The top three podium finishers in the fifty metre freestyle sprint did a sub 22 second dash. More importantly Cullen Jones records 21.94 seconds and is pipped to the line to come second in the world championship swimming. He becomes the runner-up to the world champion and fellow American sprinter for the fifty metre freestyle.

 

Although, Cullen Jones has already earned a gold medal for the 4x100 metres, it is the individual glory that matters most, this would only come through the fifty metre freestyle sprint. The title of world champion would elude Cullen Jones this time denying this Afro-American the glory and honour of being the first ever coloured world champion in an individual event for yet another world championship. This honour will, perhaps, be given to someone else and not to Cullen Jones.

 

There is a coloured world champion lurking somewhere in the Bronx and, perhaps, he or she is playing basketball, and yet this person will be denied his or her opportunity due to socio-economic circumstances, and, aboveall, due to the colour of their skin.

 

Inspite, Cullen Jones' s failure to become the world champion in the fifty metre freestyle, Cullen Jones has already earned the R.E.S.P.E.C.T from the swimming fraternity throughout the world.

 

Well done, Mr. Cullen Jones, and congratulations on becoming runner-up world champion in the freestyle sprint.

 

Tim Tufuga

A cross-cultural swimming fan from Brisbane.