AFP, Tokyo :
Caeleb Dressel banked two more titles to end his Tokyo campaign with five gold medals on Sunday, as Australia’s Emma McKeon became the first female swimmer to win seven medals at a single Olympics.
The American machine earned the title of world’s fastest swimmer with a lightning 21.07 seconds in the 50m freestyle before helping the US men shatter their own world record in the 4x100m medley relay.
“I’m proud of myself, I think I reached what my potential was here at these Games and it was just really fun racing,” said Dressel.
The unassuming McKeon was just as impressive, blasting through the 50m in 23.81 to win then spearheading Australia to the women’s medley relay honours on the final day of action.
It boosted her medal tally to seven — four gold and three bronze — surpassing the six won by East German Kristin Otto (1952) and American Natalie Coughlin (2008).
McKeon also matched the record for the most decorated female athlete at a single Games ever, tied with Russian gymnast Maria Gorokhovskaya (1952).
McKeon snared gold in the 50m and 100m freestyle, 4x100m relay and the medley, along with bronze in the 100m butterfly and two further relays.
“It’s very surreal now it’s over. It all went by very quickly and I’m very happy with how the meet went,” she said.
“I look at the athletes that have gone before me and have been so impressed and inspired by what they’ve done but I’ve never been into the stats and medal counts.
“But to be in that kind of company, it’s an honour and I know I’ve worked hard for it.”
Like McKeon, Dressel took out the 50-100 free double, but also powered to the 100m butterfly title in world-record time, while adding 4x100m free and medley relay to thrust himself into rarified company.
He joins Americans Michael Phelps, Mark Spitz and Matt Biondi, and Otto, as the only swimmers to win five or more golds in one Games.
