After taking gold in the 4x200m relay, Mollie O’Callaghan can eclipse Ian Thorpe to become Australia’s outright leader in swimming world titles if she wins the 100m freestyle.\u00a0<\/p>\n
The first thing she said to journalists post-race was: “Tired, very tired.”<\/p>\n
“I think coming off last night, and especially \u2014 like I’ve said a thousand times \u2014 I haven’t had the greatest prep towards this, and to do what I did tonight and last night and the night before, I’m pretty proud,” O’Callaghan said.<\/p>\n
“To be on the podium is something special, and I’m always grateful for.<\/p>\n
“Obviously we’d love to win, everyone would love to win, but like that’s all I could do tonight, so I’m pretty happy.”<\/p>\n
She said she had the heaviest program in the Australian team, but with two relays still to come, she still has a chance of pulling ahead of Thorpe’s record.<\/p>\n
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Mollie O’Callaghan finished 0.12 seconds behind Marrit Steenbergen. (Getty Images: Sarah Stier)<\/p>\n
Australia’s Men’s 4x200m freestyle relay team of Flynn Southam, Charlie Hawke, Kai Taylor and Max Giuliani continued a successful campaign for the Dolphins, coming third behind Great Britain and China.<\/p>\n
Southam, Taylor and Giuliani added bronze to the gold medals on night one of the championships in the 4x100m freestyle relay.<\/p>\n
“We’ve come away with a bronze and we’re such a young team,” Giuliani said.<\/p>\n
“I think we’re all a real threat in the future \u2014 we’re all 20, 22, 21, we’ve got a lot left in us.<\/p>\n
“I think come 2028 we’re going to be a real force to be reckoned with.”<\/p>\n
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Australia’s men’s 200m relay team claimed bronze on Friday night in Singapore. (Getty Images: Sarah Stier)<\/p>\n
Cameron McEvoy qualified fastest after the semifinals of the men’s 50m freestyle.<\/p>\n
His time of 21.3 seconds equalled his time at the Australian trials as the fastest time recorded in the world this year.<\/p>\n
Normally, 50m freestylers don’t take a breath, but McEvoy did with about 10 metres to go, suggesting he can go faster.<\/p>\n
“[It] suggests I’m in pretty good shape,” McEvoy said.<\/p>\n
“Sprinting at these speeds, it’s difficult because sometimes taking your foot off the gas allows you to hold speed a little bit better than gripping it too hard.<\/p>\n
“It’s a completely new race tomorrow, it’s going to be hard.”<\/p>\n
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