Splash to be had at Games

THE looming Commonwealth Games may have been a distraction for Australia at the world swimming championships at Budapest, head coach Jacco Verhaeren says.

But the Dolphins mentor is convinced Australia can still challenge for dominance on the Gold Coast next year, despite finishing with their lowest world titles medal haul since 1991.

Emma McKeon was a shining light in Hungary, becoming the first Australian woman to claim six medals at a world titles after the Dolphins added two bronze on the final day.

Australia finished eighth on the overall tally with 10 medals, including a solitary gold Emily Seebohm’s 200m backstroke triumph.

It marked the first time since 1986 that Australia finished outside the top five.

The US had their most successful titles, with 38 medals.

“I have no doubt that a lot of them have Comm(onwealth) Games on their mind,” Verhaeren said.

“We raced with that in the back of our minds but it is not an excuse.

“But I think this is an indication of where we are at, we have to be realistic with that.

“This world championships has truly set new standards we have to go back to work.”

A 30-strong Australian team with 11 rookies was always going to struggle without ex-world record holder Cate

Campbell, former dual world champ James Magnussen and Olympic gold medallist Kyle Chalmers.

“We definitely felt Cate and Kyle not being here – that makes a massive difference in relays,” Verhaeren said.

However the Dolphins coach expected Australia to be hard to beat on the Gold Coast after Great Britain – who finished second in medals – scatter into their respective Commonwealth countries.

“The performances here earn a lot of respect but we shouldn’t admire it too much because we haven’t seen anything we can’t do,” Verhaeren said.

“That belief needs to stay within the team - we need to keep believing we can do that.”

There was some good news – Emma McKeon’s four silver and two bronze eclipsed the previous record titles haul of five by Libby Trickett (2007) and Alicia Coutts (2013).

Michael Klim (seven in 1998) holds the overall record.

“Her contribution to the overall tally is extraordinary,” Verhaeren said of McKeon.