Mack Horton, 4x100m women’s freestyle team get Australia off to golden start

THE Australian swim team put the past behind them and began focusing on a brilliant future after a golden day at the pool kickstarted their Olympic campaign.

WE’RE back, baby.

The Australian swim team put the past very much behind them and began focusing on a brilliant future after a golden day at the pool kickstarted their Olympic campaign in stunning style.

The two-gold medal haul to 400m freestyle swimmer Mack Horton and the women’s 4x100m relay team, in world record time, is the best start to an Olympic meet since Ian Thorpe and the women’s relay scored the same result, back in 2004.

The difference then, of course, was that Australia’s record-breaking 15 medal performance in Athens came on the back of the success of Sydney 2000.

Australia's Mack Horton celebrates winning the 400m freestyle. Picture: Phil Hillyard

This current team arrived in Rio virtually starting from scratch, with the debacle in London a stigma they were forced to bear for the past four years.

Horton, and the fastest 4x100m women’s combination of all time led by the rocket-powered Campbell sisters Cate and Bronte, might not have erased London from the record books, but they have gone a long way to erasing it from the memory banks.

With seven sessions of finals still to come Horton was excited as any other Aussie fan at the prospect of what is to come.

“Without putting too much pressure on it and saying it’s going to be an amazing golden era I think this swim team is in a very good place and to have already doubled the medal tally from London is awesome,” he said.

Australia's Cate Campbell, Bronte Campbell, Brittany Elmslie, Emma McKeon celebrate after winning gold. Picture: Phil Hillyard

“It’s the first night of racing and we still have seven nights to go but I think the youth of this swim team brings a lot of potential and that is why we’re in such a good place.”

It also helps that Horton got the team off to the perfect start when he talked the talk — describing 400m defending champion Sun Yang as a drug cheat — and walked the walk, beating the Chinese swimmer in a fierce battle that went right to the wall.

Immediately after his race he was hoping the shiny new gold medal around his neck would set the tone for the rest of the week.

“Hopefully it does set the scene,” he said.

“I know we’ve got a lot to give and we’re in one of the best places we’ve been in years so yeah, hopefully this race can help set up the swim team. I’m really looking forward to what everyone can give.”

Aussie swimmers cheer Mack Horton to victory in the 400m final. Picture: Phil Hillyard

As are all Australian supporters after the taste of what is to come that they were given on day one. It is worth noting that the last time the swim team got off to such a good start, women’s relay anchor Jodie Henry won the 100 freestyle as well — the last time an Australian, male or female, has won the blue riband event.

The performance of Cate Campbell in bringing home the relay team on Sunday morning brings high hopes that history may repeat itself, and with the men’s 4x100m relay team hitting the water Monday (AEST) the prospect of seeing Cam McEvoy and James Magnussen in action is enticing to say the least.

Australian coach Jacco Verhaeren was so excited watching his charges swim their way to gold that he lost his voice cheering them on. Even so, he made himself heard as he pleaded for caution, for fear of raising expectations too high for the team to meet.

“It’s a dream start but it’s only the start,” he said.

Aussies star in the pool on Day 1

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“For us tomorrow is day one again. We’’re happy but we’re trying not to take all the emotion with us tomorrow. New people are swimming, new challenges have to be met.

“Still, we can’t be more happy than we are today. I’ve told the coaches its only day one. It’s a great start, it’s a dream start and let’s hope we can carry this forward.”

Originally published as Mack Horton, 4x100m women’s freestyle team get Australia off to golden start