Cameron McEvoy says men’s relay team want to replicate record breaking women’s success

HOMETOWN hero Cameron McEvoy says Australia’s men are looking to repeat the efforts of their female counterparts by snaring relay gold in record time on Friday night.

HOMETOWN hero Cameron McEvoy says Australia’s men are looking to repeat the efforts of their female counterparts by snaring relay gold in record time on Friday night.

While they’re unlikely to replicate the world record-breaking efforts of the all-Queensland Sunshine Squad, the men will be out to break a record of sub-par performances from the sprint relay, when Olympic champion Kyle Chalmers is joined by McEvoy, James Magnussen and Jack Cartwright tonight.

The quartet of McEvoy, Magnussen, Cartwright and James Roberts set a Games record of 3min 12.72sec in the heats as they battled for places alongside Chalmers in Friday night’s final.

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Cameron McEvoy wants the men’s relay to follow the success of the women.

“We’re pretty surprised with that Games record,” McEvoy said after the heats.

“But it’s great for us and great for the final.

“Tonight we want to step up and replicate what the girls did.”

While Australia won gold in Glasgow four years ago, they have struggled at times to meet expectation, especially in the Olympic arena.

But with young guns Chalmers and Cartwright coming through and Magnussen over the shoulder issues that have plagued him for years, there is great excitement they can put together a special performance tonight.

“I blew the cobwebs out, I’d love to go quicker tonight,” Magnussen said after a split of 47.87 in the heats.

Australia's men's 4x100m freestyle relay team set a Games record in their heat.

Cartwright recorded the fastest split of the quartet, going 47.74, while Roberts went 48.48 with a fly start and McEvoy 48.63 off the blocks.

Allowing for the longer reaction time for a block start, Roberts will likely be the man to make way for Chalmers tonight.

“It wasn’t quite as fast as I’d hoped for this morning … but I know the boys will get the job done tonight,” Roberts said.

Chalmers was rested due to swimming the 200m heats this morning, where he qualified fourth-fastest for tonight’s final, behind British trio, Scotland’s Duncan Scott, Englishman James Guy and Welshman Calum Jarvis.

Gold Coaster Alex Graham is also in the final, with Mack Horton also making the last eight after backing up from his gold medal-winning 400m swim on Thursday night.

Meanwhile, Emily Seebohm and Canadian Kylie Masse have set the scene for a tough battle in the 100m backstroke after both set Games records in the heats.

Australia’s women's 4 x 100m freestyle relay team won gold in world record time.

Former world champion Seebohm laid down the challenge to current world champ and world record-holder Masse when she won her heat in 58.91 to set a new Games record.

But she held it only until her rival touched the wall in the following heat, with Masse winning in 58.70 to qualify fastest for tonight’s semi-finals.

“I didn’t really expect that it would stay long with Kylie right behind me,” Seebohm said.

“I was just trying my best to give me the best shot for tonight.

“She’s the world record-holder so I feel like she’s got a lot to play with there and it’ll definitely be a battle to get a medal.

The relay final will race on Friday night.

“She’s the best in the world so if I can try and get there and just improve on my swims and focus on what I need to do then I might be in with a great shot.”

Kaylee McKeown and Hayley Baker also qualified for the semi-finals.

In other events, Cate Campbell, Shayna Jack and Bronte Campbell were in action after their world record relay on Thursday night, with the trio making the semi-finals of the 50m freestyle as the fastest qualifiers.

Jake Packard was impressive in finishing fourth-fastest ahead of the men’s 100m breaststroke semi-finals.

Ellie Cole is through to the final of the S9 100m backstroke, Clyde Lewis qualified fastest for the 400m medley and Timothy Disken holds the top ranking heading into tonight’s S9 100m freestyle final.

Originally published as Cameron McEvoy says men’s relay team want to replicate record breaking women’s success