Gold standard: Emma becomes our top medal winner with two more gold
Emma McKeon has become the most successful female Olympic athlete at a single Games as Australia’s swimmers put triumphant final touches on a record-breaking campaign.
Australia’s 4x100m Medley Relay team of Kaylee McKeown, Chelsea Hodges, Emma McKeon and Cate Campbell celebrate their Gold medal win at the Tokyo Aquatics Centre . (AAP Image/Adam Davy)
McKeon on Sunday won gold in the 50-metres freestyle and 4x100m medley relay with Kaylee McKeown, Chelsea Hodges and Cate Campbell.
The 27-year-old ends the Tokyo Games with seven medals – no woman, in any sport, at any Olympics, had previously won more than six.
And McKeon’s career total of 11 Olympic medals is more than any other Australian, eclipsing the nine of Ian Thorpe and Leisel Jones.
Australian swimmers captured nine golds in Tokyo, bettering the nation’s previous record of eight at the 1956 Melbourne Games.
And with three silvers and eight bronze, the Tokyo haul of 20 swimming medals equals the nation’s benchmark from the 2008 Beijing Games.
McKeon departs Tokyo with four gold medals – the first Australian to win four at a single Games.
She also won three bronze, adding to her collection from the 2016 Rio Olympics of one gold, two silvers and a bronze.
Backstroker Kaylee McKeown finishes with three gold medals after helping McKeon, Hodges and Campbell to a dramatic victory in Sunday’s medley final.
After trailing the United States for the initial three laps, Campbell’s stunning last freestyle leg delivered victory.
Campbell collected two gold and a bronze in Tokyo – she has won a medal at four consecutive Olympics, as has fellow swim stalwart Emily Seebohm.
And Ariarne Titmus also won two gold, plus a silver and bronze, in memorable freestyle duels with American great Katie Ledecky.
