200 metres Individual Medley, Men

In the first five days in Barcelona, eight world record holders had been upset in their specialities. Hungary’s Tamás Darnyi was a huge favorite in both IMs, and was the defending champion, world record holder, and 1991 World Champion in both events. He had not lost an individual medley since 1984, had already defended his 400 IM four days earlier, and was hoping not to become the ninth victim of the record holder curse. And he did not, winning the 200 IM, although it was somewhat closer than expected. Darnyi won in 2:00.76, only 0.21 seconds ahead of American Greg Burgess. Darnyi was only fourth after three legs, and the curse appeared real, but he powered home to defend his gold medal.

American Ron Karnaugh finished sixth in the final, which was a difficult swim for him emotionally. His father, Peter, came to the Opening Ceremony, and then died of a heart attack after leaving the stadium. Ron Karnaugh did not know this until later that night, when USOC Executive Director Harvey Schiller and USOC Board member George Steinbrenner came to his room in the Olympic Village to tell him. Steinbrenner, well-known as the owner of the New York Yankees, learned that his mother was concerned about how they would pay for Ron’s medical school, which he planned to start that fall, but Steinbrenner told them not to worry, and financed the schooling of the man he would later call “Doctor Ron.” Karnaugh later became a specialist in physical medicine and rehabilitation.