Mollie O’Callaghan beats Emma McKeon in thrilling 100m freestyle at Aussie swim trials

Mollie O’Callaghan is proving she’s Australia’s next swimming sensation, beating our greatest ever Olympian at the world champs trials.

Mollie O'Callaghan and Emma McKeon.

Mollie O’Callaghan has won a blistering 100m freestyle final at the Australian swimming trials to book her spot in the event for next month’s world championships.

O’Callaghan caused a boilover earlier in the week when she powered past Olympic champion Ariarne Titmus to win the 200m freestyle in the fastest time in the world this year.

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And the 19-year-old repeated her heroics in the 100m, edging out Olympic gold medallist Emma McKeon to take the win.

McKeon led at the 50m turn but in what’s become her trademark style, O’Callaghan put on the afterburners to storm back and just touch the wall first.

It was a seriously high-class race. O’Callaghan finished first in a time of 52.48, just 0.04 ahead of McKeon and Shayna Jack was close behind in a slick time of 52.64.

There was some confusion when the scoreboard had McKeon second and O’Callaghan and Jack tied third, but Mollie O was eventually declared the winner.

Mollie O is the real deal. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

Mollie O'Callaghan beat Emma McKeon by a fingernail. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

“The depth here is just incredible and no matter what, it’s so close,” O’Callaghan told Nine.

“I really wanted to win obviously but just went into this trying to make top two and the relay.”

She won the 100m freestyle at both the world championships and Commonwealth Games last year.

Only the top two qualify for the world championships in Fukuoka, Japan — so unfortunately Jack missed out on an individual swim in the 100m.

But she will still play a key role along with Meg Harris and Madi Wilson in the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay.

Australia has won that event at every world championships since 2013 and with unrivalled freestyle depth in the women’s ranks, that streak is set to continue.

Mollie O snatches that Women’s 100 Free title by 4 one hundredths.

🥇 Mollie O’Callaghan 52.48
🥈 Emma McKeon 52.52
🥉 Shayna Jack 52.64
4th Meg Harris 53.09
5th Madi Wilson 53.42
6th Arnie Titmus 54.26pic.twitter.com/rL45U87vuS

— SWIMNERD (@SwimNerds) June 17, 2023

in 99.9% of the globe a 52.6 would have handily been worth the national title miles ahead the rest of the field let alone the individual spot for worlds or olympics

this doesn't apply to australia https://t.co/esxPX98m2g

— pauldeb89 (@pauldeb891) June 17, 2023

What a race.
1) O'Callaghan (52.48s)
2) McKeon (52.52)
3) Jack (52.64) https://t.co/atgPGUbKAT

— Tom Decent (@tomdecent) June 17, 2023

It’s remarkable to think Australia’s 4x100m freestyle relay is virtually unbeatable, even without Cate and Bronte Campbell, who are targeting next year’s Paris Olympics.

In other events on Saturday, Zac Stubblety-Cook booked his ticket to the world championships but was well outside his best in the 200m breastroke in a time of 2:07.86.

Rising distance freestyle star Sam Short set a new personal best in the 1500m (14:46.67) to add to his 400m and 800m victories earlier this week.