Aussies pipped again
THEY are yet to strike gold but Australia’s silver streak has continued on day four of the world swimming championships at Budapest.
At the halfway mark of the eight-day titles, Australia took its medal tally to six — including five silver — after Emma McKeon fell narrowly short at Duna Arena.
McKeon collected her third silver when she shared second place in the 200m freestyle final with Olympic champion Katie Ledecky. Italy’s world record holder, Federica Pellegrini, powered to victory.
McKeon then grabbed silver No.4 as part of Australia’s mixed medley relay team behind a world-record breaking US.
Australia is ninth on the medal tally behind leader the US (six gold, seven silver, three bronze).
The Dolphins finished second in 2015 with seven gold and 16 medals.
McKeon looked to have broken the golden drought when she threw down the gauntlet early in the 200m final.
The Rio bronze medallist led for the first 150m and looked to have kept Ledecky at bay before a fast-finishing Pellegrini relegated both to minor medals.
“I was pretty happy with how I went, even though I went quicker in the semi,” McKeon said.
“Because it takes a lot of guts to take it out like I did especially in a final against the Olympic champion on one side and world record holder on the other.”
She clocked 1min 55.18sec with Ledecky while Pellegrini (1:54.73) claimed her third 200m world crown since 2009.
“I have got the first 150m worked out, I just have to get that last 25m sorted,” McKeon said with a laugh.
She will contest the 100m freestyle and two more relays.
She helped Australia set a national record of 3:41.21 in the mixed medley relay final, three seconds shy of the US.
Australia’s Cameron McEvoy and rookie teammate Jack Cartwright emerged from a fast semifinal field to qualify in the top five for the 100m freestyle final overnight.
The 2015 world titles silver medallist, McEvoy clocked 47.95sec to be fourth fastest for the final.
Remarkably, 18-year-old Cartwright (47.97 PB) was also among five swimmers to shatter the 48-second barrier to qualify fifth fastest.