Veteran McKeon produces swim for the ages
EMMA McKeon shocked even herself last night by upsetting starlet Ariarne Titmus because she thought her best sprinting in the 200m freestyle was over.
Instead, the versatile ace from the Gold Coast cranked out her fastest 200m since 2016 to dominate the final at the world championships trials at the Brisbane Aquatic Centre.
McKeon (1min 54.55sec) won from the front in the second fastest time in the world this year but the good news was that Titmus (1:55.09) also posted a qualifying time for second to stay part of a huge race script in South Korea next month.
Titmus and McKeon will both now take their shot at American superstar Katie Ledecky and Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom in the four-lap race.
They will also be the core of a strong 4x200m relay squad with third-placed Shayna Jack and Perth’s Brianna Throssell.
“For a bit, I thought I’d lost it with being in the mix for the 200 but tonight gives me a lot of confidence,” McKeon said.
“I’m definitely shocked ... I wasn’t expecting to do a personal best for the first time in this race since the 2016 Olympic trials.
“I’d probably lost some confidence over the last few years and with not being able to do as much training with the shoulder.
“The good thing is it’s probably giving me these performances now because I have been working on the mental side.”
McKeon has still excelled with 34 international medals but, at 25, there are milestones still ahead.