Good Golly, Miss Mollie

Teen swimming sensation making big splash

JUST when the rest of the world thought it was safe to get back in the water, a new wave of Australian swim stars is coming to the boil.

And although it’s still early days, the early leader of the next generation of Aussies could turn out to be among the best ever if her incredible performances so far are an indication.

If the Americans thought they might have a chance of beating the Aussie women at next month’s world championships after Emma Mckeon, Cate Campbell and her sister Bronte all pulled out, then they had better think again.

And the reason is because of the arrival of teen sensation Mollie O’callaghan, who is leading the charge.

Just 18, but already with two Olympic gold medals under her belt, O’callaghan is a star on the rise, turning heads all over the world.

She set the junior world record for 200m freestyle at last year’s Tokyo Olympics and is now the fastest teenager in history for 100m freestyle.

She just won her first Australian senior title on Wednesday in a blistering 52.49 seconds, the fastest time in the world this year, and a time that would have won her the bronze medal in Tokyo.

To put that performance in perspective, consider this: no teenager from any country in the world has ever gone as fast and the only other Australian teenage woman to break the 53 second barrier is Meg Harris, who went 52.92 at the 2021 Olympic trials.

O’callaghan is already the fourth fastest Aussie ever, and admitted she startled herself with her rapid improvement, but does not see herself as a leader of the new wave.

“I kind of sometimes doubt myself a little but so I’m really surprised that it was like such a big jump,” she said.

“I just stick to my normal race plan. I just think about myself. It’s always nice to race against some amazing girls, but it’s just more of the fact I just have to focus on myself and execute my race plan.

“Before, I was kind of like the underdog but this year … it’s quite crazy.”

While O’callaghan is keeping her feet on the ground and taking things in her stride, the warning to the rest of the world from the Aussie team is ominous.

Even without their three big guns, the Dolphins currently boast four of the top five women in the world rankings for 2022 with Shayna Jack (52.60) second, Harris (53.09) equal third and Madi Wilson (53.19) fifth – ensuring the Dolphins will start as odds-on favourites to win the 4x100m freestyle relay at the world titles.