Emma McKeon claims gold in Women's 100m freestyle, Cate Campbell takes bronze

Lachlan McKirdy

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Emma McKeon claims gold in Women's 100m freestyle, Cate Campbell takes bronze image

Emma McKeon has won her first individual Olympic gold medal after taking out the Women's 100m freestyle while Australian flag bearer Cate Campbell finished in third to claim the bronze medal.

It's the first time Australia has had two medallists in the Women's 100m freestyle since Melbourne 1956.

The medal has been a long time coming for McKeon who was already one of Australia's most decorated athletes coming into the race with seven Olympic medals. 

But Friday's gold takes her into esteemed company with eight Olympic medals alongside Dawn Fraser, Petria Thomas and Susie O'Neill. 

McKeon qualified fastest for the Women's 100m freestyle final and got off to a great start in her opening lap. 

She hit the wall at the 50m mark ahead of the pack in a time of 25.08. Campbell was just behind in third in a time of 25.19. 

While anything could've happened in the final 50 metres, McKeon never looked flustered as she maintained her lead on the turn home. 

She remained ahead of her closest rival, Hong Kong's Siobhan Haughey, who pushed McKeon all the way to the end. 

The 27-year-old Australian eventually hit the wall first in a new Olympic Record time of 51.96. 

Haughey finished in second in 52.27 while Campbell forced her way back onto the podium in third with a time of 52.52. 


Speaking after the race, McKeon was ecstatic with the result as she finally claimed that elusive, individual gold medal. 

"I can't believe it, it doesn't feel real," she told Channel 7.

"I feel like this week has been a bit of an emotional rollercoaster just getting up for your race and then trying to relax again. 

"My emotions are a bit all over the place right now and I know all my family are back home watching. I felt them with me in my race.

"My coach, Bohly (Michael Bohl), he put so much hard work in and I would be here without him."


One of the more beautiful moments after the race was Campbell immediately turning to McKeon to say "I'm proud of you". 

For four-time Olympian Cate Campbell, she was overcome with emotion after securing her 7th Olympic medal.

"This is my fourth Olympics but this is only my second individual medal, it honestly means the world to me," Campbell told Channel 7. 

"I'm so proud of Emma, seeing her get up and I'm so glad that there's going to be an Australian National Anthem echoing through this stadium and that I get to be on the podium and share that moment. 

"I think that coming into this morning's performance, I really wanted to put forward my best performance. 

"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 has stood behind me and got me to this point because I couldn't have done it without them."


 

 

Lachlan McKirdy

Lachlan McKirdy Photo