Tokyo Olympics 2021 swimming: Teen sensation set to be overlooked for another relay

Leaving Mollie O'Callaghan out of the women’s 4x200m relay created plenty of headlines. Will coaches be forced to make another tough call?

Emma McKeon broke a second Olympic record in Tokyo on Friday to edge a step closer to another possible medal while the teenage sensation - who was controversially overlooked for the 4x200m freestyle relay team that suffered a shock loss - once again showed why she should have been picked.

Returning to the pool hours after she smashed the 100m freestyle record to win her first individual gold medal and fourth in Tokyo, the Wollongong wonder woman set another record in the 50m.

Showing no sign of slowing down, she sped away from her rivals to touch the wall in 24.02 seconds and advance to Saturday morning’s semi-finals as the fastest qualifier. Cate Campbell - who won a bronze medal in the 100m - was also back in the water, qualifying third quickest in 24.15.

McKeon and Campbell are expected to join forces in the medley relay on Sunday even though Mollie O’Callaghan gave the national selectors another reason to consider her after a blistering performance in the heats.

Controversially left off the 4x200m freestyle relay team that suffered a shock loss at the Tokyo, the 17-year-old split 52.35 for her anchor leg in the medley relay heats as Australia qualified third fastest.

Mollie O'Callaghan is set to be overlooked for another relay.

But that's still unlikely to earn her a place in the medal race with McKeon, Campbell and Kaylee McKeown likely to come back for the final, where the Aussies are expected to fight out the gold with the United States and Canada.

Australia’s men, with Kyle Chalmers swimming the freestyle leg, qualified sixth but are considered an outside chance of a medal.

Australia’s men are out of contention in both the 50m and 1500m freestyle events after none of their entrants advancing past the heats.

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Originally published as Tokyo Olympics 2021 swimming: Teen sensation set to be overlooked for another relay

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