, that American relay took a shocking bronze Sunday.
The outcome put a serious dent in Phelps’ chances of matching Mark Spitz’s seven gold medals–which became impossible when Phelps took bronze to Ian Thorpe’s gold in the 200 freestyle Monday.
And it hurt Hall too.
Phelps did not swim the 100 freestyle at the U.S. trials. Hall finished third there, but America’s oldest male Olympic swimmer since 1928 didn’t meet the criteria set in the relay preliminaries by coach Eddie Reese.
“I was disappointed in the decision,” Hall said. “I don’t think it was the right decision. Eddie said he wasn’t going to second-guess himself, and that’s fine.
“But it’s something I have to live with and something that I take personally. That relay, I wanted very much to be a part of it.”
Slowed by a sore throat, Ian Crocker led off in 50.05 seconds, the slowest opening leg among the eight finalists. Phelps’ reaction time on their exchange to the second leg was .44 seconds, the slowest among the 24 swimmers who didn’t work the first leg.
“I question Eddie Reese’s decision,” Hall said.
“He knew Ian Crocker was sick. He was a second off his personal best. The relay exchange with Phelps was a half-second.
“Michael is a great [non-relay] swimmer. It’s not personal. I cheer him on as much as anybody.
“The coaches knew he was going to be on that relay. He didn’t do one exchange with the team. I think that showed.”
Hall has nine Olympic medals. If he places among the top three in the 50 free Friday, that would be his 10th. Spitz finished his career with a record 11.
Does Hall deserve to anchor the 400 medley relay in the final–and possibly match Spitz?
“That’s not going to happen,” Hall said.
