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ASSOCIATED PRESS
Australia's Melanie Schlanger, center, and United States' Allison Schmitt, right, compete in the women's 4x100-meter freestyle relay swimming final at the Aquatics Centre in the Olympic Park during the 2012 Summer Olympics in London today.
Former University of Hawaii swimmer Melanie Schlanger won gold Saturday as the anchor of Australia’s 4×100 freestyle relay team.
Schlanger swam her leg in 52.65 seconds, fastest on her team, and held onto the lead her teammates handed her. The Netherlands finished 0.64 seconds back for the silver. The United States won bronze, 1.09 seconds behind the Aussies.
Azad Al-Barazi, another UH alum, swam in the 100 breaststroke for Syria but did not make it out of the preliminaries.
He and other Syrian athletes stayed away from politics when talking with reporters.
“I am just soaking up this place, this event, the Olympics, and going ’wow’ every time I see these incredible athletes in the same place with me,” said Al-Barazi, 24.
“It was not my best time, not my fastest result, but it’s my first Olympics, and I was very nervous,” Al-Barazi said. “It’s hard to put in words, but I am just so happy to be here. It’s an important achievement in itself.”
Also Saturday, the U.S. women’s volleyball team, featuring Punahou alumna Lindsey Berg and Kalani grad Tamari Miyashiro, beat South Korea 3-1 in pool play.
“We’re thrilled. We got the win,” U.S. captain Berg said. “One down.”
