CALM WATERS FOR OUR SWIMMING STARS

Swim greats urge fans to stay cool over McKeon’s chances

SWIMMING legends Susie O’Neill and Steph Rice have implored fans not to lumber Emma McKeon with expectation ahead of the Games as talk ramps up of her potential to win six gold medals.

O’Neill and Ian Thorpe jointly hold the record for most gold won at a single Commonwealth Games with six, and there’s every chance McKeon could match that feat.

McKeon will compete in the 100m and 200m butterfly, 200m freestyle and three relays at the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre next week and is a realistic chance of gold in each.

While she did not win individual gold at the Olympics in 2016 or last year’s world championships, McKeon has been Australia’s most consistent swimmer of the past two years, winning 10 medals at the events to underline her status as one of the world’s best.

However, Olympic champions O’Neill and Rice said the public needed to temper their expectations of the 23-year-old

“Take the pressure off,” O’Neill said.

“At Commonwealths, the events are spread over more days than the trials, so hopefully she’ll get more of a rest.

“I think she’ll go better doing lots of events because she’s a workhorse, she’s fit and it’ll stop her thinking.

“But she’s got some hard competition.”

Rice broke through at the Melbourne Commonwealth Games to win gold in the 200m and 400m individual medley before going on to take the double at the Beijing Olympics two years later.

And while McKeon has already had a taste of Olympic competition, Rice – who was mentored by Gold Coastbased Michael Bohl, the same man that guides McKeon – said performing in front of a raucous home crowd and family and friends could provide a perfect springboard to Tokyo.

“Obviously Em’s done Olympics, so she’s more experienced but I had my first international meet in Melbourne and Comm Games is such a nice breakthrough international scene,” Rice said.

“And this is Emma’s first time racing in front of a home crowd, so that brings a number of different elements and adrenaline.

“I’ve spoken to her a lot, we had the same coach.

“She’s trying to emulate what Phelps did in Beijing (win multiple gold).”