Live Tokyo Olympics medal tally: Aussies on charge after Titmus gold

A sensational day in the pool — led by giant-killer Ariarne Titmus — has seen Australia soar up the Olympic medal tally.

Ariarne Titmus made history by defeating America’s Katie Ledecky in the Women’s 400m freestyle.

It was raining medals for Australia in the pool on day three at the Olympics.

Ariarne Titmus took gold, beating American legend Katie Ledecky in the 400m freestyle in a historic victory.

It looked as if Ledecky was going to win for the majority of the race, but Titmus dug in deep and overtook her with a monumental sprint finish.

Titmus hit the front for the first time with just 50m to go – and held on to win by 0.66 seconds.

Kyle Chalmers also pulled off a freakish fight back to rescue our men’s team in the 4x100m freestyle relay final.

Australia was sixth when the 2016 100m freestyle gold medallist dived in for the final leg. However, in one of the great relay swims, Chalmers clocked the fifth fastest relay split in history to get Australia to the bronze medal.

It was the fastest leg by any of the 32 men in the race.

Meanwhile, Aussie Emma McKeon fell agonisingly short of gold in a nailbiting finish to the women’s 100m butterfly final. She claimed bronze – her first in butterfly and her sixth career Olympic medal.

Emma McKeon already has two medals: A bronze in the 100m butterfly and gold in the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay. (Photo by Clive Rose/Getty Images)

Those three medals added to the three Australia took home on day two of the Games.

Our women’s 4x 100m freestyle relay team broke a world record on their way to a comfortable gold medal.

Jack McLoughlin produced a stunning swim in the men’s 400m freestyle to earn a silver medal, as 18-year-old Tunisian Ahmed Hafnaoui shocked everyone (including himself) to win the gold.

Brendon Smith made a late bolt from the pack in the men's 400m individual medley, pulling a monster freestyle leg to come back and take home a bronze medal, with American Chase Kalisz touching the wall first.

It leaves Australia in fourth place on the medal tally behind China, United States and Japan.

The host nation has converted beautifully in the first few days of the Games, ensuring six of the medals they’ve won were the most-preferred colour.

China and the US look set for a ding-dong battle for top spot.

See the live medal tally below.

Originally published as Live Tokyo Olympics medal tally: Aussies on charge after Titmus gold