Day five of Olympic swimming finals was another fantastic one for Australia, taking home three medals.
The headline of the day centred on the 100m freestyle, with Kyle Chalmers coming within 0.06 of defending his Rio Olympic title.
Here's three key takeaways from what transpired in Tokyo:
Australia misses the selection mark in 4x200 freestyle boiliver
It’s been a golden Olympics for Australia so far, but the first real disappointment in the pool came as the team of Ariarne Titmus, Emma McKeon, Madi Wilson and Leah Neale finished a surprise third in an event they were favoured to win gold.
Mollie O'Callaghan impressed in the heat but didn’t swim in the final, while curiously selectors opted to use now two-time Olympic gold medallist Titmus as the first swimmer in the relay.
Neale – who hadn’t swum at this meet before the final – was given the momentous responsibility of anchoring the final leg against Katie Ledecky.
China, USA and Australia all broke the previous world record in a stunning relay, but they’ll be questions raised about the thinking around their selection process in the days to come.
BRONZE FOR AUSTRALIA! 🥉
— SEN 1116 (@1116sen) July 29, 2021
China breaks the world record and wins the 4x200 freestyle in a big upset, Australia finishes in third behind the USA.#Tokyo2020 #Swimming pic.twitter.com/ZWJZwZuRLo
Blockbuster men’s 100m freestyle doesn’t disappoint
Caeleb Dressel versus Kyle Chalmers.
It was the duel that alongside Ariarne Titmus versus Katie Ledecky in the 400m freestyle was the most anticipated heading into this meet.
Much like the women’s 400m freestyle earlier in the week, the men’s 100m freestyle did not disappointment, with an Olympic record time needed to take the title off Chalmers, who stunned the world in this event five years ago.
Just 0.06 separated the two sprinters in the end – it was a race that won’t be forgotten in a while across both the US and Australia.
SILVER FOR AUSTRALIA! 🥈
— SEN 1116 (@1116sen) July 29, 2021
In a blockbuster showdown, Kyle Chalmers comes within 0.06 of defending his 100m freestyle title. American Caeleb Dressel wins it in an Olympic record time. #Tokyo2020 #Swimmingpic.twitter.com/j7Y34tnZXz
Stubblety-Cook continues Australia’s golden run
Zac Stubblety-Cook is now a household name after a perfect race strategy saw him win the 200m breastroke final.
The 22-year-old kept with the early challengers across the first 150 metres of the race, stunning the rest of the field with a breathtaking final 50 metres to break the Olympic record in a time of 2:06.38.
This perhaps wasn’t a gold medal that was being talked about heading in the Olympics. It would’ve been heartening to see Stubblety-Cook’s form in the trials last month hold at the pinnacle of the sport, especially considering this is his maiden Games.
AUSSIE GOLD! 🥇
— SEN 1116 (@1116sen) July 29, 2021
Zac Stubblety-Cook ROARS home in the final 50m to claim ANOTHER gold medal in the pool, this time in the 200m breaststroke. 🇦🇺 #Tokyo2020 #Swimming pic.twitter.com/ieLD393fBb