Mollie O’Callaghan demonstrated her remarkable class both in and out of the pool when she extended a heartfelt gesture to her friend Ariarne Titmus after claiming the gold medal in the women’s 200m freestyle in Paris.
The 20-year-old swimmer interrupted Titmus’ pursuit of becoming the only athlete to defend Olympic titles in both the 200m and 400m freestyles – noting that she wasn’t swimming solely for her own success on Tuesday morning.
After an exhilarating race where O’Callaghan darted to an early lead and made a fierce push during the final lap to set a new Olympic record, the two swimmers embraced while still in the water.
When it was time to receive their medals, O’Callaghan invited Titmus to join her on the podium, where they shared a warm hug while the national anthem played.
Moments after the race, O’Callaghan’s mother Toni shared a surprising detail about her conversation with her daughter during their embrace.
‘I just told her how proud I am of her. I haven’t spoken to her in weeks as I’ve allowed her to enjoy her happiness and focus on her training,’ she stated.
During her interview, O’Callaghan became emotional as she reflected on her parents’ significance in her life.
‘Seeing my mum and dad, it kinda struck a chord with me,’ she admitted.
Mollie O’Callaghan broke down in sobs as she talked about what her parents mean to her after taking gold – just after her mum revealed they haven’t spoken in weeks
‘I primarily swim for them; they’ve invested immense time and commitment into my swimming and upbringing, so I wouldn’t be where I am without them.’
‘I probably shouldn’t be crying right now since this isn’t the end of the meet, but I’m incredibly grateful to have them by my side.’
Discussing her race against her friend and rival, she said, ‘It’s such a privilege… Arnie is remarkable.’
‘She competes fiercely, and it’s a privilege to train alongside her and have such a supportive team.’
‘That was an extraordinary race… I did it for my country; it wasn’t just for myself.’
When asked how she overcame being edged out by Titmus at the Australian trials last month, where Titmus broke the world record, O’Callaghan revealed she used that experience as motivation.
O’Callaghan invited her friend and training partner Titmus onto the top of the podium in a classy gesture after winning gold in the 200m freestyle
Titmus was over the moon for her fellow Aussie, who said after the race that she used the pressure of beating the world record holder as fuel to overcome her nerves
The two fastest women in the world are pictured saluting the crowd after the race
‘You’ve got to face the challenge… it’s either run away or confront it. I choose to confront.
‘I’m always aiming for more, and I place a lot of pressure on myself. My standards are very high.
‘I’m constantly seeking that little extra. To be honest, I raced for my country, not just for myself. I’m competing for all these people.’
O’Callaghan finished the final event at the Paris La Defense Arena in a time of one minute 53.27 seconds, while Titmus earned the silver medal with a time of 1:53.81.
This victory marks O’Callaghan’s first individual Olympic gold medal, adding to her three relay golds – two from the Tokyo Games three years ago and one from the 4x100m freestyle in Paris on Saturday night.
O’Callaghan was in third place with 50 meters to go, but she surged to victory with a final lap that was 0.66 seconds faster than Titmus, who made the last turn in second place.
Her win brings Australia its fifth gold medal at the Paris Games, including three obtained in swimming events.
The win saw O’Callaghan avenge her loss to Titmus in last month’s Australian trials
The 20-year-old described racing against her arch-rival as ‘an honour’ – and there was no trace of disappointment on Titmus’s face as they embraced in the water just after the finish
O’Callaghan (pictured left, embracing Titmus) said she didn’t race for herself – instead dedicating her Olympic record win to all Australians
Meanwhile, Australia’s defending champion in the women’s 100m backstroke, Kaylee McKeown, qualified as the second-fastest in the semifinals.
McKeown, aiming to repeat her golden 100-200m backstroke double from the Tokyo Games three years ago, timed 57.99 seconds – just two hundredths of a second slower than her main competitor, American Regan Smith.
In the medal race on Tuesday night, the 18-year-old Olympic debutant Iona Anderson from the Dolphins will also compete, having qualified fourth with a time of 58.63 seconds.
Fellow Australian Ella Ramsey finished fifth in the women’s 400m individual medley final, which was won by Canada’s Summer McIntosh.
Additionally, compatriot Max Giuliani placed seventh in the men’s 200m freestyle final, which was taken by Romania’s David Popovici.
In other finals on Monday night that did not involve Australian competitors, Italy’s Thomas Ceccon clinched the men’s 100m backstroke, while South Africa’s Tatjana Smith secured the gold medal in the women’s 100m breaststroke.
