Commonwealth Games 2022: Emma McKeon chasing an unprecedented nine medals
Already the most prolific female medallist at a single Olympics, Emma McKeon is chasing what would be a record for any swimmer at any major international meet. Can she pull it off?
She is already Australia’s greatest ever Olympian but Emma McKeon is poised to break one of swimming’s untouchable milestones.
The serial record breaker is chasing an unprecedented nine medals at one event.
That’s Michael Phelps territory.
Already the most prolific female medallist at a single Olympics after winning seven medals at last year’s Tokyo Olympics, the unstoppable McKeon is chasing what would be a record for any swimmer at any major international meet - including the Olympics, world championships, Commonwealth Games, Pan Pacific championships or continental meets like the European championships and Asian Championships.
The current record is eight - which the mighty American Phelps set at the 2008 Beijing Olympics - but McKeon is aiming to eclipse his mark.
And on past performances, there’s little stopping her achieving what she sets out to do because she’s used to scooping the pool.
As well as the seven medals she won in Japan 12 months ago, McKeon also won six medals at each of the last world championship and each of the past two Commonwealth Games.
Barring a major mishap, she will obliterate all the records as Australia’s greatest swimmer but to be the best of the best she has to go into uncharted waters.
So this time she has entered four individual events: 50m freestyle, 100m freestyle, 50m butterfly and 100m butterfly, plus she’s a shoo-in to be picked in five relays: 4x100m freestyle, 4x200m freestyle, 4x100m medley, 4x100m mixed freestyle, 4x100m mixed medley.
Unless the Aussies get disqualified, they almost always win a medal - usually gold - in every swimming relay, and with swimmers able to compete in up to five relays with the addition of two mixed races, massive totals suddenly seem reachable.
But it still takes a lot of stamina, speed and nerves and McKeon has the lot, which she credits to her master coach Michael Bohl, who she said prepares her physically and mentally for the extra challenges of swimming nine finals in six days.
“I don‘t like to put limits on things,” McKeon told News Corp.
“Bohly definitely works us very hard so I think that‘s a huge reason that I can back up race after race each year.
“The other side is the motivation inside me, he keeps the environment fresh all the time. He‘s an awesome coach to work with.
“He keeps everyone relaxed and he keeps everything in perspective as well and I think that‘s been the key with where I’ve gotten to every day in training.”
McKeon isn’t the only Aussie chasing a stockpile of medals in the English Midlands.
Teenage sensation Mollie O’Callaghan could be taking home up to eight medals at her Commonwealth Games debut. Just 18, she’s a star on the rise and has already been chalking up impressive medal tallies.
Watch her closely because she could be the next Emma McKeon and is already off to a great start.
At last year’s Tokyo Olympics, O’Callaghan was still in high school and only swam in the relay heats but still made a massive impression, winning two golds and a bronze.
Fast forward to 2022 she was the single best performer of anyone at last month’s world championships, scooping up six medals - three gold and three silver - and winning the individual 100m title, joining some of the greatest names in the sport .
McKeon’s return means O’Callaghan might have her work cut out winning the 100m in Birmingham but she’ll give the Queen of the pool a mighty scare when they oppose each other - and a mighty sense of relief when they join forces.
They are almost certain to team up on the first night of finals - in the mixed freestyle relay - where the Aussies will be an unbackable odds to win and will be reappearing together a lot.
Despite dropping out of the 400m individual medley, triple Olympic champion Kaylee McKeown is on target for six medals as she chases the career grand slam of swimming - having already won Olympic and world titles and set world records.
She just won five medals in Budapest after dropping her favourite event - 100m backstroke - to test herself in the 200m individual, where she won silver, but she’s got her full program back this time,
Just how many medals speedster Kyle Chalmers will win in Birmingham is a mystery that could have a twist because he’s entered two butterfly races - against McKeon’s pop star boyfriend Cody Simpson.
One of the best freestyle sprinters in the world, Chalmers is on track to win five medals in his favourite stroke - including the relays where he never lets Australia down - but his butterfly is unknown.
If he repeats his performances at the Australian trials he should be right in the mix but his times fell back at the world championships as he turned his attention back to freestyle so it remains to be seen what he will do.
Ariarne Titmus has entered four events - and could well win golds in all of them because she’s just so strong in the middle distance races.
She’s already the Olympic champion in 200m and 400m freestyle and broke the world record just two months ago so seems unbeatable in those events.
Without Katie Ledecky to test her, ‘Arnie’ also looks to have the 800m at her mercy while the Austtralians should clean up in the 4x200m relay with Titmus joining forces with McKeon, O’Callaghan and Madi Wilson.
Back in the sport after serving a two-year ban, Shayna Jack could also win up to four medals after qualifying for the individual 50m and 100m freestyle as well as at least two relays.
Breaststrokers Zac-Stubblety-Cook and Jenna Strauch also have a shot at four medals with the addition of the mixed medley.
Strauch, one of the biggest improvers in the Dolphins team, is likely to swim the heats and Stubblety-Cook the final to counter the advantage Adam Peaty gives England.
There are a stack of other swimmers who will come away with one, two or three medals, including newly minted 400m world champion Elijah Winnington who is also in the 200m and 4x200m.
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