Mack Horton has claimed Australia’s first gold medal at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, winning the men’s 400m freestyle final over China’s Sun Yang and the USA’s Conor Dwyer.
The 20-year-old won Australia’s first gold of the Rio Olympics in a personal best time of 3:41.55.
It capped off a tense build-up to the race, where the rivalry between Horton and China’s Sun Yang reached boiling point.
Yang, a two-time Olympic gold medallist at London in the 400m and 1500m freestyle events, had splashed Horton in the training pool before the Olympic meet kicked off.
» Follow Day 1 of the Olympic swimming here
The race itself was a tough one, with Britain’s James Guy and fellow Australian David McKeon choosing to go out early.
Both faded towards the middle of the race, however, as the true distance specialists Dwyer, Yang and Horton took over.
It became apparent around the 300-metre mark that it would be a race between two. Yang and Horton had been circumspect throughout the race, holding plenty in reserve for the final 100m. Dwyer started to fade, and Horton and Yang traded the lead throughout the final 100.
Horton got the best of the last turn, and took full advantage, able to hold onto his lead to beat Yang to the wall.
Yang took home the silver, with Italy’s Gabriele Detti taking home the bronze after Dwyer faded late.
To call it satisfying for Horton would be the ultimate understatement.
After the race, Horton said the rivalry wasn’t between him and Yang, but “between me and athletes who have tested positive.”
Shots fired – but after Yang had attempted to get into his head, you can understand why the words were chosen.
He was referencing Yang’s three-month ban in 2014 for testing positive to trimetazidine, so it’s definitely not without a basis.
Horton also said after that race that he “probably wanted a bit more of a PB.”
That’s ambitious! Not content with gold at all!
Horton will also compete against Yang in the 1500m freestyle later on the final day of the meet, and Day 7 of the Olympics.
Well done to Mack Horton, who took home Australia’s first gold medal of the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.
Monkey King
Roar Rookie
Same. It's not like trimetazidine is deemed and proven the same as steroids. He got 3 months due to credible statement that he didn't know it was prohibited. Yet Horton doesn't seem to like constantly losing to Sun and is constantly whining over it. He risk ending up psyching himself out if he makes himself a victim constantly. :unhappy:
Monkey King
Roar Rookie
Sun Yang had another swim later that day on 200m final which he had won gold. Mark only had one swim that day. So in my opinion, it wasn't an equal match as sun had to swim twice and lost only by a short tap. And Yang's 3 month trimetazidine ban could hardly be considered the same thing as doping with actual steroids, and even WADA was willing to support a very short 3 months ban because Sun convinced the doping board that they didn't even know the substance was banned.
Maggie
Guest
Nothing to do with this article - but on tonight's ABC "Australian Story" about Murray Rose, I learnt that it was Murray Rose's father (a bit of an intellectual 'thinker' apparently) who first suggested that the men shave down before swimming competitions as he reasoned the bubbles formed on body hair must cause drag and slow them down. As a consequence the Australian men shaved down for the Melbourne 1956 Olympics for the first time - and were the only country's swimmers to do so. As we know, now all men swimmers do this before competitions.
ozziechch
Guest
Calling Mack a "hero" as some Aussies are when he admitted that it was all mind games to throw Yang off (basically trash talking) is an over-reaction
ozziechch
Guest
Because Horton said it himself http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-08-07/rio-2016-mack-horton-trolled-calls-out-sun-yang-drug-cheat/7698746
E-Meter
Guest
Honestly, you sound like someone who would boo Santa Claus. Gees. Onya Mack. Let them have it.
JoM
Guest
It's the same as the Russian girl in the breaststroke semis that will be on today. She wins her heat but she shouldn't even be there. She has been outed TWICE for doping yet she is one of the Russians that is allowed to compete?
JoM
Guest
Yes it is, but if he had been outed for 2 years which is supposedly the mandatory time then he wouldn't have been out here training alongside our distance swimmers. China didn't even advise anyone until after the ban had been served.
Mattb
Guest
Sun yang when interviewed claimed not to know who Matt Horton is and then said "I am the king, I am the new world". I'll take Mack Horton thanks
Mattb
Guest
Total over reaction
Mattb
Guest
He served three whole months between competitions
Internal Fixation
Guest
Sounds like a perfect addition to the power for their future trial matches in China :)
jameswm
Roar Guru
He was still taking a drug for the purpose of enhancing performance. An artificial aid.
jameswm
Roar Guru
How do you know this happened? How do you know splashing him was his way of trying to say hello? How do you know what Hortton said in reply? If Yang took a drug that suppresses performance enhancers, sounds like he got off easy. I thought it was a stimulant. I know about the ban and what Mack said in the interview. I didn't know about the rest. But how do you k now what happened?
Kavvy
Guest
Haha fair shout (I'm victorian ), assuming you're a queenslander? The Sunshine State has been responsible for a lot of swimming gold over the years. Logical given the climate I guess. Maybe Hawthorn can give Mack one of those Category B "other sport" rookie contracts, reckon he'd be a handy tall defender ;)
ozziechch
Guest
he served his sentence. That's it. As for the British commentators cheering on Horton, i suppose that justifies everything.
ozziechch
Guest
Mad Max, speaking out against cheats right now seems to be the rage, and that's fine but it doesn't exactly take courage when everyone is saying it. Morals, decency and hard work is not restricted to Australians, sorry. The only thing people is going to remember from Mack's behaviour is that of bad sportsmanship - Mack joins the like of the tennis brats we have representing us. Sorry, but I think we ozzies think too highly of ourselves.
ozziechch
Guest
Yang got caught in May 2014 - that's more than 2 years ago.
Common sense Fan
Guest
So the drug cheat would be claiming the moral high ground? Confused.
punter
Guest
Yang should not have been swimming in RIO full stop!!!! Hearing that the British swimming commentators also was cheering for Horton!!!