Beijing: Germany's Britta Steffen reeled in tearaway world record-holder Libby Trickett to claim the Olympic gold medal in the women's 100 meters freestyle at the Beijing Games on Friday.
Steffen, a former world record-holder, had been pushed into the background by Trickett's record-breaking exploits over the last two years, but she will leave Beijing as the Olympic champion.
World champion Trickett, who squeaked into the final after the disqualification of China's Pang Jiaying in the semi-finals, was under world record pace in lane eight before she was caught by Steffen close to the wall.
Steffen's time of 53.12 seconds, was 0.24secs outside Trickett's record of 52.88, but it was her personal best and was the third-fastest all-time behind Trickett's two sub-53sec swims.
Trickett was just four-hundredths of a second behind, while Natalie Coughlin picked up her fifth medal of the meet with bronze and equalled the American record in 53.39.
"So many swimmers have swum so well here, so the pressure was gone, the relay was behind me, so I just eased into it without feeling too much pressure," Steffen said.
"I wasn't expecting a medal, I just focused on myself and sometimes the outcome is not what you expect."
Steffen, who became the first German since East Germany's Kristin Otto in 1988 to win this event, said she had wanted to race Trickett in the final.
"It definitely wouldn't have been the same if she hadn't been there, I was the record holder, now she has it and you want to race the best," she said.
"I wouldn't have wanted to win without her there and never known what would have happened if she had been there. She is the world record holder, but didn't win gold - that is sport."
The pair gave each other a long embrace over the pool lane ropes seconds after the finish.
"I was really happy she was next to me, we had a good fight and we hugged at the end because we had enjoyed the experience," Steffen said.
Trickett's world record may be still intact, but she leaves without the Olympic gold at Athens and now Beijing, despite going in as the record holder both times.
Trickett was thankful to be swimming the final at all after she capitalised on Pang's disqualification to squeeze in after a sluggish 54.10 in her semi-final.
"I was ninth after the semi-finals, I was out of the final, so to get put in and come away with a silver is awesome," said Trickett.
"I don't know how or why about yesterday, it was incredibly disappointing to be out of the final. I had another opportunity again, I didn't have that in Athens. But I was very grateful. That is standard in my career, I have had several ups and downs, I just took the chance given to me and did my best."
"She fought hard for it, I fought hard for it, it didn't take the edge off (getting silver), it is part of the Olympics. It was very emotional, that is why I started crying during the medal ceremony."
Coughlin can improve her medal tally from the 2004 Athens Games if she can gain a medal in the 4x100m medley relay.
The 25-year-old American has a gold from her 100m backstroke win, a silver and three bronze, equalling the five she won in Athens and currently is two medals behind Jenny Thompson's American record of 12 spread over four Olympics.
"I can't be happier, I didn't know what to expect coming into this meet, I heard I was approaching the record and I am just so happy," Coughlin said.
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