McKeon makes history with stunning 50m gold

Australia's Emma McKeon won gold and again set an Olympic record in the 50m freestyle final at the Tokyo Olympics on Sunday, while Cate Campbell was seventh.

Having set Olympic records in both preliminary swims, McKeon clocked 23.81 to beat Sweden's Sarah Sjoestroem (24.07). Denmark's Pernille Plume, the defending champion, was third (24.21).

The victory gave McKeon a 50-100 Olympic double. She joined Inge de Bruijn and Britta Steffen as the only female swimmers to achieve the feat, plus legends Matt Biondi and Alex Popov in men's swimming. It was just one way in which she rewrote the record books.

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McKeon became Australia's most decorated Olympian, in terms of total medals, surpassing fellow swimming greats Ian Thorpe and Leisel Jones. She now has 10 medals, including four gold. She now has three gold in Tokyo, matching greats like Murray Rose, Ian Thorpe, Shane Gould, Petria Thomas, Stephanie Rice and Betty Cuthbert with that haul at a single Games.

Australia now has eight swimming golds in the pool in Tokyo, matching its record mark from Melbourne 1956. These have become the greatest overseas Olympics that Australian swimmers have ever delivered.

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McKeon has won six medals in Tokyo, which equals the record for most medals won by a female swimmer at a single Games; held by Germany's Kristin Otto and American Natalie Coughlin.

If she medals with the Australian 4x100m medley relay team later on Sunday, she will hold that record outright and equal the mark for most medals won at a single Olympics by any female athlete; seven, held by Soviet gymnast Maria Gorokhovskaya (Helsinki 1952).

McKeon's 50m freestyle win was Australia's 11th gold medal of the Games.

McKeon also won with the Australian women's 4x100m freestyle relay at this Olympics. She won four medals on debut at Rio 2016, including the 4x100m gold.

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