Another Golden Night For Australia Keeps United States Treading Medal Table Water

2023 WORLD AQUATICS CHAMPIONSHIPS

Day five of the 2023 World Championships donned yet another golden night for Australia, as Kyle Chalmers, Kaylee McKeown and their women’s 4x200m free relay all wound up on top of their respective podiums.

The night harkened back to day one of this competition, when the nation reaped an impressive four golds to start, establishing an unrelenting momentum, primarily on the women’s side of the house.

Although the United States carries the highest total of medals with 21, Australia’s monopoly on golds keeps the country at the top of the overall medal table. China is holding steady as the #2 nation while the United States must ask the question of how it can improve upon its 3 gold medals to bump itself out of its current third-place status.

Abbey Weitzeil and Kate Douglass both made the women’s 100m free final which takes place tomorrow night; however, they would need to put up the swims of their lives in order to grab the gold away from newly-minted 200m free World Record holder Mollie O’Callaghan, Australia’s winningest Olympian of all-time Emma McKeon and on-fire Dutch ace Marrit Steenbergen.

Douglass will have a tough double with the 200m breaststroke also on her Friday agenda, pairing her with teammate Lilly King. King uncharacteristically found herself off the podium in the 100m breast and will try to come back with a stronger performance to hold off former World Record holder Tatjana Schoenmaker of South Africa and rising Dutch star Tes Schouten.

Both Matt Fallon and Josh Matheny booked their tickets into tomorrow night’s 200m breaststroke final, although, Aussie Zac Stubblety-Cook already ripped a semi time of 2:07.27 to stake his claim on the event’s top prize.

The men’s 200m backstroke has American Ryan Murphy among its field, with the Olympic champion looking on form to potentially double up with gold from his earlier 100m back victory. He may represent the United States’ most probable gold medal chance for day six.

Swimming Medal Table Through Day 5

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peter robinson
11 months ago

Aussies should have won the W 200 IM as well. 10-2

Admin
Reply to  peter robinson
11 months ago

I don’t think it’s a guarantee that Kaylee would’ve won gold if she were in that final. She would have medaled, but it’s not a given that she would have won.

Just a guy
11 months ago

The uproar is hilarious.

The US still has the most medals by nearly 50%. Historically we’re always better on Olympics years.

People just want to be dramatic, I’ll never get it.

kevin
Reply to  Just a guy
11 months ago

Its all about the golds of course you have more medals your population is a 1000 times greater

AquaDuck
11 months ago

USA have to be one of the tactically most inept group of athletes in the World. Thankfully, they have enough eggs to smash against the wall…

Sly
11 months ago

Japan is not having a good week 😕

Sub13
11 months ago

I never dreamed I would see the day where Australia leads the tally with 9 golds. It’s insane. And 4/9 of them are world records.

We really have had almost every tossup fall our way with only Kaylee’s DQ and the 800 free going against us.

Despite the lead, USA still has more gold chances left than Australia does so it’s far from over.

Swim Alchemist
Reply to  Sub13
11 months ago

I’d be stunned if the USA ended up with as many golds as Australia at this point.

Oceanian
Reply to  Sub13
11 months ago

USA is bound to come back some but the Gold Rush (and even WR Rush) may not yet be over from Team Australia.

kevin
Reply to  Oceanian
11 months ago

Where is a world record coming from i cant see it

flicker
Reply to  kevin
11 months ago

mixed freestyle relay and w200 back have decent chances

chickenlamp
Reply to  Sub13
11 months ago

I think Australia has this wrapped up–should have at least three more gold going their way (W 200 back, M 200 breast, W 100 free). The USA will rebound a bit with 5 likely golds left (W 800, M 200 back, M 50 back, M and W medleys relays), but it will be hard for them to find 5 more on top of that.

Incredible swimming from AUS all around, both men and women! This is a special group they have.

Danjohnrob
Reply to  Sub13
11 months ago

As a US swim fan, I am nothing but impressed with these hard-working athletes from Australia! The US has their work cut out for them, but I can already see the signs that they are rising to the challenge; look at Weitzel, Smith, and the youngsters on the 4×200 relay! Australia has forced a change in what they think they can do and what they need to do to get there, which is what this sport is all about!

kevin
Reply to  Sub13
11 months ago

Dream on face it your getting your butts kicked

Sub13
Reply to  kevin
11 months ago

I’m Australian. How is my butt getting kicked? Lol

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Retta Race

Former Masters swimmer and coach Loretta (Retta) thrives on a non-stop but productive schedule. Nowadays, that includes having just earned her MBA while working full-time in IT while owning French 75 Boutique while also providing swimming insight for BBC.

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