1985 –

Eamon Sullivan, the pre-Olympics world record holder in the 50 metres freestyle, returned from Beijing 2008 with three medals. He twice broke the world record for the 100 metres freestyle, in the final of the 4 x 100 metres relay and the semi-final of the individual event where he ultimately finished with the silver medal, behind Alain Bernard of France. He combined with Matt Targett, Andrew Lauderstein and the evergreen Ashley Callus to enable Australia to finish a creditable third behind two teams, United States and France that were laden with crack sprinters. In the medley relay Sullivan, Hayden Stoeckel, Lauterstein and Brenton Rickard took the silver medal, once again behind the United States with Phelps ‘on board’. In the 50 metres, Sullivan finished fifth behind Cesar Cielo Filho of Brazil who won his country’s first gold medal in Olympic swimming.