Australia’s Emma McKeon wins Olympic gold in women’s 100m freestyle, bronze to Cate Campbell
Emma McKeon has won Australia’s ninth gold medal of the Tokyo Olympics, with victory in the women’s 100 meters freestyle final.
Leading from start to finish, McKeon touched the wall in an Olympic record time of 51.96 seconds, which was 0.31s ahead of Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey.
Australia’s Cate Campbell claimed bronze with a time of 52.52s.
The win secured McKeon’s first individual gold at an Olympics, and she became just the second person ever to swim under 52 seconds in the event.
“I’m so proud of you,” Campbell could be heard telling McKeon over the lane rope after the race.
McKeon spoke to Channel Seven after the win, thanking everyone back home for their support.
“Honestly, my emotions are a bit all over the place right now,” she said.
“I know all of my family back home are watching and I felt them with me in my race.
“I know all the support they’ve given me over all the years of me swimming. They’re part of it all.”
McKeon paid a special tribute to her coach.
“He’s just put so much hard work in and I honestly wouldn’t be here without him,” she said.
“I can’t believe it. Honestly. It doesn’t feel real.”
‘It’s been a really long journey’
A tearful Campbell reflected on her Olympic journey after claiming yet another medal.
“I think that coming into this morning’s performance, I really wanted to put forward my best performance,” she told Channel Seven.
“And that is pretty much a season’s best, and to do that in an Olympic final, off a very, very challenging year that I’ve had, I’m really happy.
“My emotions are going to start to get the better of me. But it’s been a really long journey to get here and I’m incredibly proud of that performance.
“These aren’t sad tears at all. I’m so thrilled and I just want to thank everyone who stood behind me and got me to this point. Because I couldn’t have done it without them.”
Kaylee McKeown and Emily Seebohm …
