LONDON – After a lifetime of trying, Canadian swimmer Brent Hayden won a medal at the Olympics one night earlier this week, and this is how he celebrated: He gave a sample for a drug test, ate dinner in a cafeteria and was in his bedroom before midnight, checking his email and Facebook account.
Both accounts were full.
“I knew all my friends were going to be congratulating me,” Hayden said with a smile on Thursday. “So I just went on and read as many of them as I could. I spent some time talking to my fiancée, because I didn’t get a chance to see her at the pool.”
The 28-year-old had claimed bronze in the 100-metre freestyle just a few hours earlier on Wednesday, a first in his career, in his third try at the Olympics. But when he finished on his computer, instead of celebrating, he popped a sleeping pill and tried to rest.
Why?
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He had another race.
On Thursday, the day after his podium finish, Hayden was slow from the blocks and well off the pace in the semifinal heat for the 50-metre freestyle. He tied for 14th overall, with a time of 22.12 seconds – a half-second behind leaders Cesar Cielo (Brazil) and Cullen Jones (United States), at 21.54 seconds.
Given his success the night before, did Hayden consider dropping the event altogether?
“No,” he said. “I’m in an event in the Olympics, you know? You’ve got to take that opportunity. Because I know, for me, it’s never going to come around again.”
Hayden has hinted this will be his final trip through the Olympic cycle, which began in Athens (2004) and continued through Beijing (2008) without a trip to the podium. One reason he remained in the field on Thursday was that he thought if he “nailed” his start, he might have a chance to get to the final.
But he was off, right from the dive. His first stroke felt too deep, and he spent the rest of the sprint in pursuit. Only one swimmer finished with a slower time.
“But whatever,” he said. “I had fun out there, and I’m in the best place in the world to be right now.”
And in which place has he stored his new bronze medal?
“It’s in my secret stash in my room,” he said, smirking. “Locked away.”
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