SYDNEY, Australia - Former SMU men's swimmer Lars Frolander has won a gold medal at the Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia. The Sweden native placed first this morning in the 100 butterfly with a time of 52.00.

Frolander finished 18 hundredths of a second ahead of silver medal winner Michael Klim of Australia (52.18). For Frolander, it was his first gold medal and third medal performance overall for his career. Frolander won a silver medal at both the 1996 games in Atlanta and the 1992 games in Barcelona, Spain.

Frolander's gold medal adds to the world-class reputation the SMU men's swimming and diving team has set. In 1996, Ryan Berube captured gold as a member of the 800 free relay team for the United States. Joining Frolander in 1992, Scott Donie (USA) brought home silver, and the great Steve Lundquist won two gold medal in Los Angeles in 1984 (100 breast, medley relay). Ricardo Prado (Brazil) joined Lundquist in Los Angeles winning a silver medal. Jerry Heindenrich (USA) won two gold medals, one silver, and one bronze at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich, West Germany. All but four SMU swimming and diving records are now owned by Olympic medal winners. For Frolander, the 100 butterfly was his fourth event to compete in at this year's Olympic Games.