Swimming: Emma McKeon first female swimmer to win seven medals at a single Olympics

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.

Emma Mckeon, of Australia, poses after winning the gold medal in the women's 50-meter freestyle final at the 2020 Summer Olympics.

Emma McKeon claimed her historic seventh swimming medal at the Tokyo Olympics on Sunday with Australia’s victory in the women’s 4x100 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.

Capping a brilliant performance by the entire Aussie women’s team, McKeon followed her victory in the 50-freestyle earlier in the session to take the butterfly leg on the relay. Cate Campbell closed strong on the freestyle, touching in an Olympic record of 3 minutes, 51.60 seconds to edge the two-time defending champion America.

 

Kaylee McKeown and Chelsea Hodges started things off for the winning Australian team.

Abbey Weitzeil touched in 3:51.73 to give the United States silver. She anchored a team that also included teenagers Regan Smith, Lydia Jacoby and Torri Huske.

The bronze went to Canada in 3:52.60.

"It still feels pretty surreal. I never thought I would win two golds in one session ... I’m very proud of myself," McKeon said.

Soaking up the outpouring of support from her team in Australia and fans back home, McKeon said she "grew up watching the swimming and watching amazing athletes do amazing things in Australia.

"I grew up wanting to do a similar same thing and so I was literally the same kid as these children are."

Earlier, McKeon won her third Tokyo gold when she dipped below the magic 24-second mark to win the women's 50m freestyle title.

The 27-year-old hit the wall in a new Olympic-record time of 23.81 ahead of Swedish world record-holder Sarah Sjostrom (24.07) and Denmark's defending champion Pernille Blume (24.21).

McKeon also lowered the Olympic record in both the heats and semifinals, and there was no stopping her as she added the one-lap sprint to her 100m title.

She also won gold in the 4x100m relay while taking bronze in the 100m butterfly, 4x200m relay and 4x100m mixed medley relay for a hugely successful Olympics.