Australia’s Emma McKeon has become the first female swimmer to win seven medals at a single Olympics as she won two more gold medals at the Tokyo Games on Sunday.
The 27-year-old smashed the Olympic record to win the 50-meter freestyle in 23.81 seconds, clinching the Tokyo sprint double after her victory in the 100.
A mere 30 minutes later she was back in action as part of Australia’s 4×100 medley relay team. McKeon powered a strong butterfly leg before anchor Cate Campbell raced home for the gold medal.
McKeon joins Michael Phelps, Mark Spitz and Matt Biondi as the only swimmers with seven medals at a Games. Phelps had won a record eight in Athens and Beijing.
Russian gymnast Maria Gorokhovskaya is the only woman to have won seven in any other sport. The feat was accomplished way back in 1952.
“That’s also very surreal,” said McKeon, whose father and brother were both Olympic swimmers.
“It still feels pretty surreal. I never thought I would win two golds in one session … I’m very proud of myself,” McKeon said on television.
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 thing and so I was literally the same kid as these children are.”
“Growing up in sport, it is a pretty cool thing to be a part of. If you work hard and enjoy what you are doing and go after your dreams anything is possible,” she added..
