Australia’s Kaylee McKeown, whose father Sholto died of brain cancer a year ago, won Australia’s third gold medal of the Tokyo Olympics, surging home over the final stages and dropping an F-bomb on live TV in the aftermath.
If overcoming the loss of her father at 19 to come home strong and win a hotly contested final doesn’t give her a place in folklore, her reaction surely will.
A shocked McKeown, who blew a kiss to her late dad after the race, swore on Channel Seven after the race, as the magnitude of her win sunk in, when she was asked what her message was to her mum Sharon and sister Taylor watching back home.
McKewon swims with a tattoo on her foot reading “I will always be with you” and her mum Sharon told her via Channel Seven “your daddy would be so proud.”
“It’s been pretty tough but Kaylee had been able to focus and fly under the radar,” said Sharon.
“She always knows dad is watching her. Swearing on TV. I’ll have a word to her later.”
Kaylee said later that she knew her das was with her every step of her journey.
“I know he would be very proud,” she said. “Everyone has their own story and I’ve used mine as a fire within my belly.”
Emily Seebohm finished seventh in the race, leading 7 host Jo Griggs to suggest: “It’s the first time we’ve had a Seebohm and an f-bomb in the same race.”
McKeown joins 400m freestyle gold medallist Ariarne Titmus and the women’s 4x100m freestyle team as gold medallists at the meet.
The f-bomb means Aussie swim team members will go viral for a second straight day, after coach Dean Boxall’s incredible reaction to Titmus’ win on Monday.
Kaylee’s sister Taylor, a relay silver medallist at Rio 2016, was in tears.
“That is so amazing I don’t even have words. I can’t talk, I literally can’t talk, I’m so happy for her,” said Taylor.
“She just looked so beautiful on TV as well and did it with such grace.”
FOLLOW THE SESSION LIVE IN THE COMMENTS FIELD BELOW
Mitch Larkin finished seventh in his 100m backstorke final, while Ariarne Titmus qualified fastest through the 200m freestyle semis, with Katie Ledecky third.
Order of events
11:30: Women’s 200m Freestyle Semifinals
11:43: Men’s 200m Freestyle Final
11:51: Women’s 100m Backstroke Final
11:59: Men’s 100m Backstroke Final
12:17: Women’s 100m Breaststroke Final
12:35: Men’s 200m Butterfly Semifinals
12:58: Women’s 200m Individual Medley Semifinals
Doc Disnick
Roar Guru
https://7plus.com.au/live-tv
Christo the Daddyo
Roar Rookie
"Emily Seebohm finished seventh in the race, leading 7 host Jo Griggs to suggest: “It’s the first time we’ve had a Seebohm and an f-bomb in the same race.”" LOL
Ruairidh MacDonald
Roar Rookie
What's the best place to watch highlights and live stuff? Struggling to find a reliable website
Tony Harper
Editor
Massive shock in the Women's 100m Breaststroke Final with Amercian Lilly King beaten a 17-year-old teammate Lydia Jacoby, the first Alaskan born gold medallist, whose parents are boat captains.
JGK
Roar Guru
Geez, if we had a decent breastroker we'd be certs for the 4x00m medley.
jameswm
Roar Guru
Another classic Aussie celebration. F yeah!
jameswm
Roar Guru
Yeah consistently. Emma McK was the same in the 100 free relay.
Rusty Brooks
Roar Rookie
Good thing Emily didn’t drop a c-bomb.
Tony Harper
Editor
Tony Harper
Editor
Superb final, with Larkin in 7th. Evgeny Rylov has taken the gold.
Tony Harper
Editor
Mitch Larkin off now a little slow off the blocks in his final.
Chris Lewis
Roar Guru
Well done McKeown
Tony Harper
Editor
And McKeown just dropped the f-bomb on live TV when asked by channel seven what her message was.
Tony Harper
Editor
'It's something I've always dream of to make it reality is really amazing," said McKeown, who lost her father to cancer last year.
Once Upon a Time on the Roar
Roar Guru
This is the starting instructions at covid era Olympics: Take your masks ... Get set ... Go!!!!
Tony Harper
Editor
Seebohm was fifth while Masse and Smith went two and three. McKeown's time was 57.47.
djdart
Roar Rookie
Our girls are so strong the backend of races, we come home like a train, Go Girls !!!
Tony Harper
Editor
"It just goes to show the strength of her over the last 25 metres. If you want to see a race beautifully executed that's how yu do it," sais Leisel Jones.
Tony Harper
Editor
She was in third at the halfway mark but stormed home over the final 25 metres.
Tony Harper
Editor
GOLD FOR MCKEOWN