By Ron Carter and AAP
First published in The Age on August 31, 1972
Shane another Gold
Sydney star wins 400m
MUNICH, August 30 — Shane Gould stormed to her second Gold Medal in three days when she won a thrilling 400-metre freestyle final here tonight.
Shane Gould after winning the 400 metres freestyle at the 1972 Munich Olympic GamesCredit:Russel McPhedran
The brilliant 15-year-old Sydney girl atoned for her defeat in Tuesday’s 100-metre final in which she was beaten by Americans Sandra Neilson and Shirley Babashoff.
Shane was only the fifth-fastest qualifier in heats of the 400 earlier today, but as her opponents found out she was only kidding.
Her victory was Australia’s third Gold Medal in the Games. On Monday, Shane won the 200-metre medley and Beverley Whitfield scored an upset in the women’s 200-metre breaststroke yesterday.
“Gee, that was a hard swim,” Shane gasped as she clambered from the pool. “I swam pretty easily in the heat but gave it all I had in the final.”
The huge crowd at the swimming stadium went wild as it became obvious that the popular Miss Gould was set for victory in the last lap.
She did not let them down. In a surging finish she was too strong for her opponents and saluted the Australian section of the crowd as soon as she saw her name flash across the electronic scoreboard.
Shane went into last night’s final determined to make up for the disappointment of winning only a Bronze Medal in yesterday’s 100-metre freestyle final.
It is the first time an Australian has won the 400-metre freestyle since Lorraine Crapp in Melbourne in 1956.
An hour before the 400-metre final Shane swam in the 4 x 100-metre relay final in which Australia finished last.
America won in a world record time of 3:55.19, beating East Germany.
Shane missed the heats of the relay and swam a leisurely 61 second lap in the final, Australia being outclassed.
