Grevers Claims Olympic Gold, Record
Lake Forest's Matt Grevers wins 100-meter backstroke in Olympic record time.
Photos
Lake Forest’s Matt Grevers is golden.
Grevers, who grew up and began his swimming career in Lake Forest, came away with the city’s first individual Olympic gold medal when he won the 100-meter backstroke today at the London Olympics Aquatic Center.
And Grevers did it in style as well, setting an Olympic record in the process with a time of 52.16, breaking the old mark of 52.54 seconds.
Earlier: Grevers To Swim For Olympic Gold
After realizing his dream, Grevers threw a fist pump into the air and then slid over to the next lane and embraced fellow American Nick Thoman, who finished second. Thoman won the silver medal in 52.92.
Grevers got off to a good start, but trailed France’s Camille LaCourt at the 50 meter mark by .05 of a second. But Grevers came off his flip turn and when he came up out of the water, he pulled ahead of LaCourt and then rocketed his way in the final 20 meters to become an Olympic champion.
“The training the Americans receive allows them great technical skills,” one of the British announcers said on the live feed of the race. “While Grevers was underwater, he blew past everyone.”
Grevers was all smiles and blew a kiss to his family and fiancée Annie Chandler, who were all in the stands waving and American flag, as Grevers exited the water.
Grevers, who picked up a silver medal Sunday as part of the men’s 4 x 100 freestyle relay team, will have another opportunity for gold. He was added to the men’s 4 x 100 meter medley relay team. That quartet will compete Friday at 5:49 a.m. Chicago time and 1:49 p.m. in London. The finals are slated for 2:27 p.m. here time and 10:27 p.m. in London Saturday.
For complete Patch Olympic Coverage, check here.
Tom Schroeder
3:14 pm on Monday, July 30, 2012
Local boy done good! Congrats Matt! Keep making us proud!
BuffaloGrover
3:22 pm on Monday, July 30, 2012
Just awesome!!!
Jan Leasure
3:31 pm on Monday, July 30, 2012
Wow; congrautulations to Matt, his family and his home town, Lake Forest, IL!!!! We are so proud!
Jean
3:32 pm on Monday, July 30, 2012
I wish I wouldn't have opened this email. The headline should've contained a spoiler alert.
Arthur H. Miller
4:17 pm on Monday, July 30, 2012
A truly historic occasion in our community, and something for the ace, his family and friends and all of us to be proud of!
kim Bending
4:42 pm on Monday, July 30, 2012
Way to go Matt! makin us proud here in Northern burbs
Mary cee
4:50 pm on Monday, July 30, 2012
Please---no more of these emails without a warning !!!!---most of us are watching the Olympics in the evening!
Dan Arenov
7:24 am on Tuesday, July 31, 2012
they did it again last night... NBC had (another) commercial for the Today show and showed Missy with her gold medal right before they were going to air the race.
incompetence on NBC's part.
Bob Levi
6:10 pm on Monday, July 30, 2012
I agree about the spoiler alert in the email subject line. Lots of Olympic junkies like me don't listen to newscasts during the day so we can watch the evening prime time Olympic show. Sports in real time (or even delayed) is one of the best reasons for watching TV.
Tara May Tesimu
8:39 pm on Monday, July 30, 2012
Hi Bob, Mary and Jean --
You are right! After hearing from numerous Patch readers that hearing the winner spoiled their viewing experience, we have decided only to send out the stories with headlines that let you know if you click on it, you'll find out who the winner is. That way we're providing a service to our readers who want the latest updates about our hometown Olympians without ruining it for those of you who want to watch it with a surprise ending.
Our apologies for spoiler. It won't happen again.
Have a wonderful day,
Tara Tesimu
Senior Regional Editor
Patch
Mary cee
8:49 pm on Monday, July 30, 2012
Thank you!
Tara May Tesimu
8:51 pm on Monday, July 30, 2012
No problem! We want to provide the best experience for our readers. =)
Tina Lambros Anagnos
10:06 pm on Monday, July 30, 2012
Congratulations Matt and the entire Grevers family. I am sure you had a lot of support, so kudos to them too, but you did it. Indeed, we will all share in enjoying this historic moment. You make us proud! BRAVO!
Jessanique
10:56 pm on Monday, July 30, 2012
I don't know y but good job???
Billy Bob
7:06 am on Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Check out #NBCFail for details on the (a) miserable job NBC has done in covering (used in the sense of throwing a tarp over something) the Olympics and (b) NBC's odious complicity in getting a journalist critical of NBC's efforts banned from Twitter. Not a high moment in the history of media.
Jennifer McKenzie
9:01 am on Tuesday, July 31, 2012
Aw yeah!! Putting us on the map! Congrats Matt!!