Mack Larkin eyes leads middle Aussie path pool medals haul
SWIMMING: MITCH Larkin last night swept to an unprecedented “Triple Crown” as the Commonwealth’s supreme backstroker with a third gold medal through the turbulence created by the needless melodrama from girlfriend Emily Seebohm.
The lean Brisbane swimmer grabbed the 200m backstroke in style with a superbly paced race to add to the 100m and 50m golds he had earlier won in the Commonwealth Games pool.
At 24, Larkin’s best may now still be ahead of him at a third Olympics in Tokyo in 2020 because he was all confidence and technical excellence when it mattered to lead an Aussie trifecta to the wall.
Larkin ( 1min 56.10sec) stormed home down the last lap after silver medallist Brad Woodward ( 1: 56.57) had led him through the middle 100m while Josh Beaver ( 1: 57.04) grabbed bronze.
Teenage golden girl Ariarne Titmus then exploded on to the world stage just minutes later with a stunning gold in the women’s 800m freestyle, blitzing the pool with the fourth quickest swim in the world in the last 15 months.
The Brisbane schoolgirl, “The Terminator”, was expected to engage in a duel with defending titleholder Jazmin Carlin, but she smashed her opposition to seal the first major individual gold medal of her career.
Carlin held the Games record with a time two seconds faster than Titmus’s best but the 17- year- old was SWIMMING: never challenged, Ariarne Titmus leading needed from to the make start pain and a friend touching to become the wall the new in 8min force 20.02sec, in swimming’s ahead most of teammates taxing events Jess with Ashwood a mantra ( she 8: 27.60) gratefully and borrowed Kiah Melverfrom ton one ( 8: of 28.59) Australia’s as Australia distance divas. registered
The another newest trifecta star of in the the Aussie pool. swim team credits The man a chat who with kicked 1988 off Olympian the douJanelle ble Elford, trifecta a multiple – Larkin Australian – was lost title for winner, words. for flicking a switch in her mindset for “the Unbelievable. brutal demands The of medals the mean 400m- 800m double. so much more ( than just medals) ... Titmus swims the 800m to win but they represent so much hard training, she loves the racing of the 400m which tonight can produce one of the rousing highlights at the Commonwealth Games pool on the Gold Coast.
Should she become a champion for the all new the age ups- by and- beating downs,” Welsh Larkin Olympic said. silver Larkin medallist has three Jazz golds Carlin, and a special will shoot bonus for two will more await. in tonight’s closing ses
sion The gold at the medal pool will in the be a 200m baton individchange of ual eras medley because and it will medley be presented relay. by Gold Coast- based Tracey Wickham, the
Titmus was thrilled about winning pool queen who won the 400m- 800m
gold and leading another clean sweep. double at both the 1978 and 1982 Commonwealth Games.
Titmus was an unknown of 14 from Launceston at the national age championships in Sydney in 2015 when she spoke “It’s with amazing. Elford. After seeing the boys do “She one, said two, ‘ you three have in to the learn backstroke to love pain ( the and race when before you us), feel I that thought pain you there push might harder’,” have been Titmus, a chance just 17, for said us of and a key that career is really moment. exciting,” “I went she said. out and swam my best race in ages and I put it
Ashwood’s Australian record redown to what Janelle told me. mains intact and the 24- year- old was “I’m not scared of pain.” It’s that hardcore attitude that is so exciting. It is only six years since Susie O’Neill wondered if Australia was still breeding female swimmers willing to do thrilled the truly with tough her mileage silver medal- in the winning pool to effort follow after in the considering Hall of Fame giving footsteps up on of the former sport distance following queens a disappointing like Wickham Commonwealth and Elford. Games in Glasgow four “It years won’t ago. be easy. Jazz will bring her best and I’ll bring mine so it’ll be a great
“I’m very glad I did ( hang in),” battle,” Titmus said. Ashwood said.