With swimming legend Dawn Fraser watching proudly from the stands at La Defense Arena, Ariarne Titmus became just the second Australian swimmer to defend her Olympic crown.
Titmus was too strong for American foe Katie Ledecky and Canada’s rising star Summer McIntosh with the 23-year-old getting the jump on them early and stopping the clock at 3:57.49 to win by nearly a second from McIntosh with Ledecky taking the bronze.
The Dolphins harvested two gold and two silver medals from Saturday night’s four finals, helping Australia to top spot on the overall medals table after day one in Paris.
Titmus is unbeaten at the distance over the past six years and she was not the only Aussie snaring gold on the opening day of the swim meet with the women’s 4x100m freestyle quartet making it four on the trot
“I can’t really believe that’s me,” Titmus said of joining Fraser.
“I hope nobody looks at me any differently. I’m just the same old goofy Tassie (Tasmanian) girl out here living out her dream.
“I hope it goes to show, anyone can do what they want to do if they work hard and believe in themselves. And here I am, from little old Launie (Launceston), a town of 90,000, and I’m out here living the dream, so I hope that inspired kids back home.”
The 23-year-old conceded she felt the pressure leading up to a final that had been hyped up as “the race of the century”.
“I know what it feels like to be an Olympic champion. It’s another thing trying to come in and defend your title, it’s a big monkey on your back and I felt that a bit this week,” Titmus said.
“I get to be back-to-back Olympic champion and that’s pretty cool.
“I’m just happy to get the result for myself, and I’m so honoured to be part of the race and be alongside legends like Katie. I look up to her so much as an athlete, and it is certainly not a rivalry beyond the races.
“I really respect her as a person. Her longevity in the sport.
“It’s fun racing the best in the world. It gets the best out of me; it gets the best out of them. I really hope all the hype lived up to the expectation. I really hope that I put on a good show tonight and everyone enjoyed it.”
The victory of Australian swimming’s unbeatables, the women’s freestyle relayers, is the country’s fourth straight Olympic gold in the event.
In the final, Emma McKeon, Jack, Mollie O’Callaghan and Meg Harris set an Olympic record of three minutes 28.92 seconds to win by a whopping 1.28 seconds from the United States.
McKeon, already Australia’s most successful Olympian, added a sixth gold to her glittering career collection.
“I can’t believe where I’m at right now,” she said.
McKeon passed none other than swimming icon Ian Thorpe in winning her sixth gold as the Australian with the most Olympic gold medals in their career.
“Couldn’t happen to a better person, really,” he said.
“She is the most successful swimmer, the most successful Olympian, in our country.
“She should be celebrated for the person that she is, what she’s been able to deliver for the sport.”
Jack’s recovery from a two-year doping ban which cost her any chance of racing at the Tokyo Games of 2021, is now complete.
“Making the Olympic team was my first step and that was one of the most exciting moments,” Jack said.
Ariarne Titmus celebrates after winning gold. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)
“I didn’t know where that was going to take me. This is definitely a great start.”
And Bronte Campbell, at her fourth Olympics, pockets a gold for her relay heat swim.
In the men’s equivalent, Kyle Chalmers enhanced his status as Australia’s greatest male relayer with a trademark late surge.
Chalmers dived in with Australia in fourth but steamed to silver – his 100m split of 46.59 seconds was the fastest of any swimmer in the race.
And Chalmers’ teammate Elijah Winnington thanked God for his silver medal in the men’s 400m freestyle.
Three years ago at the Tokyo Games, Winnington entered as hot favourite but cold-crashed to seventh.
“For a couple of months there, I didn’t think I was going to swim again,” he said of his crushing post-Tokyo disappointment.
Winnington’s compatriot in Paris and pre-race fancy Sam Short finished fourth.
with AAP