Aussie swimming sensation Kaylee McKeown claims her second gold medal in Tokyo – as Emily Seebohm bursts into tears after taking bronze in the same event and BOTH stand on the 1st place podium
Australian swimming champ Kaylee McKeown will take home her second gold medal after winning the 200m backstroke finals at the Tokyo Olympics.
McKeown had hung slightly back for the majority of the event and was in second place at the final turn before powering through in the last 50m to take the lead with a time of two minutes and 4.68 seconds.
Followed closely behind was Canada’s Kylie Masse coming in at two minutes and 5.42 seconds with fellow Aussie swimmer Emily Seebohm winning the bronze.
McKeown, 20, pointed two fingers at the scoreboard in a gun-like shape before firing at it and blowing away the ‘smoke’ in a cheeky post-swim celebration.
Saturday’s win makes McKeown the first Australian woman to win gold in the 200m backstroke in Olympic history.
In a heartwarming moment of true sportsmanship, McKeown asked Seebohm to stand beside her on the first place podium.
The pair shared a hug before Seebohm placed McKeown’s second gold medal around her neck.
Speaking after the race to Channel 7, Seebohm who is competing in her fourth Olympics was overwhelmed with emotion.
Australian swimming champ Kaylee McKeown has won her second gold medal after winning the 200m backstroke finals at the Tokyo Olympics
McKeown had hung back for the majority of the event before powering through in the final 50m to take the lead with a time of two minutes and 4.68 seconds
‘I never thought this was going to happen again,’ she told Channel 7 in between tears.
‘I’m so proud, the team has done so well, it’s been an absolute dream to be on this team.
‘It’s been the favourite thing of my entire career being on this team.
‘I feel like a bit of a fine wine at the moment – it gets better as it ages.’
McKeown already has one gold under her belt after taking out the 100m backstroke with her post-race interview going viral after she dropped the F bomb live on television.
‘F*ck yeah!’ the 20-year-old said to Channel 7’s poolside reporter after the race, throwing up a shaka in true Aussie fashion.
McKeown’s father Sholto passed away after a battle with brain cancer in August last year, with the swimming champ getting a tattoo as tribute saying ‘I’ll always be with you’ on her foot.
‘I hope you’re proud, and I’ll keep doing you proud,’ she said after her first gold medal win.
McKeown’s family members, including her gold medal-winning former Olympian sister Taylor, were watching on from Australia and were overcome by emotion when being interviewed immediately following Kaylee’s 100m win.
‘I’ll have a word with her later,’ her mum said of her swearing.
Saturday’s win makes McKeown the first Australian woman to win the 200m backstroke in Olympic history
McKeown is seen hugging fellow Aussie Emily Seebohm who came in third
Her daughter dismissed that however, saying: ‘I’ll be mum’s favourite for a while now.’
Kaylee’s father was diagnosed with grade-four glioblastoma in June of 2018, undergoing round after round of chemotherapy hoping to see his daughters grow up and perhaps win an Olympic gold.
‘I use it every day that I wake up,’ McKeown said of her dad last month. ‘I know it’s a privilege to be on this earth and walk and talk.’
Had the Games been held as originally scheduled this time last year, Sholto would have had the chance to witness Tuesday’s golden moment, but the Covid pandemic delayed the event and he sadly passed away aged 53 in August.
McKeown is now the seventh woman to win both the 100m and 200m races at the Games.