Misty hyman 2000 olympics swimming

Throwback Thursday: Misty Hyman and Her Epic Olympic Upset (Video)

On Sept. 19-20, 2000, Misty Hyman navigated a three-race journey that landed her Olympic glory. Twenty-four years later, we take a look at Hyman’s epic upset of Susie O’Neill in the final of the 200-meter butterfly at the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney.

Rare are the Olympic events that are considered locks. While favorites emerge, they are far from invincible, history providing the proof.

Before he won seven gold medals at the 1972 Munich Games, Mark Spitz was the world-record holder in the 200-meter butterfly but flamed out at the 1968 Olympics in Mexico City, finishing last in the event and nearly eight seconds off his global standard.

In 1976, the East German women had won all but one event on the schedule at the Montreal Games, only to lose the final event, the 400 freestyle relay, to the United States.

Even Michael Phelps, the greatest Olympian in history with 28 medals, was not immune to an upset. At the 2012 Games in London, Phelps was caught at the finish in his best event, the 200 butterfly, and relegated to the silver medal by South African Chad Le Clos.

At the 2000 Games in Sydney, the women’s 200 butterfly was viewed as a slam-dunk event. Competing in her homeland and as the reigning Olympic champion, world-record holder Susie O’Neill appeared unbeatable. Earlier that year, at the Australian Olympic Trials, O’Neill took down the 18-year-old world record in the 200 fly, formerly held by United States star Mary T. Meagher. The American was given the nickname Madame Butterfly during her heyday, and O’Neill picked up the moniker herself.

Not in the title-contending conversation was American Misty Hyman. Although she was a regular fixture on Team USA, Hyman didn’t have nearly the portfolio of O’Neill. Nor had she had any success in head-to-head battles. At the 1998 World C

At the 2000 Olympics in Sydney, American swimmer Misty Hyman made history by winning Olympic gold in the women’s 200m butterfly. But what she is truly remembered for is the fact that by winning, she pulled off one the biggest upsets in the history of swimming.

Susie O’Neill, or “Madame Butterfly,” as she is known, was the defending Olympic champion and world record holder in the 200 fly at the time. She was therefore expected to win the event easily in Sydney. What’s more, fellow Australian Petria Thomas was expected to make it a 1-2 sweep for the Australians.

O’Neill had not lost a 200 fly in 4 years, so heading into the 2000 Olympics, she did not think of Hyman as a threat. She didn’t think about Hyman at all.

But things did not go as planned on race day.

As expected, Petria Thomas led after the first 50. But Hyman wasted no time in taking over the lead, maintaining a fast pace to overtake Thomas for the lead on the second 50.

In her trademark style, O’Neill made up enough ground to overtake Thomas on the second 100, but it was not enough to overtake Hyman. Hyman unleashed an impressive final turn and underwater, defeating Madame Butterfly for Olympic gold in front of a stunned crowd.

Hyman’s winning time of 2:05.88 just missed O’Neill’s world record of 2:05.81. It was a new Olympic record, however, besting fellow American Mary T. Meagher’s mark of 2:06.90.

Hyman’s reaction at the end of the race says it all. Just like everyone in that pool, she could not believe what had just happened. She and fellow American Kaitlin Sandeno, who finished 6th, celebrated in the water in front a roaring crowd of American fans.

While O’Neill showed good sportsmanship after her disappointing performance, her true feelings have recently been revealed. In an interview in 2019, O’Neill admitted that she is sti

American swimmer (born 1979)

Misty Dawn Marie Hyman (born March 23, 1979) is an American former competition swimmer, Olympic gold medalist, and former world record-holder. Hyman won the gold medal in the women's 200-meter butterfly at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney.

In March 1996, she just missed making the U.S. Olympic team for the 1996 Games, finishing third and fourth at the U.S. Olympic Trials in the 100- and 200-meter butterfly events.

Hyman competed as a member of the U.S. Finswimming Team at the 8th World Championship held in Hungary during August 1996.

At the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia, Hyman was only expected to contend for silver in women's 200-meter butterfly on the night of September 20, 2000, as Australian Susie O'Neill was expected to repeat her title (O'Neill had been undefeated in the 200-meter butterfly for the previous 6 years; and was swimming in her home country). Hyman was so shocked that she looked at the scoreboard three times just to make sure that she had won. Hyman's victory was largely credited to her expert use of the very difficult fish kick on turns.

Also in 2000, Hyman was ranked 35th in the world in the 50-meter butterfly, twelfth in the 100-meter butterfly, and second in the 200-meter butterfly.

Personal

Hyman graduated from Shadow Mountain High School in Phoenix, Arizona. She attended Stanford University, under Hall of Fame Coach Richard Quick where she swam for the Stanford Cardinal swimming and diving team with Jessica Foschi. During this time, she befriended Chelsea Clinton, who was watching in the stands in Sydney when Hyman won gold. She twice received the Honda Sports Award for Swimming and Diving, recognizing her as the outstanding college female swimmer of the year in 1997–98 and again in 2000–01. She graduated from Sta