Emma McKeon set for 4x200m relay after emotional journey
IN three days Emma McKeon has been ecstatic, devastated and just plain relieved. Now she needs to put that emotion behind her as she prepares for her fourth swimming event.
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EMMA McKeon always believed she could do the impossible. And it was her biggest hurdle.
In order for McKeon to finally fulfil her enormous potential she had to pretend she had nothing to lose. Clear her head of every thought that she could win the race, remove the pressure of her own expectation and just bloody well swim hard. To hell with what comes next, just go out there and leave nothing in the tank.
Up against two of the world’s greatest swimmers of the current day — US superwoman Katie Ledecky and Swedish star Sarah Sjostrom — McKeon had no fear.
She started the 200m freestyle final from the obscurity of lane seven like a rocket.
Strong and composed, she led at the 100m mark and suddenly this $151 outsider looked on the verge of a great Olympic ambush.
But Ledecky (1:53.73) and Sjostrom (1:54.08) are something else, each powered home late to take the gold and silver medals respectively while McKeon (1:54.92) battled courageously for a deserved bronze medal.
She became the first Australian swimmer this meet to win multiple medals, adding the bronze to her gold medal in the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay on day one.
It was fitting reward for a 20-year-old who had expected so much of herself and not left anything to chance in her last individual race.
McKeon had shed tears of disappointment when as second fastest qualifier for the 100m butterfly final she placed seventh. But 48 hours later it was tears of relief and joy that she had won an Olympic bronze medal.
“I can’t really put into words, I’m just happy and so relieved,” McKeon said.
“I’m relieved it’s over because I did put a lot of pressure on myself in the 200m freestyle because I feel like that is where my potential is but yeah I just feel so happy I got a bronze medal.
“It’s not so much physical (for me), it was more mental and turning it around (after the 100m butterfly) and leaving it behind and moving on to the 200m freestyle and I did have a chance in that as well.
“Before my 200m free started I was thinking too much about the medals and that might have taken a bit off my preparation for the semi-finals.
“Being in lane seven for the final definitely helped me keep my mind away from medals and focused on what I could do to perform to the best of my ability.”
McKeon now looks to her fourth event, today’s 4x200m freestyle relay where she firmly believes the Australian team can challenge for the gold medal.
With training partner Bronte Barratt (1:55.25) buoyed by her first personal best time in five years in the 200m freestyle final to place fifth, Australia has two strong leaders in the team and an opportunity to threaten USA and Ledecky.
“I was crying my eyes out, that is the first time I’ve done a PB since 2011,” Barratt said.
“It’s been five years and I’m just so happy I could do it tonight in an Olympic final and next to my teammate Emma. And I’m so happy for her getting bronze.
“USA are obviously the (relay) favourites, but not all their guns are firing.”
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Originally published as Emma McKeon set for 4x200m relay after emotional journey
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