The Night time Duncan Armstrong Grew to become the Dragon Slayer and Laurie Lawrence Embodied a Caged Animal
Ranked forty sixth on the earth within the 200 freestyle coming into the 1988 Olympic Video games in Seoul, Australia’s Duncan Armstrong was an afterthought in medal discussions. When the championship remaining was over, nevertheless, Armstrong was the gold medalist and his gorgeous triumph set off one of many nice teaching celebrations the game has seen.
Wherever Duncan Armstrong seemed, he had motive to be in awe. From what he heard, he had motive to be in awe, too. It was the championship remaining of the 200 freestyle on the 1988 Olympic Video games in Seoul, South Korea and Armstrong was speculated to be an also-ran in a conflict of titans.
Subsequent to Armstrong was america’ Matt Biondi, the world’s most dominant swimmer of the time and – previous to arriving in Seoul – tabbed as a risk to equal the seven gold medals received by Mark Spitz on the 1972 Video games in Munich. Because the meet announcer launched Biondi, set to compete in Lane 5, it appeared like a dissertation was being learn. Accolade adopted accolade. If spectators by some means didn’t know Biondi earlier than his introduction, they have been well-versed on his accomplishments afterward.
Additionally behind a beginning block was West Germany’s Michael Gross, nicknamed “The Albatross” for his seven-foot wingspan. Like Biondi, Gross was wildly adorned, an Olympic champion from 4 years earlier and a world titlist on a number of events. He headed into the ultimate of the 200 freestyle because the world-record holder, a mark he set en path to the gold medal on the 1984 Video games.
In one other lane was Poland’s Artur Wojdat. Though not as esteemed as Biondi and Gross, Wojdat was fairly achieved. He was the world-record holder within the 400 freestyle and was considered as a future star within the sport, a person who was simply tapping into his potential.
Then there was Armstrong, a Commonwealth Video games champion for Australia two years earlier, however hardly of the identical standing as his fellow opponents. He ranked simply forty sixth on the earth within the 200 freestyle on the time of the Olympic Video games and when it was time for Armstrong’s introduction in Seoul, it was principally over as quickly because it began. Little was mentioned, prompting Armstrong to assume, “Oh, come on!” Extra, Armstrong didn’t precisely possess an imposing physique. Whereas Gross was a towering 6-foot-7 and armed (actually) with a propeller-like wingspan, Biondi seemed like a sculptor’s dream creation, himself 6-foot-7 and rippling with muscle tissues. Armstrong? He was constructed nothing like an Adonis. Relatively, he was an unimposing 6-foot-2 and 160 kilos.
Picture Courtesy: Swimming World Journal
If Armstrong was not a contender in lots of minds, Laurie Lawrence was unaware that his pupil was an underdog. One of many most interesting coaches in Australian historical past, Lawrence noticed nice potential in Armstrong. Bodily, he drove Armstrong into the bottom in coaching, offering a brand new definition of what was painful. Equally essential, Lawrence influenced Armstrong on a psychological stage, convincing his cost that excellence was attainable. It was that mentality which allowed Armstrong to consider – if others didn’t – that guys like Biondi and Gross have been beatable.
“He’s a beautiful and enthusiastic particular person,” Armstrong mentioned of Lawrence. “He simply sells it. He sells ardour. He’s a beautiful man. In swimming, the place you must do a whole bunch and a whole bunch and a whole bunch of laps, ardour and enthusiasm are crucial. He actually understood the Olympic equation that you just solely get one shot. The door of alternative solely opens as soon as each 4 years. He gave you the instruments of the commerce to step on deck so the Olympic strain wouldn’t crush you. You look down your lane and know you’ve performed the whole lot you presumably can and also you’re ready for this race. Somebody has received to win it. Why not me? You exit towards nice opposition and carry out your finest and never let the strain cooker crush you.”
The strain cooker is what Biondi was below. Within the 16 years since Spitz packaged the best Olympic efficiency in historical past – seven gold medals and 7 world data – the game was ready for somebody to problem that epic run. Biondi was that man. He was slated to race seven occasions – 4 particular person and three relays – and the potential for a gold medal in every occasion definitely existed.
Of all of the occasions, nevertheless, the 200 freestyle was going to be the hardest for Biondi, who was extra of a sprinter extending his expertise so far as it could go. Within the case of the 200 freestyle, that was 4 grueling laps towards athletes who have been primarily middle-distance performers. Whereas Biondi knew the scenario and followers in tune with the game understood the duty at hand, the informal follower noticed the 200 freestyle as nothing greater than a fraction of a seven-piece puzzle.
“I’d prefer to say one thing,” Biondi wrote for Sports activities Illustrated. “I’m doing this diary as a result of I need to voice the opposite facet of the Olympics. Everybody will probably be counting the medals and the instances and the world data, and making this huge judgment: Is Matt a hit or a failure? It appears there’s a lot emphasis placed on that stuff and so little on how an individual grows as he works his method towards the Olympics. To me, it’s the trail getting there that counts, not the cheese on the finish of the maze. Having mentioned that, I’ve to confess that I’ve received a case of prerace jitters proper now. I need to win. In any case, I’ve skilled my entire profession for this.”
Armstrong, too, needed nothing greater than to win, and he might need been in a extra advantageous place to get the job performed. Whereas Biondi and Gross have been below huge strain, Armstrong was in a nothing-to-lose place. It was a state of affairs which paid super dividends.
Because the 200 freestyle began, Armstrong instantly put himself in rivalry. Whereas Biondi had the lead on the 50-meter mark and Sweden’s Anders Holmertz was in entrance on the halfway level, Armstrong was lurking – and his coach knew it. A nervous wreck within the stands, Lawrence paced and fidgeted all through the race. With a rolled-up program in his palms, Lawrence repeatedly pounded his hand with the paperwork, or waved it within the air. Armstrong was the place Lawrence needed him to be.
Throughout the third lap, Armstrong remained close to the entrance of the pack, not dropping contact with the leaders. Because the athletes hit the 150-meter mark, Biondi had regained the lead and was one lap from gathering what could be essentially the most tough gold medal. Armstrong, although, produced a sterling remaining flip, one he referred to as a “cracker,” and he was instantly even with Biondi. A number of strokes later, Armstrong was forward. Because the swimmers charged by means of the ultimate 15 meters, Armstrong was clearly in entrance and ended up securing the gold medal with a world file time of 1:47.25. Holmertz managed to clip Biondi for the silver medal, with Biondi heading off Wojdat and Gross for the bronze medal.
“I completed third in an excellent 200 (freestyle) behind Holmertz and Duncan Armstrong of Australia, who broke Gross’’ world file with a 1:47.25,” Biondi wrote in his Sports activities Illustrated diary. “I used to be comfortable. I swam the way in which I needed to and beat the fellows I believed I wanted to, Gross and Wojdat. Duncan simply had a hell of a swim. I had the lead and he stayed proper on my shoulder, proper by the lane line. I feel he can purchase me a beer or one thing as a result of he in all probability received a fairly good draft from me.
“The press all the time throws stuff at you. Like tonight I heard Bob Costas say on TV, ‘Matt Biondi isn’t going to win his seven gold medals. At the moment he needed to accept bronze.’ However I be ok with the bronze. My most tough occasion is over, and I nonetheless have an opportunity to stroll away with seven medals. I feel that may be a hell of a efficiency.”
A hell of a efficiency is the one technique to describe what Armstrong pulled off. He celebrated the best triumph of his profession with just a few fist pumps and prolonged his arms over his head. Australian followers within the stands reveled within the second. That they had simply witnessed an inconceivable triumph, a victory which required Armstrong to provide an ideal race – bodily and tactically.
As excited as Armstrong was together with his career-defining second, his celebration didn’t evaluate to the jubilation expressed by Lawrence. On the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles, Lawrence had mentored teenager Jon Sieben to the gold medal within the 200 butterfly, a victory which occurred to come back by the hands of Gross. Sieben charged down the final lap of that race and set a world file to seize the gold medal. 4 years later, it was Armstrong who stormed down the ultimate lap, defeated Gross, amongst others, and set a world file. Each males raced out of Lane Six within the championship remaining, a truth not misplaced on Lawrence, who repeatedly screamed, “Fortunate Lane Six!”
The longtime coach acted extra like a caged animal than human as he loved Armstrong’s second briefly with spectators earlier than dropping management. He walked up and down the steps of the stands, seemingly uncertain what to do. He yelled. He shook a steel barrier alongside a walkway within the stands, prompting South Korean police to make their technique to Lawrence, who assured them he was all proper. As Armstrong made his technique to the rostrum for the medals ceremony, Lawrence referred to as right down to his pupil a variety of instances, “Hey, Dunc. I do know you.” That repeated calling received the eye of Biondi, who leaned towards Armstrong throughout the medal ceremony and requested for an evidence. Armstrong wryly knowledgeable Biondi, who in the end totaled 5 gold medals, a silver and a bronze, that the loopy man was his coach. Merely, Lawrence couldn’t comprise his pleasure.
Nonetheless, nothing matched the primary interview Lawrence gave instantly after Armstrong’s win. Approached by Australian tv journalist Stephen Quartermain, Lawrence was requested one of the frequent questions following an historic second, the outdated “how do you’re feeling” question.
“Mate, we simply beat three world-record holders,” an elated Lawrence yelled at Quartermain. “How do you assume I really feel? What do you assume we come for, mate? Silver? Stuff the silver. We come for the gold.”
Throughout his reply, and with none malicious intent, Lawrence slapped Quartermain on the facet of the face just a few instances. It was speculated to be a love faucet, a kind of caught-in-the-moment conditions. However Lawrence was so excited and on such an adrenaline rush that his slaps have been onerous sufficient to interrupt Quartermain’s jaw.
Armstrong’s victory and Lawrence’s celebratory antics are highlighted on Bud Greenspan’s documentary, “Favourite Tales of Olympic Glory.” Within the documentary by Greenspan, thought-about one of many foremost Olympic consultants in historical past, Armstrong and Lawrence each cherish and chuckle about their second of glory. Quartermain, too, remembers the impromptu interview which resulted in his facial trauma. It’s a sensational package deal which sums up the which means of the Olympic spirit, onerous work and the significant partnership between athlete and coach.
Later within the week, Armstrong added a silver medal within the 400 freestyle, an achievement which solely added to his Olympic legacy. Within the years since, he has been a motivational speaker, telling others in regards to the significance of focus, perception and dedication.
“It was (a sense) of extra aid than anything as a result of we had skilled 4 or 5 years for that second and the race takes lower than two minutes,” Armstrong mentioned. “You go two minutes on in the future each 4 years. That’s the clock. You do an unlimited quantity of coaching and then you definitely get there and we had the right race. We had the nice technique and a few good competitors within the water. We had a world file. All my goals and hopes in swimming got here true in a single contact of the wall. It was simply fantastic. It was the right second for us. It was the head of my swimming profession.”
