Sept. 20, 2000
TEMPE, Ariz. -- Arizona State swimmer Attila Czene of Hungary will challenge for repeat Olympic gold in the 200 individual medley Thursday, Sept. 21 in Sydney, Australia.
Wednesday, after swimming the tenth fastest heat time of 2:02.66, Czene swam the seventh-fastest semi-final time of 2:01.56. Among others, the United States' Tom Dolan poses to contend with Czene. Dolan swam the fastest semi-final time in 2:00.38.
Czene, from Budapest, Hungary, captured bronze in the 200 IM in 1992 and gold in 1996, when he set an Olympic record in 1:59.91. In March, he earned the NCAA 200 IM title for ASU when he tied the short-course (25-meter) world record in 1:54.65, a mark originally set by Finland's Jani Sievenen in 1994.
Earlier in the week, Czene swam the opening leg of Hungary's 800 freestyle relay team in 1:52.66. Hungary finished fifth in the first of two heats in 7:24.48. It was the tenth-fastest time, just short of qualifying for finals.
In one season at ASU, Czene put his name on five ASU top-ten lists. He has school records in the 200 butterfly (1:44.49) and 200 IM (1:42.72). He is second in the 200 free (1:35.20) and third in the 100 free (43.48) and 100 fly (47.67).
Other Sun Devils in the Olympics:
Abal, Pablo (Argentina) -- Abal has yet to compete. Abal swam at ASU from 1997-2000, receiving NCAA All-American honors all but his first year. He is the ASU record holder in the 100 back (47.85), and ranks fourth in the 50 free (19.93), seventh in the 200 back (1:48.77) and ninth in the 100 fly (48.48).
Adel, Carolyn (Suriname) -- Placed seventh in the third of four heats of the 400 IM in 4:57.90. (Did Not Qualify for finals). Placed third in the second of five heats of the 200 IM in 2:19.17. (DNQ for semi-finals). Adel swam at ASU from 1997-2000, receiving NCAA All-American honors all four years. She has ASU top-10 times in seven different events, including records in the 200 IM (2:00.29) and the 400 IM (4:13.05).
Delgado, Felipe (Ecuador) -- Placed seventh in the fifth of 10 heats of the 100 free in 52.78. (DNQ for semi-finals). Delgado swam at ASU from 1994-1997, receiving NCAA All-American honors all four years. He ranks third all-time in the 50 free (19.75) and fifth in the 100 free (43.75).
Delgado, Robert (Ecuador) -- Placed third in the first of six heats of the 200 fly in 2:08.18. (DNQ for semi-finals). Delgado swam at ASU from 1996-1999. His collegiate best 200 fly time of 1:47.70 ranks seventh in the ASU record books.
Mesa-Rodriuez, Ivan (Panama) -- Placed sixth in the fifth of nine heats of the 100 breaststroke 1:04.68. (DNQ for semi-finals).
Sanchez, Francisco (Venezuela) -- Placed eighth in the sixth of 10 heats of the 100 freestyle in 52.43. (DNQ for semi-finals). Sanchez swam at ASU from 1996-1999, receiving NCAA All-American honors all four years. In 1996, he became the first male Sun Devil swimmer to capture an NCAA title since 1983 (Mike Orn, 200 free) when he won the 50 free. Sanchez was named the Pac-10's Swimmer of the Year the same year. The ASU records in the 50 free (19.32), 100 free (42.82) and 100 fly (46.96) still bear his name.