PARIS: Australia’s Kaylee McKeown has booked her place in the women’s 200m backstroke final in her pursuit of winning an historic fourth individual Olympic gold medal in Paris.
The 23-year-old qualified for the 200m final as the second-fastest swimmer of the semis, clocking two minutes and 7.57 seconds (2:07.56) at the Paris La Defense Arena on Friday morning (AEST).
Australia’s Cameron McEvoy also advanced to a final, storming through his 50m freestyle semi in 21.38 seconds, recording the equal-fastest time along with Great Britain’s Benjamin Proud.
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No Australian has won four individual Olympic gold medals, but McKeown, swimming teammate Ariarne Titmus and canoe slalom superstar Jess Fox are all vying to claim their fourth in Paris.
McKeown will be aiming to win her fourth solo Olympic gold medal when she races in the 200m backstroke on Saturday morning (AEST), and could be shooting for her fifth in the 200m individual medley 24 hours later.
Titmus could win her fourth solo Olympic gold in the women’s 800m freestyle on Sunday morning (AEST), although American great Katie Ledecky is a hot favourite, while Fox is a significant chance of taking her tally to four in the women’s kayak cross final on Tuesday.
McEvoy is set for his first Olympic 50m freestyle final, but after the Tokyo Games three years ago the Queenslander was burnt out and stepped away from the pool for about a year, before carving out a remarkable transformation.
“It was about two years ago, around this month, I was travelling Europe and I was in Paris and it was in that trip where I saw the city, I was like, ‘This would be cool in two years’,” McEvoy said after his semi.
“I thought I would give it a crack. I just wanted to make it first.
“I had no idea I would be equal first coming into a final. It is surreal.”
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