Commonwealth Games 2022: Emma McKeon smashes Australia’s all-time medal record
An emotional Emma McKeon was reduced to tears after becoming the greatest athlete in Commonwealth Games history. Here’s how she did it.
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All hail the Queen.
Emma McKeon has broken the Australian record for the most gold medals won at the Commonwealth Games.
No-one should be surprised because the 28-year-old wonder woman of swimming is the best ever to wear the green and gold cossies.
These are different times – and modern day swimmers get to compete in more events than a lot of predecessors but McKeon’s claim to greatness is indisputable.
She’s already eclipsed Dawn Fraser, and now she’s surpassed Ian Thorpe, Leisel Jones and Madame Butterfly Susie O’Neill by chalking up her 11th career gold with victory in Monday morning’s 50m freestyle final at Birmingham’s Aquatic Centre.
“It’s really nice to be mentioned alongside some of those names and just to be part of that history for years to come hopefully,” McKeon said.
“They’re the ones that inspired me when I was young. I’ve been watching them on TV and that lit the fire in me.
“It is special. It kind of makes me reflect on the last eight years or something since my first Commonwealth Games.
“I can just kind of see how far I’ve come as a person and athlete to be honest.
“I find it hard to be proud of myself at times so that’s been something that I’ve struggled with but it’s nice to be racing on this team.”
One of the two individual events she won at last year’s Tokyo Olympics, McKeon made a flying start off the blocks and left her rivals dead in the water as she surged clear to win in 23.99 seconds.
Shayna Jack (24.36) won the bronze medal, her first individual prize in international waters, while Meg Harris (24.32) split her teammates to win the silver and complete an Australian sweep of the podium, the third by the Dolphins in as many days.
McKeon is already Australia’s most decorated Olympian with 11 medals in total, including five golds, but the Commonwealth Games record means just as much if not more.
Her parents – Ron and Susie – met when they swam for Australia at the Commonwealth Games and she swam alongside her brother David at the Commonwealth Games when she first made the team.
Her family were unable to travel to Tokyo last year to see her amazing feats in person but were in the stands in Birmingham.
“To have my family here means a lot and I know it was just as tough on them as it was on me last year,” she said.
“I didn’t get back in the pool until the end of March, so I didn’t really know what to expect.
“The place I’m at mentally is showing in my performances now.
“I’m happy I’m relaxed. I’m enjoying it and I’m kind of taking the pressure off myself a little bit for this meet as well which I think is paying off.”“
McKeon pulled out of the Australian 4x200m freestyle relay that later broke the world record, sacrificing her chances to become the first aussie to win nine medals at a single Commonwealth Games.
The 28-year-old is still entered in eight events and has medalled in four and still has four to go.
If she wins three more medals, she will claim yet another record – the most medals by an Aussie at the Commonwealth Games, overhauling shooter Phillips Adams.
“I haven’t done the maths,” McKeon said. I’m not looking at medal tallies … I’m not setting out to break any of that. Just do my best and see what I’m capable of.”
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SHE’S DONE IT!
— Australian Swim Team (@DolphinsAUS) July 31, 2022
Emma McKeon becomes the all time greatest Comm Games athlete with a #GOLD in the Women’s 50m Free! Harris #SILVER, Jack #BRONZE!
🥇 E. McKeon (AUS) – 23.99
🥈 M. Harris (AUS) – 24.32
🥉 S. Jack (AUS) – 24.36
@CommGamesAUS | #BoldBraveBrilliant | #Birmingham2022
Originally published as Commonwealth Games 2022: Emma McKeon smashes Australia’s all-time medal record
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