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Highlights from September 23 - day nine of the Sydney Olympics.

WHAT HAPPENED ON SEPTEMBER 23, 2000 - DAY NINE OF THE SYDNEY OLYMPICS

Water polo - Australia won gold in the women's event, defeating the United States 4-3, with Yvette Higgins scoring in the last two seconds, the first time this event was on the program for women. It is still the only time Australia has won Olympic gold in water polo. Australia had previously won the first gold medal when women's water polo debuted at the world championships at Madrid in 1986.

Swimming - Grant Hackett defeated two-time Olympic gold medallist and world record holder Kieren Perkins in the men's 1500m freestyle by more than five seconds. Hackett added a second gold medal himself four years later. Hackett and Perkins have both also a silver medal in this event, which make them the most successful athletes in the men's 1500m freestyle with two gold medals and one silver medal. It was the first time in the Olympic history that all three medallists swam under 15 minutes.

Trampolining - Ji Wallace won the first and so far, only trampolining Olympic medal for Australia, when he claimed silver in the men's event at its Olympic debut.

Athletics - American Maurice Greene clocked 9.87 seconds to win gold in the men's 100m. Obadele Thompson was third, giving Barbados its first Olympic medal.

Rowing - Steve Redgrave (Britain) won his fifth Olympic gold medal, at the age of 38, when he was part of the winning men's four crew. He became the first person in rowing to win five gold medals, which was later equalled by Elisabeta Lipa and Georgeta Andrunache (Romania).

General - Australia won a total of nine medals (two gold, five silver and two bronze), a national record for a single day at any Olympic Games.

* Information provided by Gracenote, a Nielsen company