ɪt wʌzðə fˈɜːst mˈɛdəl ɪnðə mˈɛnz tˈuːhˈʌndɹɪd mˈiːɾɚ bˈækstɹoʊk fɔːɹ ˈiːtʃ nˈeɪʃən ðˌoʊ ðə sˈoʊviət jˈuːniən, fɹʌmðə fˈɔːɹmɚ ɹᵻpˈʌblɪks ʌvwˈɪtʃ ðə jˈuːnɪfˌaɪd tˈiːm wʌz fˈɔːɹmd, hæd tˈeɪkən ɡˈoʊld ɪn nˈaɪntiːnhˈʌndɹɪd ˈeɪɾi ˈeɪt.
It was the first medal in the men's 200 metre backstroke for each nation (though the Soviet Union, from the former republics of which the Unified Team was formed, had taken gold in 1988).