BEIJING — Christine Magnuson and Katie Hoff added some glitter to the American women swim team’s so-so hopes in these Olympics as they pulled off surprise silver medals this morning.
Magnuson clocked a personal-best 57.10 in the 100 butterfly to place second behind world champion Lisbeth Trickett of Australia, who timed 56.73. Australian Jessicah Schipper took the bronze.
Hoff, ranked third in the 400 freestyle, finished in 4:03.29 but blew a big lead in the final 50 to surprise winner Rebecca Adlington of Great Britain. It was Great Britain’s first swimming gold medal since 1988.
Magnuson, a senior-to-be at Tennessee, was in third place after the 50 but passed Schipper in what many had considered a race for second.
The 400 freestyle was a surprise from top to bottom. Italy’s Federica Pellegrini, the world record-holder, finished fifth and France’s Laure Manaudou, who had the second best time in history and is the defending world champion, finished last in 4:11.26, nine seconds behind her best.
Hoff took the lead from a rapidly fading Manaudou after 200 meters and had a .31 second lead on France’s Coralie Balmy entering the final 50. But Adlington, a medal dark horse, out-touched Hoff at the wall, winning by .07 second.
“I felt I was a good racer and that was my thought going into it,” Hoff said. “I would’ve liked to have touched the wall first, but with a silver medal I can’t be upset.”
Elsewhere, Brendan Hansen of the U.S., the world record-holder in the 100 breaststroke, finished a disappointing fourth. “I felt good,” said Hansen, who was second at the turn. “I felt good in the last 50. It’s been a tough year for me.”
