Swimmer Bovell goes for Olympic gold today

 

 

Bovell will go into the final with the fifth fastest time and he told the T&T Guardian he has achieved two of his three objectives, one of which is to reach the final. “Now it is time to medal and I am going to give it everything because there is only one more race left. “I am going to have a good night’s rest, relax and put it all out tomorrow...I am thinking a time of 21.5 will be good enough,” he said yesterday. Bovell also said he was happy with the draw for the final. “As you saw, I had one of the best dive and I will now be on the outside in the final so I will try to use that as an advantage.” Defending champion and world record-holder Cesar Cielo of Brazil had the second best time, touching the wall in 21.80 seconds, to top the final heat of the early session and ease through to the next round. Another Brazilian, Bruno Fratus was the third fastest while Anthony Ervin of the United States, who is making a comeback to Olympic competition, was fourth. Ervin won the gold medal at the 2000 Sydney Olympics in the event. 

 

 

Later in the semifinals, Cielo, who is attempting to repeat as champion of the event, and USA’s Cullen Jones were in a dead heat for the fastest time of 21.54. “The most important thing wasn’t to be first, it was the time,” Cielo was reported to have said after the race. “I was very happy to get that time, now I am just looking forward to getting some rest and getting ready for tomorrow.” In the semifinal, the 29-year-old Bovell placed second in a race referred to as a one-lap “splash and dash.” This time around, his 21.77 seconds was not fast enough to get by Fratus, who won in 21.63. Joining these five finalists are Florent Manaudou (21.80) of France, Australia’s former world record holder Eamon Sullivan and South Africa’s Roland Schoeman, who also finished in a dead heat for seventh with a time of 21.88. Today, Bovell, the most successful Caribbean swimmer, will dive into lane two in the final which is scheduled for 7.32 pm (2.32 pm T&T time) hunting for his second Olympic medal after his bronze in Athens in 2004.