Aussie swimmer McKeon closes in on a possible eight event show in Tokyo
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E-mail Xinhua, June 18, 2021
Emma McKeon could be the only swimmer from the team to swim eight events in Tokyo after she won the 50-meter freestyle on Thursday night to wrap up an outstanding performance at the Australian swimming trials.
McKeon won the event in 23.93 seconds on the final night of the trials in Adelaide, beating Commonwealth record holder Cate Campbell by only 0.01 second in a repeat of Wednesday night's 100m freestyle final.
According to reports of Australian media, McKeon, 27, could compete in eight events at the Tokyo Olympics having qualified for the 200m freestyle, 100m butterfly and relay events earlier in the week.
"We have been preparing to have a big program," she said.
Mack Horton has been selected in the team for the Tokyo Olympics despite not getting the qualification for the individual events.
Horton, the reigning 400m freestyle gold medalist, was only named in the team for the men's freestyle relay.
He was one of 35 swimmers who were picked in the team, joining reigning 100m freestyle gold medalist Kyle Chalmers, 100m backstroke world record holder Kaylee McKeown and freestyle prodigy Ariarne Titmus.
The team will be led by freestyle sprinter Cate Campbell and backstroker Emily Seebohm, both of who will join Leisel Jones as the only Australian swimmers to compete at four Olympics.
22-year-old breaststroker Matthew Wilson, who was 0.24 seconds slower than the required qualifying time in the 200m event - in which he previously held the world record - on Tuesday night.
However, Swimming Australia announced that he was nominated to the team under the selection policy under extenuating circumstances, with a family bereavement disrupting Wilson's trial performance and preparation.
"I'm still trying to wrap my head around it quite honestly," Wilson said.
"The last couple of weeks have been really tough and I'm glad I could make the team for her. I'm sure she'd be proud of me."
Thursday's selection brings the total number of selected athletes to 267 of an expected 450-480 Australian Olympic Team size for Tokyo, according to the Australian Olympic Committee.
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