At the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney , Hassan competed only in three individual events . He posted FINA B-standards of 57.53 ( 100 m backstroke ) , 55.91 ( 100 m butterfly ) , and 2:07.51 ( 200 m individual medley ) from the U.S. and Egyptian National Championships . Marching in the parade of nations during the opening ceremony , Hassan recalled his proudest moment : “ I was so happy , I could n’t take it , I was swimming the very next day , but I did n’t care about getting tired or worn out . I wanted to be there . I had to see the Opening Ceremonies " . Two days after the opening , Hassan placed forty-fourth in the 100 m backstroke . Swimming in heat three , he rounded out the field to last place in 58.67 , nearly a 1.4-second deficit behind winner Blaž Medvešek of Slovenia . In the 200 m individual medley , Hassan finished fifty-first in 2:09.92 , more than two seconds off his entry time . The following day , in the 100 m butterfly , Hassan delivered a worst performance with a fifty-third-place effort on the morning prelims . Swimming in the same heat , he escaped from behind to earn a sixth seed in a time of 56.42 . Frustrated and upset , he explained what went wrong from his final event : “ I felt like I was moving my arms faster than I had ever done but I was n’t catching any water . I was so mad , but I ’m not a quitter . ” Three years later , at the 2003 All-Africa Games in Abuja , Nigeria , Hassan won a total of five medals , including his first ever gold in the 100 m butterfly ( 54.81 ) . He also collected a silver in the 50 m butterfly ( 24.84 ) , and three bronze each in the 50 m backstroke ( 27.30 ) , 100 m backstroke ( 58.46 ) , and 100 m freestyle ( 52.26 )
opening ceremony
2000 Summer Olympics opening ceremony
Haitham Hazem