Ariarne Titmus is thrilled with another silver lining in Paris after pushing American Katie Ledecky further into Olympic legend.
Ledecky held off a brave challenge from Australian ace Titmus to win the women’s 800m freestyle for a remarkable fourth-consecutive Olympics.
Kaylee McKeown collected two bronze medals on Saturday night in Paris, in the women’s 200m individual medley and as part of Australia’s mixed 4x100m medley.
Titmus shadowed Ledecky for the majority of their highly-anticipated showdown.
But the American finished with a trademark flourish to salute in eight minutes 11.04 seconds – a dozen years to the day after she first won the event at the 2012 Olympics.
Ledecky is now an eight-time Olympic gold medallist while Titmus finished in 8:12.29, a personal best, to end her Paris Games with two gold medals and two silvers.
“This is the toughest week of racing you can possibly do,” Titmus said.
“I gave it everything. I said to myself I wouldn’t sleep at night if I felt like I left anything out there.
“I’m so proud of my efforts. I took it to her, I challenged her and I made it a great race and I gave it everything.
“She just had an extra bit in the legs at the end but she’s an absolute champion.
“I know how hard it is to defend a title. It’s so much harder to win a second time and to be on top for over 12 years is unbelievable.”
Titmus won gold in the 400m freestyle, was part of Australia’s triumphant 4x200m freestyle relay team, and also placed second behind teammate Mollie O’Callaghan in the 200m freestyle.
McKeown added to her medal collection with bronze in a dramatic 200m medley raced without Australia’s Ella Ramsay, who was a late withdrawal after testing positive to COVID.
The Queenslander touched the wall in fourth place but was elevated to the podium when American Alex Walsh, provisionally third, was disqualified for incorrectly completing the backstroke leg.
McKeown’s bronze follows her golden double delight in the 100m and 200m backstroke.
Canada’s Summer McIntosh won the medley and her third gold medal in Paris.
Australia’s McKeown then backed up to the help the Dolphins’ 4x100m mixed relay team pocket a bronze medal.
McKeown, Josh Yong, Matt Temple and O’Callaghan finished in the wake of the United States, who set a world record, and silver medallists China.
Mollie O’Callaghan celebrate their medley bronze medal. Image by Dave Hunt/AAP PHOTOS
O’Callaghan has three golds and a bronze and, with McKeown, will feature in Australia’s women’s 4x100m medley final on Sunday night – the last event of the Paris pool program.
Australia’s Shayna Jack and Meg Harris booked berths in the women’s 50m freestyle final, ranked fourth and fifth respectively through the semi-finals.
They’ll be chasing super Swede Sarah Sjostrom who touched in an Olympic record 23.66, just five-hundredths of a second shy of her world record set last year.
Australia’s Temple finished seventh in the men’s 100m butterfly final won by Hungarian Kristo Milak before racing in the mixed medley.
