RIO DE JANEIRO _ Dana Vollmer didn't repeat as a gold medalist in the 100-meter butterfly Sunday, but it was hard for her to get too worked up about it.
Because when she hit the wall at the end of the 100-meter butterfly, this is what she was thinking.
"Please let it be a medal."
Vollmer's time: 56.63, more than a half-second off her record in London, but it gave her the bronze, her first in the Olympics. After Saturday's silver in the 4x100-meter freestyle relay, she now has at least one of each.
Not bad for someone who retired and then had a baby since London.
But the real difference?
"I'm more appreciative of every single moment that I had out there," she said.
Vollmer had no idea if she could get to Rio when she started her comeback, and the prospects of another gold were diminished considerably by the rise of Sweden's Sarah Sjostrom. Vollmer's old rival broke the world record she set in the semis with a 55.48 Sunday.
Taking silver was Canada's 16-year-old Penny Oleksiak, sister of the Dallas Stars' Jamie Oleksiak, who was on hand to root her on. Another sibling is a rower at Northeastern.
Vollmer's Games aren't over, either. She's got the medley relay at the end of the week, her favorite event.
Until then, she'll take Monday off. Give the family a call. The last time she talked to baby Arlen on the phone, she even got a ride.
"He put me in his toy truck and was pushing me around the living room," she said.
"It's really fun."
Winning medals isn't so bad, either. No matter what color.
