TOKYO — Australia’s Emma McKeon made history Sunday at the Tokyo Games, becoming the first female swimmer to medal in seven events at a single Olympics.
McKeon, 27, won the record-breaking medal in the women’s 4x100 medley relay. It was her fourth gold medal in Tokyo.
McKeon joins Michael Phelps, Mark Spitz and Matt Biondi as the only swimmers to medal in seven events during a single Olympics. She also won four medals at the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro.
The only other female to medal in seven events was gymnast Maria Gorokhovskaya of the Soviet Union, who achieved the feat at the 1952 Olympics in Helsinki, Finland, The New York Times reported.
Breaking News: Emma McKeon of Australia became only the second woman to win seven medals at a single #Olympics, tying a record set in 1952. #Tokyo2020 https://t.co/QAnQazjJis
— The New York Times (@nytimes) August 1, 2021
Earlier, the Brisbane resident won the 50-meter freestyle event. In the 4-x100, McKeon swam the butterfly leg of the relay, The Associated Press reported. Cate Campbell clinched the victory for the Australian squad by finishing the freestyle leg of the race in 3 minutes, 51.60 seconds.
The United States took the silver medal, with Abbey Weitzeil anchoring the foursome that included teenagers Regan Smith, Lydia Jacoby and Torri Huske. The Americans took second in 3:51.73.
Canada won the bronze medal, finishing in 3:52.60.
Three of McKeon’s gold medals -- in the 4x100 freestyle relay, the 100 free, and the 4x100 medley relay -- were Olympic records. She also took a gold medal in the 50 free and a bronze in the 100 butterfly, 4x200 free relay and the 4x100 mixed relay, the Times reported.
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