Inside the common room that Australia’s incredible swimming team used in Tokyo to inspire each other before a race – with photos of their most memorable moments
Swimming freestyle queen Emma McKeon has revealed a key secret behind Australia’s amazing feats in the pool at the Tokyo Olympics – a common room adorned with current squad achievements.
Taking to Instagram, McKeon, 27, who already has two gold and three bronze medals in a Games she will never forget, provided an insight into how the all-conquering Aussies inspire one another before leaping off the blocks.
The likes of McKeon, who won the 100m freestyle and 4x100m freestyle relay, middle distance star Ariarne Titmus and freestyle gun Kyle Chalmers all feature, as well as catch phrases to fire the team up such as ‘digging deep’, ‘Yeah the Girls’ and ‘it’s all about our team.’
Clearly the common room has been a resounding success in Japan, with the swimming medal haul of 18 – including seven gold – ensuring the Dolphins are currently revered in Australia for their collective success.
The common room Australia’s swimming squad has used (pictured) at the Tokyo Olympics
Dual gold medallist Emma McKeon shared a video of the common room from the Tokyo Olympics on her Instagram page
On Saturday, the Wollongong raised McKeon equalled Australia’s medal record held by Ian Thorpe and Leisel Jones, winning her ninth Olympic medal after the Australians took home bronze in a new event, the 4x100m mixed medley relay.
Australia’s quartet of Kaylee McKeown (backstroke), Zac Stubblety-Cook (breaststroke), Matt Temple (butterfly) and McKeon (freestyle) fought hard before eventually finishing behind Great Britain and China.
Astonishingly, McKeon took part in the 4x100m relay final just minutes after finishing the women’s 50m freestyle semi-finals, where she smashed the Olympic record.
‘We knew it was going to be quick,’ McKeon said post the mixed medley relay final.
‘I think on the timeline it was like a six-minute break which sounds pretty quick, but we train for that and we do a lot more than that in training. So I knew I could handle it and the fact that it’s a relay, that gets you up anyway.
‘A mixed relay, you don’t know where you’re sitting. I knew the girl on the other side of me from the Netherlands, she was going last in freestyle so I knew I could kind of go off her rather than focusing on (US superstar Caeleb) Dressel coming up behind me.’
On Sunday, McKeon has the opportunity to become the first Australian to win an unprecedented 10 Olympic career medals – and the first to win six medals at a single Games – in the 50m freestyle.
She is the favourite to take gold after breaking the Olympic record in a sizzling semi-final swim of 24.00.
Emma McKeon was considered one of Australia’s best gold medal chances pre the Tokyo Games – and she has delivered on the big stage
Kaylee McKeown, Emma McKeon, Zac Stubblety-Cook and Matthew Temple (pictured right) of Australia after winning bronze in the mixed 4x100m medley relay final on Saturday
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