GARY HALL JR

[mighty_tiger_79]

Gary Hall Jr fails to qualify for Beijing Olympics

July 07, 2008 07:30am

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Oh dear ... Gary Hall Jr dons a full-length robe before his race. The back of it reads "Godfather of Swimming". He made pistol gestures with his hands before the race ... and he was duly dethroned.
Beijing, rest easy. Gary Hall Jr. and his big mouth won't be in the Olympics. The two-time sprint gold medalist missed out on a chance to defend his 50-metre freestyle title.
He finished fourth in the U.S. trials overnight.

"It's not an effort that I should be disappointed with. In fact, I'm really proud of it," Hall said.

The 33-year-old maverick was beaten out by a couple of guys with names longer than the race itself: Garrett Weber-Gale and Ben Wildman-Tobriner, who earned the two spots. Cullen Jones finished third.

Hall touched in 21.91 seconds - 44-hundredths of a second behind Weber-Gale's American-record time of 21.47. Hall lost his mark to Jones in Friday's preliminaries, then Weber-Gale took it away from Jones.

"These guys definitely earned it. I'm looking forward to watching them race in Beijing," Hall said. "The future of sprinting in the United States is a bright one, and it'll carry on a long tradition that I'm honored to be a part of."

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Four years ago in Athens, Hall became the oldest man in 80 years to win a swimming gold medal for the United States, taking the title at 29.

At the 2000 Sydney Olympics, Hall tied teammate Anthony Ervin for the gold in swimming's most chaotic 22 seconds. Hall and his father, Gary Sr., are the only father-son duo to compete in three Olympics.

In all, Hall earned 10 medals - five gold, three silver and two bronze - during his nine years on the national team.

"I was there in 2000 and watched him win the gold medal. I was there in 2004 and watched him dominate again," superstar Michael Phelps said. "He always seemed to be there at the right time."

Hall always had a flair for the dramatic, and it was on display before the final. He walked on deck wearing a red, white and blue cape and used his hands as six-shooters, hoping to take down his mostly younger rivals in his only event of the trials.

The back of his robe read 'The Godfather of Swimming' in tribute to the late James Brown.

"He's (the) only guy that walks out in robes," Phelps said. "He makes it interesting, and I definitely think the crowd likes it."

Hall spent his career doing things that often had the swimming world scratching its collective head. He disappeared for a few years after the Sydney Olympics, re-emerging just in time to make the team for Athens.

Then he went away again - getting married, having two kids, coping with diabetes and spearfishing in the Florida Keys - before returning months ago to resume training for Beijing.

Hall was never afraid to speak his mind in a sport where most athletes stick their heads in the water.

In Athens, he complained U.S. coaches gave special treatment to Phelps by putting him on the 400 free relay, even though he didn't compete in the 100 free at the trials, which usually determines the pool of relay swimmers.

Phelps swam in the 100 free prelims this week to post a time and blunt any criticism.

When he arrived at the trials, Hall ticked off former teammate Amy Van Dyken by comparing her to imprisoned sprinter Marion Jones. At the same time, he urged the swimming world to speak openly about performance-enhancing drugs that he believes are being used in the sport.

"I've never seen a person like Gary in the sport of swimming,"Phelps said.

Butterflyer Ian Crocker recalled meeting Hall for the first time eight years ago.

"He was going out to do something eccentric. I was just amazed because he was everything I had read about," Crocker said. "He is a character from a fictional novel. He's one of the most talented swimmers that's ever graced a pool deck."

Hall came to the trials in his usual excellent condition, tanned and tattooed, with that familiar shock of sun-bleached hair. He was his playful self while still breathing heavily moments after the 50.

"This is my last race," he said with a dramatic pause, "until I race again."

[mighty_tiger_79]

got the above from ADELAIDE NOW

Did anyone else see the picture with the article of HALL jr wearing a full length robe!!!!!!

WAFDH

[Dirko]

Yep like smashing guitars



he is a true DH !!

[SCD]

Don't worry - you can see Gary Hall Jr each and every Gloucester Park meeting.

Tonight he is driving Race 4 - 4 La Jaconde and would be a hope in a tough 2yr race.