Sydney 2000 Olympic Games Highlights
Final Medals Tally
Australia's Medal Winners
New Zealand's Medal Winners
Games Highlights
Finally, after a dazzling display -- in music and spectacle -- of Australian history, culture and "land, fire and water" wizardry at the opening ceremony of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, the athletes of the world buckle down to the blood, sweat and tears of Olympic competition.
The opening ceremony was held on the night of Friday, September 15, Australian eastern daylight saving time, with Australian track superstar Cathy Freeman lighting the Olympic cauldron at Stadium Australia.
And they loved it!
Australia's Ian Thorpe, nicknamed the Thorpedo, hit gold -- twice! -- on the first day of competition at the Sydney Olympic Games.
Swimmer Thorpe scored the first gold medal for Australia in the 400m men's freestyle in 3:40.59, breaking his own previous world record in the process.
In the men's 4x100m freestyle relay final, the Australian team of Michael Klim, Thorpe, Chris Fydler and Ashley Callus broke the former world record of 3:15.11 with a sizzling 3:13.67.
The Australian feat broke the USA's hitherto unbroken 36-year record in the event.
Atlanta Games gold winner Michael Diamond reprised his 1996 performance by winning gold in the men's trap shooting event on Day 2 of competition with a perfect score in the final round.
He said he was "determined to do this" for his father and coach Con who died in May.
Also in shooting, Annemarie Forder won bronze in the women's 10m air pistol event.
Australia's swimmers and equestrians pulled off a golden hat-trick at the Games on September 19.
In the afternoon, equestrians Andrew Hoy, Matthew Ryan, Philip Dutton and Stuart Tinney achieved their own hat-trick (a sequence of three closely identical events) by winning gold in the team three-day event.
Australia had won the same prize in Barcelona in 1992 and Atlanta in 1996. Hoy has been in all three Olympic teams.
In the evening, swim queen Susie O'Neill won the women's 200m freestyle. She had won the 200m butterfly in Atlanta in 1996, an event she was still to compete in in Sydney.
In the men's 4x200m freestyle relay, swimmers Ian Thorpe, Michael Klim, Todd Pearson and Bill Kirby took gold, breaking their own world record in the process.
Klim and Thorpe were also in the winning 4x100m freestyle relay.
Twenty-year-old Chelsea Clinton, representing America's First Family at the Sydney Games, was all Misty-eyed during the women's 200m butterfly swimming competition on the night of September 20.
The final was won by the US's Misty Hyman who pulled off a stunning upset by beating Australians Susie O'Neill, 200m freestyle gold medalist, and Petria Thomas.
O'Neill had won butterfly gold in Atlanta in 1996 and had not lost a race since 1994. Then came Misty.
In the 4x200m women's freestyle relay, Australia was also beaten into second place by the American team.
No wonder Chelsea was Misty-eyed.
New Zealand entered the gold medals tally on September 23 with a strong win by Rob Waddell in the men's single sculls at the International Regatta Centre in western Sydney's Penrith Lakes.
It was the second Olympic medal won by New Zealand which only the day before won bronze when Mark Todd placed third in the three-day individual equestrian event.
On September 24, Auckland sailor Barbara Kendall brought in a third Olympic medal (bronze) for New Zealand in the Mistral women's racing to become the first woman to win a sailing medal at three consecutive Olympics. New Zealand's Aaron McIntosh matched Kendall with a bronze In the men's Mistral.
A river of lightining -- a dazzling, massive pyrotechnic display coursing down Parramatta River from Homebush Bay to Sydney Harbour -- marked the end of the Sydney 2000 Olympics.
The official closing ceremony itself was held at Stadium Australia at Olympic Park, Homebush Bay, on the night of October 1, and featured a vast array of Australian talent marshalled to bid the Sydney Olympic Games and the athletes farewell.
Australia's Medal Winners
New Zealand's Medal Winners
Games Highlights
Dazzling wizardry opens the Games
Finally, after a dazzling display -- in music and spectacle -- of Australian history, culture and "land, fire and water" wizardry at the opening ceremony of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games, the athletes of the world buckle down to the blood, sweat and tears of Olympic competition.
The opening ceremony was held on the night of Friday, September 15, Australian eastern daylight saving time, with Australian track superstar Cathy Freeman lighting the Olympic cauldron at Stadium Australia.
And they loved it!
Thorpedo hits gold - twice! - on Day 1
Australia's Ian Thorpe, nicknamed the Thorpedo, hit gold -- twice! -- on the first day of competition at the Sydney Olympic Games.
Swimmer Thorpe scored the first gold medal for Australia in the 400m men's freestyle in 3:40.59, breaking his own previous world record in the process.
In the men's 4x100m freestyle relay final, the Australian team of Michael Klim, Thorpe, Chris Fydler and Ashley Callus broke the former world record of 3:15.11 with a sizzling 3:13.67.
The Australian feat broke the USA's hitherto unbroken 36-year record in the event.
Diamond and gold: a reprise of Atlanta
Atlanta Games gold winner Michael Diamond reprised his 1996 performance by winning gold in the men's trap shooting event on Day 2 of competition with a perfect score in the final round.
He said he was "determined to do this" for his father and coach Con who died in May.
Also in shooting, Annemarie Forder won bronze in the women's 10m air pistol event.
Hat-trick for swimmers and equestrians
Australia's swimmers and equestrians pulled off a golden hat-trick at the Games on September 19.
In the afternoon, equestrians Andrew Hoy, Matthew Ryan, Philip Dutton and Stuart Tinney achieved their own hat-trick (a sequence of three closely identical events) by winning gold in the team three-day event.
Australia had won the same prize in Barcelona in 1992 and Atlanta in 1996. Hoy has been in all three Olympic teams.
In the evening, swim queen Susie O'Neill won the women's 200m freestyle. She had won the 200m butterfly in Atlanta in 1996, an event she was still to compete in in Sydney.
In the men's 4x200m freestyle relay, swimmers Ian Thorpe, Michael Klim, Todd Pearson and Bill Kirby took gold, breaking their own world record in the process.
Klim and Thorpe were also in the winning 4x100m freestyle relay.
Chelsea is Misty-eyed at the Games
Twenty-year-old Chelsea Clinton, representing America's First Family at the Sydney Games, was all Misty-eyed during the women's 200m butterfly swimming competition on the night of September 20.
The final was won by the US's Misty Hyman who pulled off a stunning upset by beating Australians Susie O'Neill, 200m freestyle gold medalist, and Petria Thomas.
O'Neill had won butterfly gold in Atlanta in 1996 and had not lost a race since 1994. Then came Misty.
In the 4x200m women's freestyle relay, Australia was also beaten into second place by the American team.
No wonder Chelsea was Misty-eyed.
New Zealand sculls into gold
New Zealand entered the gold medals tally on September 23 with a strong win by Rob Waddell in the men's single sculls at the International Regatta Centre in western Sydney's Penrith Lakes.
It was the second Olympic medal won by New Zealand which only the day before won bronze when Mark Todd placed third in the three-day individual equestrian event.
On September 24, Auckland sailor Barbara Kendall brought in a third Olympic medal (bronze) for New Zealand in the Mistral women's racing to become the first woman to win a sailing medal at three consecutive Olympics. New Zealand's Aaron McIntosh matched Kendall with a bronze In the men's Mistral.
River of lightning closes the Games
A river of lightining -- a dazzling, massive pyrotechnic display coursing down Parramatta River from Homebush Bay to Sydney Harbour -- marked the end of the Sydney 2000 Olympics.
The official closing ceremony itself was held at Stadium Australia at Olympic Park, Homebush Bay, on the night of October 1, and featured a vast array of Australian talent marshalled to bid the Sydney Olympic Games and the athletes farewell.
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