History made by McKeon and Le Clos
BIRMINGHAM: Emma McKeon became the most successful Commonwealth Games athlete of all time yesterday, leading an Australian sweep of the women’s 50m freestyle to claim a record 11th gold medal.
It was a night of milestones at the Sandwell Aquatic Centre as moments earlier South African Chad Le Clos had joined shooters Michael Gault and Phil Adams as the most decorated Games athletes of all time when he snatched his 18th medal by picking up a silver in the men’s 200m butterfly.
McKeon’s 50m freestyle win follows earlier victories in the mixed 4x100 freestyle and women’s100 freestyle relays to sit alone atop the gold medal table ahead of fellow Australian swimmers Susie O’Neill, Ian Thorpe and Leisel Jones.
McKeon, winner of seven medals at last year’s Tokyo Olympics, said it was a special moment.
‘‘It makes me reflect on the last eight years since my first Commonwealth Games and I can see how far I’ve come as a person and an athlete.’’
Le Clos’ milestone came 10 years to the day since he beat American great Michael Phelps in the same event at the 2012 London Olympics.
Swimming in lane five, Le Clos was beaten to the wall by Lewis Clareburt.
However, he could not be denied a place in the record books after finishing 0.29sec behind the New Zealander to snatch silver ahead of England’s James Guy.
‘‘I’m gutted not to have won, I’ll be honest,’’ Le Clos said, adding he planned to be top the podium before the end of the Games.
‘‘I would’ve cut my finger off to win tonight.
‘‘It meant everything to me and my family; everyone’s in the stands, my friends flew out for this race.
‘‘Fair play to Lewis, he had a great race.
‘‘He said he watched me growing up and I said, ‘man, did you have to do it on my day?
‘‘Could you not have given me one more time?’’
Le Clos’ medal haul from four Commonwealth Games consists of seven gold, four silver and seven bronze. His trophy case also contains four Olympic (one gold, three silver) and seven world championship medals
(four gold, one silver, two bronze). — Reuters