The world had no idea what was in store for them.

The men's 4 x 100m freestyle relay.

Some have called it the best team swim race in history.

I'm Cody Simpson

and this is My Olympic Moment.

(CODY SIMPSON MUSICIAN/SONGWRITER)

I think maybe something that a lot of people didn't know

is that I did swim competitively pretty seriously

before I started to get really busy with my music.

I was Australian champion for butterfly and freestyle

for about four or five years in a row growing up.

Swimming, for me, really embedded

that competitive spirit within me since I was a young boy

and I've really taken that with me

as I've grown up and I now apply that to my music

and that always makes me want to get better

as a songwriter and as a guitar player.

I really was born into the sport.

Both of my parents were Australian champion swimmers

and that's how they met.

So ever since I can remember,

I was kinda destined to be involved in it in some way.

I started competing really, really young,

when I was about nine or ten years old

and loved it ever since my first race.

2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney, Australia.

The men's 4 x 100m freestyle relay.

America has always been dominant in this relay,

but Australia had a really good team

that Olympics led by Ian Thorpe.

Could Australia do it and pull off a huge upset?

The buzzer goes off and

everyone's into the water.

USA in lane four.

Australia in lane five.

So Michael Klim gets off to a really, really quick

first leg leading by half a body length.

On the first leg of the relay,

Michael Klim also broke

the individual 100m freestyle record

with a time of 48.18.

Australia really got off to the start that they needed.

The crowd was going nuts.

The whole stadium was going off.

Second swimmer, Chris Fydler,

keeps up the momentum.

And then Ashley Callus dives in

and he's swimming like he's never swum before,

but the American swimmer quickly caught him.

This was terrible. Everyone was wondering now if Australia

was going to lose the race because the Americans

were catching up quick.

Now we have the last Aussie, Ian Thorpe,

and the last American, Gary Hall Jr,

anxiously waiting to get in the water.

Two of the world's best swimmers

waiting for their team-mates.

Ian Thorpe, Australia's anchor,

exploded off the block

and into the water.

Gary Hall Jr was almost instantly

pulling ahead of Ian Thorpe

and it was not looking good for Australia.

In the final 50 meters,

America was still ahead,

but Ian Thorpe was slowly

mowing him down.

Which country would reach the wall first?

During the final stretch, we had anticipation building,

until Ian Thorpe finally came ahead

in the last moments.

And Australia just exploded.

It was incredible.

Australia had just won the Olympic gold.

The Americans, the undefeated champions

of this event, finally lost

and Australia in their home country were able to do it.

Australia had set a new world record at 3.13.6 minutes.

Australia had beaten the Americans by .19 seconds.

It was that close.

To be great at anything,

a serious level of discipline, hard work, determination

and devotion of mind, body and spirit is necessary,

whether it's a sport or an art form like music.

I am humbled day to day by the fact

that I have so many people out across the globe

that are willing to listen to me and the things

that I have to say and the music that I have to give.

That keeps me going on a day-to-day basis.

I can be up on stage in front of a crowd

and inspire other people to go after

what they believe in and what they dream.

I just want to inspire other people to reach new heights.

This is My Olympic Moment.