Fukuoka: Australia’s swimmers are celebrating the country’s most successful evening in world championships history in half a century after an extraordinary opening night of competition in Japan.
The Dolphins were completely untouchable and the envy of the swimming world on Sunday evening, winning four gold medals from five races.
Australia could not have begun their world championships in more emphatic fashion, as 19-year-old Sam Short stormed home to win his first world title in the men’s 400m freestyle.
Short leapt up on the lane rope and smashed the water below him in delight after clocking an impressive 3:40.68s, ahead of reigning Olympic champion Ahmed Hafnaoui from Tunisia (3:40.70s) and Germany’s Lukas Martens (3:42.20s). He was 0.61 seconds outside the world record.
Elijah Winnington, who won the gold medal at last year’s world championships, finished seventh.
“I knew it was going to be a race of two with 100 [metres] left and he’s the defending Olympic champion,” Short said. “I kind of had goosebumps thinking I was in the race with him and got my hand on the wall first. A dream come true.”
Then came the race the whole world had waited patiently for: Ariarne Titmus against Summer McIntosh and Katie Ledecky in the women’s 400m freestyle final.
Sam Short celebrates after winning gold.Credit: Getty
Experts had McIntosh as a slight favourite, including Ian Thorpe, given she broke Titmus’ world record in March.
After the morning heat swims, the winner was anyone’s guess.
However, it was barely a contest as Titmus motored through the water like a swimmer on a mission as she obliterated the world record by seven tenths of a second (3:55.38s) to seal a magnificent and crushing victory over McIntosh (3:59.94s), who finished fourth in a stunning boilover. Ledecky (3:58.73s) took the silver medal.
Australia’s 4x100m freestyle relay team with their gold medals.Credit: Reuters
It could not have been more of a psychological blow for McIntosh heading into the 2024 Paris Olympics where the trio will meet again.
Titmus could not wipe the smile off her face, while her coach Dean Boxall was elated in the stands as he celebrated in a similar fashion to the 400m freestyle final two years ago at the Tokyo Olympics.
“It’s probably my most satisfying win, I’d say,” Titmus said. “I feel like I didn’t have the most perfect preparation coming into this and it came together the last couple of months.
“To swim like that and swim really free and fearless … I feel really over the moon to get that one.”
Just when the night looked like it couldn’t get any better for Australia, both the men’s and women’s 4x100m freestyle relay teams picked up more gold medals. Everything Australia touched literally turned to gold medals.
Firstly, it was the women – courtesy of Mollie O’Callaghan, Shayna Jack, Meg Harris and McKeon – who broke the world record for the first time in Australian history.
Their time of 3:27.96s was almost four seconds clear of the second-placed American team.
If jaws weren’t already on the floor, the performance of Australia’s male 4x100m freestyle team kept them there.
Australia broke a 12-year drought in the event as Kyle Chalmers powered over the top of Italy and USA to make it another famous victory in front of a vociferous Japanese crowd.
The race was set up brilliantly by Jack Cartwright, Flynn Southam and Kai Taylor before Chalmers did what he does so often in the dying stages.
“For me, that’s right up there [with best moments], almost No.1 I think,” Chalmers said. “It’s my favourite event. We’ve been the bridesmaids a couple of times I’ve done it. To stand on top of the podium and beat the Americans is extra special.”
McKeon, now with 18 world championship medals, couldn’t believe how dominant Australia were.
“It’s just crazy,” McKeon said. “Fukuoka here in 2001 was very good. Something’s in the water here. It’s a fast pool. To set it up on night one gets the adrenaline going. I was in the call room when Sam was swimming, You get the goosebumps through. It sets us up for a great week.”
More to come
