▁Summer ▁Olympics ▁in ▁Atlanta , ▁Michael ides ▁placed ▁thirty - first ▁in ▁the ▁ 5 0 ▁m ▁fre est yle ▁( 2 3 . 3 7 ) ▁and ▁f ift i eth ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 0 0 ▁m ▁fre est yle ▁( 5 2 . 6 5 ), ▁deliver ing ▁a ▁worst ▁performance ▁in ▁his ▁sw imming ▁career . ▁ ▁A ▁year ▁later , ▁at ▁the ▁ 1 9 9 7 ▁Mediter rane an ▁Games ▁in ▁B ari , ▁Italy , ▁Michael ides ▁shared ▁a ▁bronze ▁medal ▁with ▁host ▁nation ' s ▁Lorenzo ▁V ism ara ▁in ▁the ▁ 5 0 ▁m ▁fre est yle . ▁He ▁posted ▁a ▁lifetime ▁best ▁of ▁ 2 3 . 2 8 , ▁matching ▁his ▁time ▁in ▁the ▁process ▁four ▁years ▁earlier . ▁ ▁E ight ▁years ▁after ▁compet ing ▁in ▁his ▁first ▁Olympics , ▁Michael ides ▁qualified ▁for ▁his ▁third ▁C yp ri ot ▁team , ▁as ▁a ▁ 2 9 - year - old , ▁at ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 0 ▁Summer ▁Olympics ▁in ▁Sydney . ▁Sw imming ▁only ▁in ▁the ▁ 5 0 ▁m ▁fre est yle , ▁he ▁posted ▁a ▁F IN A ▁B - standard ▁entry ▁time ▁of ▁ 2 3 . 0 8 ▁from ▁the ▁Ak ropol is ▁Grand ▁Prix ▁in ▁Ath ens . ▁He ▁challeng ed ▁seven ▁other ▁sw imm ers ▁in ▁heat ▁six , ▁including ▁Ukraine ' s ▁rising ▁favorite ▁Ole ks andr ▁Vol yn ets ▁and ▁Lith u ania ' s ▁Rol andas ▁G im but