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2 months ago
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Mollie O’Callaghan has equalled the Australian record for world championship golds after anchoring the women to victory in the 4x200m freestyle relay in Singapore.
By securing her 11th career world title on Thursday night, the 21-year-old equalled Ian Thorpe’s Australian record.
O’Callaghan is favourite to win her 12th gold in the 100m freestyle on Friday night after reaching the final as fastest qualifier. “It was pretty rough backing it up ... (but) it’s a dream to be part of this team,” she said.
The victory of O’Callaghan, Lani Pallister, Jamie Perkins and Brittany Castelluzzo was Australia’s third relay gold of the meet and came as the Dolphins also bagged two bronze medals on Thursday night.
Kyle Chalmers (men’s 100m freestyle) and Lizzie Dekkers (women’s 200m butterfly) both reached the podium and it means Australia retain top spot on the medal tally with five golds, one silver and five bronze. The United States are second on four golds.
Chalmers made it a 14th career medal at world titles but didn’t find the gold he was hoping for as he finished behind Romania’s David Popovici (46.51 seconds) and American Jack Alexy (46.92).
However, he remains confident that he can break the sub-47 second mark in the 100m freestyle.
Chalmers clocked 47.17 and is yet to swim the race in less than 47 seconds, which is now the realm of world winners.
“I have been training hard for that moment, I desperately wanted to get a 46 out tonight, but it wasn’t quite there,” he told Channel Nine. “But to get on the podium is so special.”
Chalmers has twice logged personal best times of 47.08 and at the age of 27 believes he can still improve – but he now has other priorities.
Chalmers and his partner, Norwegian swimmer Ingeborg Loyning, are expecting their first child next month.
“I’m just really excited to go home now and become a dad, that is my biggest priority this year – that (swim) was just a bit of fun,” he said.
Chalmers also won gold in Singapore when anchoring Australia’s 4x100m freestyle relay team on Sunday’s opening night.
Earlier on Thursday night, Chalmers’ teammate Dekkers took the bronze in a women’s 200m butterfly won by Canadian star Summer McIntosh – the 18-year-old’s third gold of the titles.
“Physically, I’m not at my best,” Dekkers said. “So I knew that mentally, I had to be there ... I love racing, and that’s why we all do this, because there’s something about standing behind the blocks that we all love.”
Mollie O’Callaghan cruised through her women’s 100m freestyle semi-final and into Friday night’s medal race as fastest qualifier.
O’Callaghan, already with golds in the 200m freestyle and women’s 4x100m relay in Singapore, won her semi in 52.82 seconds but fellow Australian Olivia Wunsch withdrew due to illness.
O’Callaghan later Thursday night will race in the women’s 4x200m freestyle relay and, if victorious, will equal Ian Thorpe’s Australian record for most golds at world titles, 11.
