MATT RICHARDS thought he’d won gold – then feared he was the victim of a CURSE after missing OUT by just 0.02 seconds.
The Team GB swimmer fell short of the top gong in the 200m freestyle final by exactly the same margin legendary team-mate Adam Peaty had finished short of a Paris gold.
Matt Richards believed for a split second he had bagged gold
David Popovici was adjudged the winner by a tiny margin
Romania’s David Popovici nicked victory ahead of Richards after the tightest of final 50m bursts.
And USA star Luke Hobson pipped Brit Duncan Scott for bronze.
Richards told the BBC: “I thought I had got it, it felt as if I had touched it first.
“The time says differently. It is not a sport that is up for debate, it is black and white.
“It wasn’t my best finish, I would be lying if I said it was fantastic. We move on, we get better and try to get it next time.”
And asked if he thought the carbon-copy margin of missing gold was a curse, Richards replied: “It seems that way.”
But he added: “I can’t be too disappointed with that. My first individual at an Olympic games so to come away with a silver is great.
“To be two one hundredths off gold is excruciatingly frustrating.”
Richards had picked up a team gold in the 4x200m relay at Tokyo 2020.
And after appearing to falter as the 200m entered the final 15m, he suddenly found a spurt of pace that threatened Popovici.
In fact, Richards won’t be the only one who, for a split-second, might have believed he had edged gold.
Social media certainly agreed, with one viewer posting: “Matthew Richards was robbed in the 200m freestyle. Oh well!”
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