Tokyo: Emma McKeon claimed her historic seventh swimming medal at the Tokyo Olympics on Sunday with Australia’s victory in the women’s 4×100 medley relay.
The 27-year-old from Brisbane becomes the first female swimmer to win seven medals at a single Games. The only men to do it are Michael Phelps, Mark Spitz and Matt Biondi. She is now only the second woman in history to win seven medals in a single Olympics, behind Soviet gymnast Maria Gorokhovskaya who achieved the feat in 1952.
McKeon’s victory also delivers Australian swimmers an eighth gold medal in Tokyo, equalling the nation’s best haul at an Olympic pool from the 1956 Melbourne Games.
The 27-year-old from Wollongong won Sunday’s final in 23.81 seconds from Sweden’s Sarah Sjoestroem (24.07) and Demark’s Pernille Blume (24.21).
Australia’s Cate Campbell clocked 24.36 in the medal race.
McKeon’s career haul – four gold, two silver and four bronze – eclipses swim greats Thorpe (five gold, three silver, one bronze) and Leisel Jones (three gold, five silver, one bronze) with nine Olympic medals each.
McKeon has won six medals at a triumphant Tokyo Games, becoming just the fourth female swimmer to complete the 50-100m freestyle golden double at an Olympics.
McKeon was also part of Australia’s victorious 4x100m freestyle relay and took bronze medals in the 100m butterfly, 4x200m freestyle relay and 4x100m mixed medley relay.
