Rivalry close to home

IT is not something Emma McKeon has experienced often in the past few years but being beaten by her domestic rivals will provide the fuel for a mammoth Commonwealth Games program.

McKeon will tackle one of the biggest programs of any Australian athlete at the Games next month, taking on seven events in which she is a medal chance.

But McKeon had to wait until the final event of her national titles program last night to seal her first gold this week, beating Brianna Throssell to win the 100m butterfly.

“I’m relieved that I could get a win, usually I’m up on the top more often at trials,” she said.

“But I think it’s good for me. “It’s just going to make me more motivated.

“As much as I don’t like it, it’s just going to make me more motivated to keep training hard and get a good prep for the next five weeks and work on where my weaknesses are,” she said.

McKeon is the most successful member of the Australian swim team over the past two years, winning 10 medals at the Rio Olympics and Budapest world championships.

She is also one of the most humble.

But she did admit to missing the top step of the podium.

“I think that’s a normal thing, really,” she said.

“I wouldn’t call it disappointment (but) I’m not satisfied, that’s for sure.

“But it’s only trials, I did what I needed to do to get on the team.”

Earlier, Gold Coaster Leiston Pickett all but booked her ticket to the Games by winning the 50m breaststroke after finishing second in the 100m on Thursday night.

While the 50m form strokes are not priority selection events, Pickett is gunning for her third Commonwealth title.