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Pictured: The moment British Olympic swimmers confronted German rival over her 'dirty tricks'
Last updated at 11:33am on 21.08.08
Britain's swimmers accused Germany of dirty tricks yesterday, claiming they were robbed of gold in the gruelling 10km open water event.
Keri-Anne Payne and Cassie Patten took silver and bronze but Patten accused Germany's Angela Maurer - who finished fourth - of dirty tricks in a bid to get ahead.
Patten could be seen fronting up to the German swimmer after the two-hour race and angrily jabbing her finger in her face.
She claimed her rival had pulled her legs near the end of the competition, costing her vital seconds.
Angry: Britain's Cassie Patten jabs her finger at Angela Maurer after the race
The British duo had led throughout the race only to be passed by Russia's Larisa Ilchenko in the dying phase, who won with one and a half seconds to spare.
The event, which was part of the Olympics for the first time this year, is notoriously rough with the swimmers jostling for space.
Soon after they plunged into Shinyi Lake in Beijing, where Britain has won numerous medals in the rowing regatta, Patten and Payne set the pace for the four-lap race.
The two Britons, who train together for four hours every day at Stockport Metro in Cheshire, had no lanes to separate them from other swimmers.
Row: The Briton accused the German of pulling her leg at the end of the race
Behind the leaders, arms were clashing and racers were squeezed and pushed. The British pair's feet were constantly tapped by Ilchenko and the rest of the pack.
The tug on Patten's leg - which onlookers said could have earned the Russian a cautionary yellow card - was missed by judges on a boat alongside the swimmers.
After nearly two hours, world champion Ilchenko sprinted past the Britons in the final 100 metres to take the gold.
Afterwards Patten, who took bronze, pointed angrily at Maurer and claimed she had deliberately pulled her leg.
'I had my legs pulled. I'm just annoyed because I didn't get to savor looking up and coming in third because of that negative. It's unsportsmanship,' the 21-year-old said.
'I would never pull on someone's legs so I would never assume someone would do it to me.
'But at the end of the day, I've got one of these (medals) and she hasn't, so that's enough. I don't want to say anymore because I don't want to start an inter-country war.'
Power: Keri-Anne Payne (right) and Patten (left) during the arduous 10k swim and below, hugging as they emerge from the water
Maurer admitted nothing, but added: 'It was really crowded going around the corners. There was a lot of grabbing and pulling, but I have to say I was no angel either.'
Payne, 20, also from Stockport, who raced in the two individual medleys in the Water Cube last week, finished one and a half seconds behind Ilchenko, who completed the race in 1.59.27.7.
She said: 'To get a medal is amazing. We didn't have a tactic, we just went out and swam. The course was really flat and one of the best I've ever swum. But I got weeds stuck in my costume and in my face.
'We didn't talk at all out there. We're best friends, we train together and we just kind of knew when to kick at the right time. Every part of my body was aching but I tried pushing for gold.'
On the podium: Payne (left) and Patten (right) with gold medallist Larisa Ilchenko from Russia
Reader views (13)
Bad public manners should be punished.
Cassie Pattern, you are the weakest link!
Angela Maurer come on down, you now have a bronze!
- R Williams, London
Stuart of Luton
Actually with 3 gold and with a smattering of other medals, we are doing far better than the UK on a population basis. so is Jamaica.
Sam,
It's common acknowledge that you are a nation of gold medalist Sheep Shaggers
- Chris, London
LOL: Get it right, Surely you are referring to the South Islanders?
Regarding the aspect of winning medals. I find it rather amusing that a host of countries were criticising the Chinese for their fixation with winning medals. Now that the competition has started we are either basking in success or bemoaning the lack thereof.
- Sam, Auckland New Zealand.
OK Sam we will take that medal of the list, were are NZ in the medal table?
- Stuart, UK Luton
As opposed to that really difficult game of chasing a round ball up and down the pitch eh Eddie! Where you can get away with having the reading age of 7 and still get paid millions.
- Mark, London
The contributor from New Zealand is completely wrong. The new variant epo, EPO-CERA, manufactured by Roche is detectable. The problem is that not many labs know what to look for. However, the tests in the Tour de France caught the cyclists who thought it was undetectable. Have no fear that our cyclists are clean and undergo extremely tight testing of their blood levels throughout the season.
Lets give them the credit they deserve and hope THE marketing people and advertising executives give these people a shot at the big contracts rather than our pathetic footballers.
- Dr J Roberts, London
Sam
For a start it was the year before last, she was banned for a year. So why insinuate she and it seems Team GB) is guilty of drug taking. By your reasoning the whole competition could be liable. But is it just sour grapes!
- E Sullivan, london
Sam,
It's common acknowledge that you are a nation of gold medalist Sheep Shaggers
- Chris, London
It's common knowledge such improved performances over a short period of time indicates the use of performance enhancers. There are drugs available that cant be detected, like the new version of EPO which are being used by the cyclists. As for Ohuruogu, she shouldn't have been allowed to compete after she deliberately missed three out of season drug tests.
Sam Akld NZ.
- Sam, Auckland New Zealand.
So what is a first rate event? Those that pay the highest salaries or get all the TV money?
Really ignorance like this is unbelievable, you probably wouldn't survive a few minutes of a cyclists training plus some sports (eg sailing) are about skill as well as fitness.
Also these athletes are winning medals without being paid gross salaries to train and compete.
- Alan, Durham, England
Judging by his comment Eddie has never achieved anything more than drink a few pints in a pub. Eddie you are a total idiot. Get out and try to do something yourself rather than belittling people who have achieved total supremacy!
- Mark, London, UK
You idiot Eddie - exactly how many Olympic medals have you won?
- Clare, London
Err Eddie how wrong can you be!
Sailing is a very difficult sport the skill and tactics brain power needed is amazing.
And are you going to tell the 6 foot 2 14.5 stone of muscle Chris Hoy that he is third rate! I don't think so
Well done to all Team GB and especially the cycling team, I cannot wait to get tickets to the velodrome in 2012!
- Stuart, UK Luton
Let's not get carried away folks.
Sailing and cycling eh? The hardest part of winning third rate events like those is climbing the podium.
- Eddie, London
