1996 | Kieren Perkins | Olympic Gold |

[@unknown24242424]

The greatest Australian sporting performance of all time in my opinion - I’ll never forget watching this live.

[@mellissaskeen6605]

I agree with you and named my son after him

[@rodl6851]

I remember this too absolutely loved it, I was about 13 and was cheering him all the way. Was my favourite swimmer as a young lad

[@PaulRizzo]

Absolutely!! I remember!!

[@TrentSymons-de6wv]

100 percent

[@TrentSymons-de6wv]

I completely agree.number 1 and I think tim Cahill no 2

[@pwilliams6405]

Perkins was given no hope by the media after just getting into the final and to be in the worse lane possibly with all the wash and chop in your face, but he did it and not just fell in at the finish ,he smashed them ! ONE OF THE GREATEST SPORTING ACHIEVEMENTS I HAVE EVER WITNESSED !!!

[@olgamrazek269]

it is 2024 and i am still watching your amazing swim at Atlanta olympic games

[@raindrops21_9]

Most emotional and triumphant moment in sport I've ever seen. I was jumping up and down in front of the T.V. at home watching this. Massive heart, courage and psychological strength.

[@brettmorgan7917]

Neil Brooks, THE best call ever. Pat yourself on the back. I still get goosebumps watching this

[@akea82]

Perkins will forever be an all time great. Courageous win and always humble in victory. A true champion

[@MJforever5690]

I remember watching this live with my family...I was so amazed - I was standing right in front of our tv watching in awe. What a great moment. My mum to this day, still remembers what lane he was swimming in.

[@gwenbenson4102]

He was in lane 8

[@jj-if6it]

everyone does lol

[@andrew6889-p5c]

I’ve watched this many times and I still get overwhelmed with emotion seeing it. An amazing performance. The memory of watching it as a young man with my dad and brothers screaming at the TV. Incredible. Pure. And to see it with the perspective of age and think of the pressure he took as a young 22-year-old person. It’s overwhelming.

[@roxy5588]

The greatest comeback in Olympic history I have ever seen!!! :) You are amazing Kieren Perkins! This swim was so courageous and iconic. This is the greatest swim at the Atlanta Olympics full stop. Nobody had ever defended the 1500m freestyle.

[@tee8599]

Sorry but how was that a comeback when he was leading the whole way???

[@roxy5588]

+Nick Tabone um he had a very bad year in 1996 where he was out of form and had problems at trials and was written off to even win a second gold at the Olympics. This comeback that Kieren delivered was as inspiring as it gets. He was in lane eight. Which is really bad.

[@tee8599]

+Caitlin Frawley well that's the Aussie spirit. I've never seen this race before but always heard about it and could never find footage. But I was lead to believe he was losing the race and did an amazing comeback so that's why I commented.

[@ianraper4304]

I'm not sure about a 'comeback' but Perkin's performances during the year and at the trials were mediocre to say the least. He was relegated to the outside lane (Lane 8) because he had only just scraped through to the final. I watched the original race knowing that we had a good performer in Kowalski (a possible gold medallist) and a proven performer in Perkins (the defending Gold Medallist) and hoped that he, Perkins, would come good. So, in the end, it was an outstanding performance by Perkins to win Gold, given his run-up to the Olympics - and an excellent effort by Kowalski to win Silver so kudos to both of them. The one downside I didn't enjoy was the commentary (Dennis Cometti was fine but Neil Brooks was not the best).

[@hd2dt]

Yes it was a comeback as the night before he only just scraped into the final, hence lane 8 ( lane 8 is the slowest qualifier while 4/5 are the fastest)

[@dimitrigeorgiadis6133]

I was 10 years old and this stayed with me. Kieren was an absolute superstar and Kowolski takes the battle of his life for silver. Too good 🇦🇺

[@jlrob85]

I was 11 when I watched this live at my grandmas house. First time I ever cried happy tears. Will never forget his wife celebrating in her Australian flag hat

[@diannedryden2712]

Very proud of my 2nd cousin Kieran - my grandfather and his grandfather were brothers

[@jdbhatts2912]

please convey the very best to him from the KZbin community. We love watching him.

[@adamlewis934]

what amazes me about perkins is his stroke rate. almost all distance swimmers following hackett use the lopsided and slow stroke which seems to be much more efficient for distance. yet perkins, whose stroke was quite even like a sprinter, managed to keep it up for a whole 1500 and manage times that would still be competitive today. he really did train so hard to achieve that level of fitness

[@kooki11]

I recall the early 60s when Dawn became the first woman to break 60sec for 100m. Forward 30 years, and Perkins and the like swim 15 consecutive 100m at Dawn's flat out sprint speed. Amazing!

[@garyholt4445]

@@kooki11I still remember watching the 1980 Olympics from Moscow and saw Vladimir Salnikov break the 15 minute barrier for the 1500 freestyle for the first time. He hit the wall at the end of 1400 meters in even time and the crowd went into an uproar hoping he would break the 15 minutes barrier for the 1500 metres and he did it with under half a second to spare.

[@kooki11]

I was an Aussie visiting America at the time. I knew when the final was on and I knew that Perkins had qualified slowest and was given no chance of winning. I was in front of the TV and saw all the lead up finals to the 1500m. Before the big race, the channel cut away to a commercial break. The tension and excitement built. They came back from the break ..... and went to the athletics track. That was it. No mention of the 1500, it was totally and completely ignored. I had to wait until I got back to Sydney a week later to learn the news. I remember asking my wife "How did Perkins go". She was dumbfounded. "Don't you know? HE WON"!!! I couldn't believe it.

[@jakubwidlarz]

And NBC's coverage has only gotten worse with time.

[@stephenwright425]

Yep, I remember the same. According to the NBC coverage, this race never happened. I read about it in the small print sports results 2 days later.

[@johnclifford1537]

This July coming up it will be 25 years !! I never get tired of watching it. It was early Sat morning in Australia and the local pub opened early so we could watch it. Because of liquor laws though they could only serve coffee that early in the day !! 100 people in a packed bar drinking coffee was surreal. What a race.

[@BooRadleyTube]

That's such a cool memory! I remember watching with my family, but I'd forgotten it was a Saturday, although that explains why I wasn't a school. So great that (virtually) everyone was able to see it live.

[@JoeMama-bl8me]

I still remember watching this live. I'll never forget that look by Kowalski lol. He must've been thinking "tf just happened?" 😂.

[@thethinkingman9338]

i watched it live, and will never forget it. that swim was 100% courage.

[@domeniczappia2436]

well done mate. this was a memory forever.

[@mariapetfooleddvd4472]

CONGRATS KIEREN PERKINS !!!! I watched your race in 1992, 1996 and was "there" in 2000

[@williamice7868]

Ho visto Perkins a settembre 1994 ai Mondiali di nuoto. Un mito.

[@olgamrazek269]

kieren perkins you are a super star in my eyes. Magnificent!!!!!!

[@Soffity]

This race was the first and so far only, time, I’ve ever been on my feet jumping and screaming at the TV. Everyone said there is no way he could win- were amazed he had even made the final. Yet there he was in lane 8 and he swam his heart out and all of Australia was cheering him on.

[@refsmithy]

Watching this again after listening to Daniel Kowalski talking to Mark Howard's Howie Games pod, you've really got to feel for Dan. But for a matter of 0.25 seconds, Perkins might've missed the final and Kowalski might've won gold. Instead, he finished second by six seconds and had to wait another four years before getting that gold medal. Still an incredible swim by all three on the podium!

[@inefekt]

Dan won a gold as a heat swimmer in the 4x200m relay, he never won one for the 1500m. Grant Hackett won that one, Perkins got the silver.

[@jj-if6it]

second is second, he was never the fastest

[@garyholt4445]

I remember at my work, I was backing Perkins to come good because he always was a champion but my supervisor was saying he was all washed up, his best days were behind him etc. After the race was run and Perkins won the gold medal, I couldn’t wait for the opportunity to go into my supervisor’s office and give it to him. I went into his office to give him a big serve and as soon as he saw me he said, “before you say anything, I have never been so glad to be so wrong in my life”. So he got in before me.

[@MasterDownUnder]

Always being someone I really admired, He became one of my idols after that, no one has ever done that since. "Kieren you are a superstar!" Indeed.

[@SPOOKSTR]

He dumbed it down in the lead up to the race, then kick world ass in the final....so cool.

[@Fergy00000]

superstar Kieren, down and out but you did it. We are blessed in Australia..

[@tasker1986]

Still remember this. Was so happy for Perkins and always admired Kowolski. Perkins was superb and Kowoloski Silver medalist in a hard fought battle for silver. Never a more inspiring race by two aussies

[@jbobbster]

The fact that he did this from lane 8 makes this feat all the more incredible. Nobody wins a gold medal from lane. It's even an accomplishment just to get a medal. Usually, lane 8 is regarded as a death sentence. But to win gold, and crush the field by over 6 seconds, from lane 8 is incredible.

[@clubberlang589]

That’s what makes his feat so great. Measure of a champion had all statistics against him, form, the lane and level of competition. He came to swim performance of a lifetime to win Gold

[@rodmunch4066]

Check out Keiran Perkins 1996 Atlanta games he came down sick only just qualified and from lane 8 whilst still sick he won the gold medal... thats the best 1500m swim in history

[@SPOOKSTR]

The ''Rope a dope'' of swimming.......awesome tactics. Epic win !!!

[@SPOOKSTR]

That race is on par with Ali and the rope a dope.......truly a great moment in Australian sport.

[@adriang6259]

The greatest swim of all time. Third greatest moment of all time. 1992 AFL Grand Final, final siren. The Gatting ball. This.

[@batsandballspodcast6267]

Brilliant win from King Kieren.

[@paulbeasy7863]

The3 greatest events in Ozzie Olympic history. King Kieran in Atlanta, the mens4 x 100 at sydney. And our kathy in Sydney as well. Put them in any order you like. You’ll still be right.

[@kierenmoore3236]

What a great name that guy has, too ...

[@VK6AB-]

I remember this well, the Australian media rubbished Perkins - he was "unfit" too "ill" etc. This is the best performance by an Australian athlete I've seen - the resilience and determination were tier 1.

[@jlrob85]

Always preferred Perkins to Hackett

[@JCStorm76]

Everyone did

[@jj-if6it]

Hackett is a tool

[@brucethomas5123]

Join the queue

[@artsed08]

Is that sandpaper in his trunks?

[@basemmagd9185]

It is all about holding pace in this race.

[@kooki11]

No good holding pace if your pace is too slow.

[@Tyrone1957]

I watched it live . One genuine blue eyed boy. He just disappeared from the rest. Grant Hackett was nearly as good.

[@fritzyyygg3022]

my first to see a swimmer from the edge lane won.

[@inefekt]

"Perkins is gonna to win this" "Steady on..." Translation: "STFU mate you're gonna jinx it!!!"

[@anesdj4282]

Hell of swim 🏊‍♂️ from the Kieren

[@planetX15]

@bathtownship how were you able to predict the future when you typed your comment 7 months ago?

[@brianclough]

Tthe 1500m isn't the blue riband event in swimming, the 100m free is. But to succeed and dominate this event requires a truly special swimmer. Just looking at Salnikov, Perkins and Hackett provides the answer. The true successor to Salnikov required someone with Herculean ability. Perkins fitted it perfectly, as did Hackett in succeeding him. Australia has, and will always provide Greats in Swimming. In their long history and future to come, the name Kieran Perkins, will always be mentioned.

[@terrymackamckenzie6865]

What a legend, but how much time has changed. Shame that corporate sponsorship is forcing athletes to become druggos these days.

[@jjcrump74]

"folk law" lol well done on that description -- folk lore...

[@MmeDesgranges]

100m Kowalski .. 200m Kowalski .. 300m Kowalski .. 400m Kowalski .. 500m Kowalski .. 600m Kowalski .. 700m Kowalski .. 800m Perkins is tiring .. 900m Perkins is going to win this!!

[@bronxcheer1484]

Neil brookes was a great special comments man

[@Gynecologist]

@adamlewis934 Don't even get me started on Janet Evan's relentless arm turn over for her distance swims!

[@cyclonearmageddon]

You were good, Daniel. But Kieren was better.

[@Fuzcapp]

Pain.

[@xotichecz7312]

they said he wouldnt come close to winnning due to illness and coming from lane 8 hahah YER AUSSSIE

[@waz1304]

kowalski disliked this

[@MmeDesgranges]

Courage!

[@VictorYong36]

Winning from lane 8....

[@adamu328]

I wanted to see the JJJ flag too.

[@davidsteer8142]

adamu328 ah yes. The beat the drum moment.

[@danshinitro]

@Omarleee haha great comment

[@voiceabove]

Where is the HD? ahahahaha

[@caelgilmour5486]

oh really i havent notice

[@FredMcCubbin]

Our teacher made us watch this live, I was in grade 2. 15 minutes I’ll never get back

[@cherryontop3243]

The moment she won gold was about the same time in Australia that Ivan Milat was found guilty of murder

[@barbeeska]

It is not viable to have a vocal misogynist in charge of swimming Ausyralia. If Kieran Perkins can't support the rights of women and girls to fair competition he should be immediately removed from the role

[@markdowse3572]

Before the race even started, I told all my friends that had gathered over food and wine to watch the race that Kieren would win by 5 seconds. They all looked at me like I was some kind of lunatic! 🥴 They had every reason to do so. Until THIS happened ! Fantastic performance by a Champion ! 👍✨ M 🦘🏏😎