Ariarne Titmus admitted she was “buggered” after the “toughest week of racing you can possibly do” while Kaylee McKeown picked up a surprise medal after her rival was controversially disqualified in another night of drama at the Paris Olympics pool.
Titmus pushed Katie Ledecky all the way in the women’s 800m freestyle but the American legend held off her brave challenge to win for a remarkable fourth consecutive Olympics.
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.
Her bronze in the 200m medley came in dramatic fashion after Australia’s Ella Ramsay 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.
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.
“I’m absolutely buggered,” the Tasmanian ace said after the race.
“I’m so proud of my effort tonight, that’s my first PB of the week. I haven’t done a PB in the 800 since the last Olympics, so I’m stoked.
“I’m proud of the way I put myself out there and took it to Katie. She’s just a champ and I have the most respect for her out of any athlete I’ve ever competed against.”
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.
Ariarne Titmus at Paris La Defense Arena. (Photo by Eurasia Sport Images/Getty Images)
“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 backed up after her individual final 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.
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.
Temple finished seventh in the men’s 100m butterfly final won by Hungarian Kristo Milak before racing in the mixed medley.
with AAP