Torres wins 100m free, is headed to fifth Olympics

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Dara Torres, 41, is headed to her fifth Olympics after winning the 100-meter freestyle in 53.78. Natalie Coughlin was second in 53.83.

‘I was very surprised that I won, but I was happy. If this was her first event, it probably would have been as different story,’ Torres said of Coughlin’s busy event schedule.

They played ‘American Woman’ over the public-address system after Torres won and she spoke of her reaction about going to the Olympics, saying, ‘I started crying.’

Then she added, ‘I’m ecstatic. I can’t believe it ... it’s sort of bittersweet for me. I made my fifth Olympic team, but I’m going to be away from my daughter for a month and that’s really hard emotionally.’

-- Lisa Dillman