Arise Queen Emma McKeon, our greatest Olympian
If Emma McKeon were a country, she would be 13th on the Tokyo Games medal tally, just behind the Czech Republic but ahead of Canada.
If Emma McKeon were a country, she would be 13th on the Tokyo Games medal tally, just behind the Czech Republic but ahead of Canada.
McKeon finished her sensational swimming program at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre as Australia’s most decorated Olympian.
Her four golds at the pool, topped off by exclamation-mark wins in the 50m freestyle and 4x100m medley relay, left her with the most career medals by an Australian Olympian – 11. The most gold at a single Games by an Australian: four. The most overall medals at a Games by an Australian: seven. The most mosts, most likely. What’s more, she’s helped Australia’s Olympians rediscover their grandeur. Medals are falling from the sky in Tokyo.
Sunday was the most successful day in Australia’s 125-year Olympic history, pushing the nation to fourth on the medal tally. Four golds – two in the pool, one at the sailing by Matt Wearn and one in the brand-new Olympic sport of freestyle BMX by Logan Martin
All up, we have 14 gold medals for the Games, bringing into view the record haul of 17 from Athens in 2004.
The disappointments of Rio and London have been forgotten.
McKeon, one of our most unassuming Olympians as well as our most successful, did it all while flying under the radar. Quiet achievers don’t come much quieter than this one.
“It’s very surreal,” she said. “I think the whole week, I’ve been kind of keeping my emotions just at a certain level because I knew I had so much more racing to do.
“But, yeah, it’s very surreal to be in that kind of company. I don’t usually say things like this but coming here, I wanted to win. I came here for gold. That’s what me and my coach, Michael Bohl, worked on. To finish now and I’ve got, what, four of them? I can’t believe it.
“It does mean a lot to me. It’s overwhelming … it’s pretty special, it’s pretty cool. I grew up watching swimming and watching amazing athletes do amazing things in Australia. I grew up wanting to do a similar thing.”
Australia won its ninth swimming gold when McKeon produced a blistering butterfly leg and freestyler Cate Campbell brought home the women’s 4x100m medley relay by a fingernail over the US. It confirmed Tokyo as Australia’s most successful swimming campaign, eclipsing the eight golds won in Melbourne in 1956. McKeon had won two gold medals in a single session … swimming two different strokes.
“I look at the athletes who have come before me and been so impressed with what they have done and been inspired by what they have done,” she said.
“I’ve never really looked at the stats of medal counts. It’s an honour because I know I’ve worked so hard for it. I never thought I’d win two gold medals in one session.
“It really is very surreal. It went by very quickly. I’m just very happy with how the meet went.”
Martin landed every trick in the book to claim the men’s freestyle BMX title at Ariake Urban Sports Park.
“I have no words. It’s still sinking in,” he said. “I came out here to be the gold medal. I came into the final with all the pressure in the world on me and I overcome that. I’m stoked to bring home a gold medal to Australia.
“I’ve honestly been overwhelmed the last few days with all the support. I guess the Olympic spirit has shown here.”
Holding an unassailable lead in the men’s laser sailing at Enoshima Yacht Harbour, Wearn only needed to turn up and have a clean run to take the gold that would make it Australia’s most successful Olympic day. He obliged. “It‘s pretty phenomenal to be part of that,” he said before adding a sentence that summed up the Tokyo Games: “Australia is doing incredibly well.”
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