Aussie swimmers off to a flying start in bid to top gold medal tally
The Dolphins are desperate to win swimming’s gold medal tally for the first time since the sepia-toned Melbourne Games of 1956 and they were off to a flyer.
Swimming
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The podium at the Olympic swimming is uncommonly small. It’s a bit of a tight squeeze up there. Huddled on the top perch at La Defense Arena was a sizzling Australian relay team that featured four powerhouse women at four very different stages of their careers and lives.
Mollie O’Callaghan, Shayne Jack, Emma McKeon and Meg Harris took the gold medal by nearly two seconds from the US and China. Their emphatic and electrifying triumph gave Australia its second gold at the pool and third of the Paris Olympics. When everyone tucked themselves into bed at the village on Saturday night, the Australians led the overall Games’ medal tally. An ascendancy likely to be short-lived, but a blazing start nonetheless.
The 20-year-old O’Callaghan led the relay. She’s a desperately shy soul who swims like an extrovert. She seems destined to become an all-time Australian Olympic great and could be the 100m and 200m champion by the end of the week. Ariarne Titmus might have something to say about the four-lap sprint but if all goes well for O’Callaghan, she could bid au revoir to France with as many as six Olympic medals in her pocket.
“This is what I’ve been dreaming of,” she said. “To be a part of this team.”
Following O’Callaghan was the 25-year-old Shayna Jack. If Callaghan’s career has been all rainbows and lollipops until now, win piled upon win, medal stacked upon medal, Jack has done it tough. She was banned for two years after failing a doping test. There have been many dark days and doubts she would return.
Jack has always maintained her innocence. She put her face in her hands after a triumph she feared would never happen.
“You have ups and downs and you just keep going along,” she said. “You keep ticking the boxes and doing everything you can. I can’t believe where I’m at right now. I’m really proud of myself and how far I’ve come.
“I already proved my redemption by coming here. This is all fun and games for me. I’m just enjoying the experience.”
Then came the 30-year Emma McKeon. If Mollie O and Jack are commencing their Olympic careers, the quiet, understated and majorly decorated McKeon is wading through her final Olympics. Even by McKeon’s standards, this was a memorable occasion.
Australia’s commanding win put a sixth gold medal in her hands, taking her past Ian Thorpe as our most successful Olympian.
“Wow, I don’t keep track of that kind of stuff,” she said. “I hear it from you guys. It’s an honour, really. Everyone wants to be part of this team. I feel really honoured to be part of it.”
Meg Harris had the privilege and pressure of bringing the relay home. If McKeon is a household name, the 22-year-old Harris is the silent partner of the group. The least known. “I’ve never anchored before,” she said. “I had so much fun.”
Four golds were up for grabs on the opening night at the pool. Australia collected two. The electrifying relay came hot on the heels of Ariarne Titmus’s demolition of Summer McIntosh and Katie Ledecky in the 400m freestyle. The Dolphins are desperate to win swimming’s gold medal tally for the first time since the sepia-toned Melbourne Games of 1956 and they were off to a flyer.
Head coach Rohan Taylor has set the scene beautifully by likening it to Australia II finally knocking off the US in the America’s Cup. Cate Campbell’s description of America as “sore losers” at last year’s world championships is fuelling the US campaign, according to Michael Phelps.
It’s on for young and old at La Defense Arena, and the women’s relay went to the young and the old representing Australia.
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Originally published as Aussie swimmers off to a flying start in bid to top gold medal tally
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