Melinda Gainsford-Taylor reflects on her Sydney 2000 Olympics

20 September 2020

Melinda Gainsford-Taylor reflects on her Sydney 2000 Olympics

NSW’s premier athlete at the Sydney Olympics was Melinda Gainsford-Taylor. The Narromine-born sprinter closed her career with two outstanding fifth places from her four events. On the 20th anniversary of the Sydney Olympics Gainsford-Taylor reflections on her best Olympics.

In September 1989, a 17-year-old rising star of Australian athletics made her senior international debut at the World Cup of Athletics in Barcelona. During a remarkable career Gainsford-Taylor broke the national 100m record and 200m records twice, competed at three Olympics, four world championships, three world indoors, three world cups, two Commonwealth Games and the world juniors; won 12 national titles and claimed medals at the World Championships, World Indoors, World Cup and Commonwealth Games.

In the twilight of her 12-year international career, she would compete at the Sydney Olympics, the city she had called home since she attended boarding school in the late 1980s.

THE LEAD UP

In 1998 Gainsford-Taylor unfortunately suffered a major injury at the Kuala Lumpur Commonwealth Games. It lingered into 1999, hampering her build-up to the Olympics.

“I didn’t get to compete in 1999 because I had a knee injury,” Gainsford-Taylor said, reflecting on the Games. As one of the home-town athletes there was obviously high expectations.

“There were a few moments leading into the Sydney Olympics that I didn’t think I could run at that level again.”

The rehabilitation in 1999 was very successful, with Gainsford-Taylor resuming competition domestically in 2000 where over summer she raced on 24 occasions in the 100m and 200m and recorded impressive times of 11.16w and 22.43. In late March she headed to South Africa with an Australian team where she ran stunning altitude assisted times of 11.02w (3.0m/s) and 22.18w (2.8) and also anchored the national 4x100m team to still standing Australian record.

OLYMPIC TRIALS

It have been a fantastic 2000 season for Gainsford-Taylor, but in August she still had to gain selection the Games at the Olympic trials. But she confirmed her place on the team, winning the 200m and placing second in the 100m to Lauren Hewitt. A month prior she had also clocked a sensational 51.73 over 400m, enhancing her selection prospects in the long relay.

“When I qualified to compete at my third Olympics it was one of the most rewarding and exciting times in my career.”

THE GAMES

As the Games started, Gainsford-Taylor noticed a change in atmosphere in Sydney.

“It was awesome, everybody was so excited about it. I remember at the time that you would walk through the streets and everybody was so happy.”
 

She had an enormous program of four events which commenced a week after the opening ceremony on day one of the track and field program. She progressed to the 100m semi-final, clocking 11.24 – her fastest time for two years. After three days rest she embarked on the 200m program, four races in two days where she ran 22.71, 22.49, 22.61 and 22.42 in the final – her fastest time for three years, again she had peaked at the right time. In the final she placed fifth, one place ahead of Cathy Freeman and 0.07 seconds from a medal.

"I came out here and got a huge cheer. I am very happy but, of course, I would have loved a medal," she said after her race in 2000. “When I made the final it was like, `thank God', I tried to get back in the sport because tonight was the most wonderful experience. My first Olympic final. It took me 20 years.”
 

The next two days were full of relay action, but unfortunately in the 4x100m heats, the baton didn’t reach the anchor Gainsford-Taylor. The next day she lined up in the 4x400m relay final. It was testament of her one lap ability as Australia had seven athletes achieve the 400m Olympic qualifier. She replaced her training partner, Jana Pittman on the third leg, and split an incredible 51.06. The anchor was Cathy Freeman and she finished in a tight group where just 0.56 second covered four places from second to fifth. In the heat the Australian team took 1.5 seconds from the national record and again in the final they clipped the record clocking 3:23.81.

Gainsford-Taylor reflected on those six days of competition.

“I absolutely loved every moment of competing at the Sydney Olympics. I especially loved competing in front of the home crowd, the atmosphere was incredible. Luckily it was my third Olympics, experience makes everything easier. I ran eight races, it should of been nine but the baton didn’t get around in the 4x100m. When you run nine races that means you have to do nine warm ups and nine warm downs which is a lot of running. I do remember how sore and tired my body was at the end of the Games, thank goodness for adrenalin. I enjoyed the experience so much I believe that is why it was my most successful Olympics.”

WHAT NEXT?

After a great Games, she couldn’t stop now.

“I loved the Sydney Olympics so much that I just wanted to keep on running. I did plan on competing at the World Championships in 2001 but I tore my hamstring in Nice (in a 200m in July 2001). It was after that I decided to retire. I knew my body couldn’t handle the workload anymore.”
 

CAREER CLOSES

At the end of her career Gainsford-Taylor held or shared five national records, the 100m, 200m (indoors & outdoors), 4x100m and 4x400m relays. 20-years on, all but the 100m remain unbroken. In a decade of dominance, her domestic rivalry with Cathy Freeman over 200m undoubtedly helped both athletes improve. Post her career she has been a regular broadcast commentator, event MC, charity ambassador and serves on the AA selection committee. Primarily she coaches the next generation with a personal squad and her coaching clinics, and has already guided athletes to national teams. She continues to be inspiration to her squad and the sport.

David Tarbotton for Athletics NSW

Image: Melinda Gainsford-Taylor at the Sydney Olympics.