Shayna Jack in tears as Emma McKeon denied chance to defend Olympic crown

Emma McKeon won’t defend her Olympic title in Paris after an all-time classic 100m freestyle race completed Shayna Jack’s redemption story.

Emma McKeon won’t get the chance to defend her Olympic 100m freestyle title after she was upstaged by the next generation of female sprinters at the Australian swimming trials.

Mollie O’Callaghan won in 52.33sec and Shayna Jack was second in 52.72 — booking her first ever individual Olympics swim after she considered quitting swimming following her 24-month ban for a doping violation.

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Jack told Channel 9: “I definitely got that fire in my belly after watching the girls do an amazing job at Tokyo 2021. Now it’s my turn.”

Remarkably seven of the eight swimmers in Friday’s final were under the qualifying time, but only the top two can swim the event individually in Paris.

Meg Harris (52.97), Bronte Campbell (53.10), Olivia Wunsch (53.17) and Emma McKeon (53.33) rounded out the top six that will be part of the 4x100m freestyle relay team.

All six are taken because the four who aren’t swimming individually will race the heats, allowing O’Callaghan and Jack to focus on their 100m campaign.

But McKeon, who won gold in Tokyo in 51.96, won’t be able to defend her Olympic crown as the next generation of female freestyle sprinters emerges from Australia’s never ending conveyor belt of talent.

McKeon is Australia’s most decorated Olympian with 11 medals and was a key member of Australia’s 4x100m relay team that won gold in Rio and Tokyo.

Watch the women’s 100m freestyle in the video above

The women’s 100m freestyle was seriously close.

The 30-year-old has qualified in the 100m butterfly and will swim the 50m freestyle on Saturday.

“I mean I always wanted to be part of the 100m free in Paris,” McKeon told reporters.

“I definitely thought I was capable but my body and shoulders probably haven’t held up as well as I would have wanted to in the prep.

“I definitely want to be part of that relay. Obviously disappointed, you look at the depth and it’s amazing.”

Jack was in tears on pool deck, breaking down and embracing coach Dean Boxall after speaking to media in the mixed zone.

The 25-year-old’s suspension ruled her out of contention for Tokyo, but she returned to the Australian team at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and has won individual medals at the past two world championships.

“I’ve said to myself I have nothing to prove,” Jack told reporters.

“I’ve always thought of this moment. Touching that wall before I turned around I took a moment before turning around to say to myself, ‘I’ve done everything. I exhausted all efforts in that 100’.

“It’s one of those things every little girl dreams of and I’ve always dreamt of representing my country at the Olympics, especially in the individual events.

“As much as it’s always a privilege to race in those relays, I love to be that relay golden girl, but I really do want to represent my country in the 100m freestyle and now I get to.

“It’s about using motivation from everybody who ever doubted me. Knowing I reached points of absolute despair and not knowing whether I even wanted to return to the sport.

“It’s just happiness. I’m just so proud of myself and I couldn’t have done it without so many people. It’s just pride for myself and pride that I get to prove to everybody that I deserve to be here and this is what I was born for.”

Shayna Jack broke down after achieving a lifelong dream. Photos: Channel 9.

In another signal of the changing of the guard, Cate Campbell won’t be part of the 4x100m freestyle relay after being a key part of the all conquering team that has won gold in London, Rio, Tokyo and shattered the world record again and again.

Campbell missed the final by one hundredth of a second, leaving her quest for a record fifth Olympics down to the 50m freestyle.

O’Callaghan was upset after losing her 200m freestyle record to Ariarne Titmus earlier in the week, but composed herself to qualify for a third individual event.

Bronte Campbell will join sister Cate, Emily Seebohm, Leisel Jones and Cam McEvoy as the only Australian swimmers to compete at four Olympic Games.

In other events, Zac Stubblety-Cook will defend his Olympic 200m breaststroke title in Paris after winning his pet event in 2.07.40 — a second and a half outside his personal best.

Joshua Yong kept Zac Stubblety-Cook company in the 200m breaststroke. Photo by DAVID GRAY / AFP.

He was pushed all the way by Joshua Yong, who touched in 2:08.08 and will swim both the 100m and 200m in his Olympics debut after emerging as one of the breakout stars of the trials.

Another first time Olympian will be 19-year-old Ella Ramsay, who touched in 2:22.87 to upset veteran Jenna Strauch’s 2:24.04.

Ramsay has seriously impressed this week, finishing second in the 100m breaststroke and qualified in the 200m individual medley behind Kaylee McKeown. She also swims the 400m medley on Saturday.

Bradley Woodward won the 200m backstroke in 1:56.22 to book his ticket to his first Olympics, while Se-Bom Lee came from the clouds to finish second in 1:57.02 — eight hundredths ahead of Josh Edwards-Smith.