Graceful butterfly champ all class after missing Olympic medal

By Nicole Jeffery
Bachelor of Arts (Journalism) '90

At the Olympic Games, 4 is the loneliest number. Missing the medals by one place is one of the toughest experiences of the Games, but 20-year-old Lizzy Dekkers handled that situation with substantial grace in the 200 metres butterfly final on Friday morning (AEST).

The UQ Bachelor of Advanced Science (Honours) student Dekkers had high hopes of a medal in Paris after winning the silver at last year’s world championships behind the Canadian star Summer McIntosh.

But the hot early pace in last night’s race took some of the sting out of her renowned final-lap surge.

China's Zhang Yufei set the pace over the first 100 metres, but McIntosh lurked dangerously at her shoulder and took control in the third lap, coming home in a personal best time of 2:03.03. American Regan Smith claimed her second silver medal of the Games (2:03.84) ahead of the tiring Zhang (2:05.09).

Dekkers, however, did not have enough energy left to take advantage and she stopped the clock in equal fourth (2:07.11).

The 3 medal-winning times were faster than the personal best time of 2:05.20 that Dekkers set at the national championships in April.

"I knew that the 3 girls who medalled are world-class and incredible swimmers and I just wasn't with them today, but I'm really proud of what I did,’’ she said.

Dekkers generally takes a conservative approach to this race, but she and her coach Vince Raleigh believed that she needed to be more assertive to give herself a better chance of a medal.

It didn’t work out that way, but Dekkers said she had no regrets about the strategy.

“I knew that I was going to have to stick with them as much as I could and swim a race I've never done before and, unfortunately, I just didn't have enough in that last 50 metres. But, yeah, I'm really proud of my effort there,’’ she said.

UQ student Lizzy Dekkers. Image: Michael Kappeler/picture alliance via Getty Images

Dekkers didn't get her chance to race until the fifth day of competition and said the long wait had been “nerve-wracking”.

“But I actually think it's been great to watch everyone do so amazing,’’ she said.

Dekkers moved smoothly through the preliminary rounds as the eighth fastest qualifier (2:08.97), saying she had tried to conserve as much energy as possible for the challenge ahead. She dropped almost 3 seconds in the semi-final to enter the final as the fourth fastest swimmer (2:06.17), knowing she would have to lift again in the final to grab a medal.

She said she was able to control her nerves in the final, even though this was the biggest, and most vocal, crowd she had ever competed in front of.

"That was the most exciting race, and I'm glad that I stayed composed and raced how I wanted to,’’ she said.

UQ Sportsman of the Year (2022 and 2024) and Bachelor of Advanced Business (Honours) student Tom Neill also completed his competition program in Paris overnight, bowing out in the semi-finals of the 200 metres individual medley.

He also reached the semi-finals of the 200 metres freestyle, but his highlight was anchoring the Australian men’s 4x200 metres freestyle relay to a bronze medal.

Already a dual Olympian, 22-year-old Neill said the atmosphere in the Paris pool had been “unreal’’ and he hoped to return for a third Games in Los Angeles in 2028.

“This is the pinnacle of our sport, and there's no other meet in the world that compares to it,’’ he said.

“My program is done now, but your mind automatically switches to: I want to come back, I want more – 2028 is 4 years away but that time goes so quick.

“So, it's about enjoying a bit of a break now but also having the eyes set on 2028, because it's such a young team and the future is pretty bright.’’