Australia’s Emma McKeon has won the gold medal and compatriot Cate Campbell the bronze in the women’s 100-metres freestyle at the Tokyo Olympics.
McKeon’s triumph gives her a second gold of the Games – she and Campbell were part of Australia’s victorious 4x100m freestyle relay team.
McKeon, who has also won two bronze medals in Tokyo, is one medal shy of equalling the record of Ian Thorpe and Shane Gould for most medals by an Australia at a single Olympics, with five.
McKeon won Friday’s 100m final in 51.96 seconds followed by Siobhan Haughey (52.27) from Hong Kong and Campbell (52.52).
The 27-year-old led from start to finish: she was first off the blocks in a reaction time a tenth of a second quicker than any rival.
McKeon led at the halfway stage and maintained her dominance until the wall.
The Australian collects her fourth gold of the Games and is threatening the Australian record for most medals at a single Olympics.
McKeon, with a pair of bronzes in the 100m butterfly and 4x200m freestyle relay, is also favourite for the 50m freestyle – heats in that sprint are contested Friday night.
And McKeon is likely to feature when Australia contends for a 4x100m mixed medley medal, which could give her a record sixth medal of the Games.
Swim legends Gould and Thorpe hold the Australian record for the most medals at one Games with five each.
Thorpe won three gold and two silver in the Sydney 2000 Games while Gould collected three gold, one silver and a bronze at the 1972 Munich Olympics.
And should McKeon win six medals, her Olympic career total of nine will equal Thorpe’s record for most by an Australian.
AAP
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