Smith begins to win over sceptics

WHO ever would have thought the Americans were so thin skinned? Michelle Smith's swimming feats are unmasking the home nation's insecurities.

It's bad enough having the world's press dub their pride and joy the "Glitch Games," but Smith's golden haul and the near certainty of another gold, a fourth, tonight is hurting, somewhat. It's okay being the dominant swim team in the Olympics, which the USA is, but Smith is stealing the real thunder on the individual stage, which is where all the potential major endorsements lie.

And, barring some over zealous security guard (and there are plenty of them) preventing Smith making the three minute journey from the adjacent athletes' village to the Georgia Tech Aquatic Centre, it's highly likely that she will be claiming another coin of sterling silver clad in 0.2 ounces 22 carat gold medal when she competes in the 200 metres butterfly tonight.

It's just a little ironic, too, to see Janet Evans T-shirts on sale in the Speedo shop outside the Aquatic Centre yesterday at a time when the same swim wear manufacturers are blowing their own trumpet and doing a good job of it about Smith donning their Aqua blade costume in pursuit of one gold after another.

Smith's performances in the pool but, also, out of it where she has been so composed and assured have won over most, if not all, of the sceptics. USA Today, however, epitomises American insecurity and boorishness, emphasised by the fact that her feats, the talk of the Olympics, only warranted a tiny, microscopic photo along with a short report documenting her third gold medal. She is the only competitor to have achieved that feat, to date, in individual competition.

Elsewhere, though, the tide continues to turn in the Dubliner's favour. The moral? Keep smiling, keep winning and don't mind the sceptics.

Sports Illustrated, which is the bible of sports journalism in the States, is bringing out a daily issue, and, increasingly, is adopting Smith it claims she "has been the outstanding individual of the opening week." And they are right.

. Nick O'Hare's first competitive dip in the Atlanta pool didn't exactly go as planned he finished seventh in his 50 metres freestyle heat and was pretty disconsolate afterwards.

The 23 year old Arizona based Wexford swimmer trailed home in 24.03, well outside his personal best. "I'm very disappointed. That was more like the time I would do in training."

"I don't know what happened. In the training pool beforehand, I was swimming is metres in six seconds which would relate to a 22 seconds swim. That's what I was hoping to achieve it really is disappointing."