World Aquatics Championships: Cameron McEvoy wins gold in 50m freestyle final

News.com.au

6 hours ago

Death. Taxes. Cam and Kaylee.
Some things in life you can take to the bank and when it comes to Australian swimmers stepping up on the international stage and delivering epic performances, Cameron McEvoy and Kaylee McKeown are as dependable as the sun rising tomorrow morning.
In a replica of their fantastic August night at the Paris Olympics 12 months ago, McEvoy stormed to the 50m freestyle gold medal at the world titles in Singapore and not long after McKeown charged home to win the 200m backstroke gold medal.
You've just got to admire the steely resolve and excellence this duo show time after time, defending their 2023 world titles and showing that despite massive life changes after Paris their commitment to superhuman performance remains resolute.
For McEvoy he has welcomed his first child, a son Hartley, just 23 days ago with wife Madeline.
For McKeown she has suffered the broken heart of an ended relationship, had her coach Michael Bohl depart for China and moved back home to the comfort of family on the Sunshine Coast to push her career towards a potential Olympic three-peat in Los Angeles.
At this rate, McKeown just might become Australia's greatest ever Olympian. Already she is the first Australian to do the double-double, winning both the 100m and 200m backstroke in Tokyo and Paris. A three-peat beckons in Los Angeles in 2028.
And now she's done a world title double-double, winning the 100-200 in both Fukuoka and Singapore.
Her victory on Saturday night was classic Kaylee. Out strong and then destroy them on the final 50m to win in a championship record time of 2:03.33.
McKeown said she was thrilled with her time, especially after her recent shoulder issue and the gastro illness that has hit the Australian swim team.
'I wasn't feeling too great heading in, a bit of illness and stuff going around, dealing with a bit of a shoulder,' she said.
'I had to put my best foot forward tonight, I dug really deep, and I'm really happy with the time that I posted.
'Something I've been really working on is focusing on my own race. I think it really helped me on the outside lane (six), not seeing the other girls around me, and just really focusing on what I've been working on. I don't see a whole lot when I'm racing. I had to ask for my time at the end.'
Yet again US backstroker Regan Smith had to settle for silver in 2:04.29, no doubt cursing the fact she is confronting one of the greatest racers the world of swimming has ever seen.
Father time and fatherhood, it seems, will not stop McEvoy.
The 31-year-old Olympic champion again destroyed a field containing the fastest men on water, obliterating them off the blocks and holding strong to claim his second world title.
The 50m freestyle specialist had an incredible 0.56s reaction time off the blocks and emerged ahead from the outset to race down and win in 21.14 seconds.
In the process he became Australia's oldest ever swimmer to win a world championship gold medal, eclipsing former backstroke and butterfly champion Matt Welsh in 2007.
It is the third year in a row McEvoy has been the toast of world swimming and the fastest man in the pool, with Great Britain's Ben Proud (21.26s) completing another veteran quinella just as the two elder statesmen did at the Paris Olympics last year.
For McEvoy this victory is especially sweet given the major life changes back home with the Queenslander marrying his sweetheart Madeline after the Olympics and the pair welcoming their first child, son Hartley, just 23 days ago.
'It is pretty nice, a little bit different now compared to last year, I didn't have a son last year,' McEvoy said.
'Life has changed pretty dramatically, as it does with a newborn.
'I have to shout out Maddie, I couldn't be here without her … shout out little Hartley too.
'It's a very different life now, I've got to navigate it. I will figure it out.'
US sprinter Jack Alexy completed the podium, touching third in 21.46s.