19 August 2004	Thursday	02 Rajab 1425

ATHENS, Aug 18: Pieter van den Hoogenband ended Ian Thorpe's dream of a historic freestyle treble when he successfully defended his 100m Olympic title at the Athens Olympics Wednesday.

"I am the champion, I did it again. I really wanted to win gold. It's a huge win and I am so happy," said the Dutchman. "It's hard to be a defending champion." Hoogenband claimed his second successive Olympic gold over the classic distance in 48.17 seconds to gain revenge for finishing behind Thorpe in Monday's 200m freestyle.

Roland Mark Schoeman of South Africa added silver to his 4x200m relay gold in 48. seconds with 200m and 400m champion Thorpe having to settle for bronze in 48.57 seconds. In the women's 200m butterfly, world record holder, Otylia Jedrzejczak of Poland, won gold in a time of 2:06.05 minutes after earlier silvers in the 400m freestyle and 100m butterfly.

"It's my first Olympic gold medal," said Jedrzejczak. "It's not a world record but I'm still happy." The 100m gold medallist Petria Thomas of Australia took silver with 2:06.36 and Yuko Nakanishi continued Japan's good showing at the Athens Games by taking bronze in 2:08.04 minutes.

Earlier, Kosuke Kitajima became the first Japanese swimmer to win two gold medals a single Olympics when he added the 200m breaststroke to his 100m title, winning in an Olympic record time of 2 minutes 09.44 seconds.

The 15-year-old Hungarian Daniel Gyurta got silver in 2:10.80 while world record holder Brendan Hansen of the U.S. had to settle for bronze, to go with a 100m silver, in 2:10.87 minutes.

"I was able to stay calm and swim relaxed," said Kitajima afterwards. He also admitted he had been aware that his achievement made him the first Japanese swimmer to win two golds at an Olympic Games.

"I was thinking about it," he said. "I wanted to swim for the people to came to see me swim." "I am so happy," said Gyrta after his magnificent showing. "I am only 15 and I didn't think that I could win a medal here. It is so amazing and now I want to get a gold medal at the next Olympics (in Beijing)."

American Hanson said he was disappointed that he had "the world record and not the (gold) medal". Australia's Jodie Henry raised the 100m freestyle world record in the semi-finals as she beat defending champion Inge de Bruijn into second place with a world record 53.52 seconds.

She bettered compatriot Lisbeth Lenton's previous best of 53.66 seconds set in Sydney on March 31 of this year. Meanwhile, Germany on Wednesday won the gold medal in the three-day event in equestrian at the Athens Olympics, after being re- instated by an arbitration court of the ruling body FEI.

Andreas Dibowski (riding Little Lemon), Hinrich Romeike (Marius), Frank Osthold (Air Jordan), Ingrid Klimke (Sleep Late) and Bettina Hoy (Ringwood Cockatoo) took the gold in the event combining dressage, cross-country and show-jumping with 133.80 points.

France won the silver with 140.40 points and the bronze went to Britain with 143.00 points. France had contested Germany's original because Hoey crossed the start line twice and were declared gold-medallists as Germany dropped to fourth. But Germany lodged an appeal which was granted. -Agencies