Craddock: ‘The best hour and half of Olympic achievement Australia has had this century’

After night seven’s Aussie ‘gold rush’ in Paris, Matty Johns, James Magnussen, journalists Robert Craddock and Brent Read break down the incredible hour of Aussie history-making moments.

NCA. PARIS FRANCE. 2024 OLYMPIC GAMES. August 2 2024 - Swimming. Mens 50 mtr Freestyle final. Australian Cam McEvoy celebrates winning the 50 mtr freestyle . Pic: Michael Klein

Fresh off the back of the Aussie ‘gold rush’ in Paris, Australia has jumped to third on the medal tally at the end of day seven, with a triple gold hour of power simply some of the best, most eye-watering moments in Australian sporting history.

Cam McEvoy finally claiming that elusive 50m freestyle title, Kaylee McKeown posted another back to back gold while outside of the pool Saya Sakakibara’s courageous and inspiring ride to the top of the podium pulled on the heart strings across the nation.

“We have to declare that this hour and a half is the best hour and half of Olympic achievement Australia has had this century,” journalist Crash Craddock said on the Matty and the Missile podcast.

“Three gold medals. It’s not just the medals, it’s the stories.

Saya Sakakibara eye-watering gold medal. Picture: Alex Broadway/Getty Images

“Cam McEvoy at 30 winning the 50m freestyle.

“Kaylee McKeown winning her fourth gold medal, who’s father passed away with brain cancer a few years ago, extraordinary.

“Saya Sakakibara who fell at the last Games, her brother Kai fell a few months before those Games and never fully recovered, he had brain damage. She wins the BMX gold wearing his number.

“The confident breed of athlete (Sakakibara) who just attacks the world, just an extraordinary story.

“If there’s three better stories at the Olympics, come and tell me.”

For McEvoy, the Olympic title had been a long time coming, with Magnussen adding that the 30-year-old’s unconventional training methods may allow him to set sights on a fifth Games.

“He’s now doing as little as 7km a week in the swimming pool, where at his peak 100m freestyle times, he was doing 80km a week in the swimming pool,” Magnussen said.

“He’s completely revolutionising the style of training for the 50m freestyle. He comes out here tonight, now it’s one of the most high pressure events at the Olympic Games, 20 seconds of action, any mistake and it’s over.”

“A final littered with talent, Florent Manaudou, Caleb Dressel, Ben Proud, on the biggest stage, at 30 years of age, at his fourth Olympic Games, McEvoy finally does it.

“A lot of coaches around the world now are looking at what McEvoy is doing.”

Cameron McEvoy finally a 50m freestyle Olympic champion. Picture: Maddie Meyer/Getty Images

Kaylee McKeown etched into the history books with her second back-to-back win. Picture: Jonathan NACKSTRAND / AFP

And for what McKeown has achieved in the pool, Crash shared insight from Kaylee’s family, who said after losing her father a few years ago, it was a sink or swim moment for the champion, with her determination and resilience prevailing.

“I spoke to her sister Tayla and she said, ‘when dad died, Kaylee could’ve gone two ways. She’d go down there and be absolutely shattered and depressed and never recover or she’d say stuff you mate, I’m going to prove something to the world,’” Craddock said.

“She goes to bed at 8pm at night, she leaves her food out beside her, she’s meticulous, always does extra training.”

Catch the latest episode of Matty and the Missile podcast for further analysis of the Paris boxing scandal, the Boomers scrape through to the quarterfinals, the Stingers lock in another win, and the launch of athletics at the Games.

“I don’t think they (Boomers) deal with favouritism well, I think they like the bumper grind and scratch with that underdog mentality,” said Brent Read.

“The Greek freak (Giannis Antetokounmpo) carved us up.”

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Originally published as Craddock: ‘The best hour and half of Olympic achievement Australia has had this century’