Blitz Bokke go for gold
CAMERON van der Burgh overcame debilitating nerves to salvage a praiseworthy 100m breaststroke Olympic silver medal in Rio de Janeiro on Sunday night.
The defending champion looked dejected following Saturday’s semi-final as the realisation kicked in that he could be in trouble.
Van der Burgh had already made peace with the loss of his title to world-record holder and eventual champion Adam Peaty of Great Britain, who was making quantum leaps in the 100m breaststroke.
“I was feeling the pressure and I get these attacks of nerves that come over you, it’s like a fridge on your chest so you have to fight it off over the day,” Van der Burgh admitted after winning his silver medal.
“There’s something special about the pressure.”
Peaty dipped below 58 seconds twice on Saturday – setting a world record of 57.55 seconds in the afternoon heats before posting another 57-second time in the semifinal.
Van der Burgh looked somewhat shell-shocked following the heat, although he tried to put on a brave face.
The South African managed to pick himself up to produce the goods in the final, touching second behind Peaty in 58.69s.
While Van der Burgh and American Cody Miller were fighting it out for silver and bronze, Peaty was chasing yet another world record.
The youngster won his maiden Olympic gold medal in
emphatic style, hitting the wall in a new world record 57.13sec.
“I knew tonight in the warm-up that I wasn’t going to go 57 seconds, so I had to try and be the best I could,” Van der Burgh said.
“The race for the silver medal was really on, and I am super stoked that I was able to push through and win that mental victory.”
Winning the silver in itself is a commendable feat as Van der Burgh became only the second male Olympic 100m champion to land a podium spot four years after winning the title. Only former world-record holder Kosuke Kitajima of Japan has done this before when he won gold in Athens 2004 and Beijing 2008.
“I am in good company, it is really difficult to be so consistent over the years,” Van der Burgh said.
Van der Burgh had once contemplated retiring from the sport after he had lost his passion for swimming.
The 2014 Commonwealth Games proved to be a turning point, after which he took some time out for rehabilitation to a niggling shoulder injury, during which time he found his motivation to race again.
Van der Burgh went into 2015 with a new purpose, and bowed out of the Fina World Championships in Kazan, Russia, winning silver in the men’s 50m and 100m breaststroke behind Peaty.
“I am really happy, and it’s been a tough four years, there have been a lot of ups, a lot of downs,” Van der Burgh said.
“But winning a medal is something tangible.
“It is a representation of another four years in the bag. It has been fruitful, and I’m so proud that I can add that to my tally now.”
In the hours leading up to the final Van der Burgh needed to keep his nerves in check as he faced another defining moment in his career.
“There are a lot of things that can weigh on your mind,” Van der Burgh said.
“You really have to try and fight those off and believe in yourself, and understand you can only control what is in your body and in your head, and you don’t have to pay too much attention to the negative side.”