Zhang Ning of China plays a shot to Salakjit Ponsana of Thailand during their women's singles round of 32 badminton match at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games August 10, 2008.
Park, wearing a white cap, wore a headphone before starting his race, seeming to be totally focused on what he was about to achieve. The 19-year-old swam close to Australia's Grant Hackett in the first two laps and began taking over Hackett at 150 meters. He maintained the lead and coasted to win his first Olympic gold.
Hackett slipped to the sixth at 3:43.84.