Picture Credit: Ausports
Australian swimmer Emma McKeon made Olympic history on Sunday as she became the first female swimmer to win seven medals at a single Olympics. McKeon has so far bagged four gold medals and three bronze medals in various swimming events at Tokyo Olympics. The 27-year-old's two gold medals came in the 50m freestyle and the women's 4x100m medley relay on Sunday.
After her exploits on Sunday, McKeon has now won gold in the women's 4x100m relay, the 100m freestyle, 50m freestyle and women's 4x100m mixed relay while she has won bronze in the 100m butterfly, women's 4x200m relay and mixed 4x100m medley relay.
More medals than 186 countries at Tokyo Olympics
As a result of her super-human performance at Tokyo Oympics, she has astonishingly won more medals than 186 countries participating at the Games. Out of the 205 countries/NOCs taking part in the Tokyo Olympics, only 19 have won seven or more medals so far.
Only one woman in any sport in history can match McKeon's haul of seven medals i.e. Russian gymnast Maria Gorokhovskaya, who achieved the feat in 1952.
It feels surreal: Emma McKeon after winning record 7th medal
After clinching her seventh medal of Tokyo Olymics on Sunday in the women's 4x100 medley relay, McKeon said, “It still feels very surreal. It’s going to take a little bit to sink in. I’m very proud of myself.”
“I look at the athletes who have come before me and been so impressed with what they have done and been inspired by what they have done, but I’ve never really looked at the stats of medal counts."
"It is an honour because I know I’ve worked so hard for it."
McKeon even broke the Olympic record in the 50m heats with a time of 23.81 seconds. With her tally of seven medals, McKeon joins Michael Phelps, Mark Spitz and Matt Biondi as the only swimmers to win seven medals at a single Games. American swimmer Michael Phelps holds the record in swimming with eight medals won in both Athens in 2004 and Beijing four years later.