Jenna Gresdal made the best of her final opportunity to qualify for the Olympic Games by sharing the gold medal in the women's 50-metre freestyle at the Summer Nationals in August. Gresdal, the youngest team member at 15, also went under the Olympic standard.  
Gresdal, a Pan Pacific team member in 1999, was taken aback with her showing. Just a day earlier she thought she had squandered her Olympic opportunity by finishing a disappointing eighth in her best event, the 100 freestyle.

  "I was totally surprised to go that fast in the 50," said Gresdal, who broke her personal best by a whopping 4/10ths of a second. "But I knew it was my last chance. After the 100, I was really upset with my performance but my coach said don't give up. I was able to erase the 100 from my mind."

2000 Games
Sept. 22: Women's 50-metre freestyle: Jenna Gresdal, Huntsville, Ont., was eighth in heat, eliminated.


2000 Games Swimming Coverage