She swept past her star teammate, then insisted she join her on top of the podium.
From the race of the century to the grace of the Games.
The nervous but victorious apprentice Mollie O’Callaghan ushering the vanquished master Ariarne Titmus on to the top tier of the podium.
An Advance Australia fair duet after a powerful one-two Paris punch. Faster. Higher. Stronger. Together.
They had different grades of precious metal draped around their necks, but Mollie and Arnie served up a French feast with an entree of nerves, a main course of power and a dessert of class. Titmus embraced O’Callaghan over the lane rope at the end of the 200m freestyle and then sobbed on the pool deck of the La Defense Arena.
“These are happy tears, honestly. I don’t know. It’s really hard to hold your emotions in these situations,” Titmus said.
“I know what it’s like to be Olympic champion. I’m honestly happy for her. And I’m really happy to be on the podium.”
O’Callaghan’s career-defining 200m freestyle victory over Dolphins teammate and training partner Titmus was her first individual gold to add to three from relays — two in Tokyo and the 4x100m freestyle in Paris on Saturday night.
Only eight weeks ago, she was in tears when Titmus took her world record off her at the trials and two months later she battled the same nerves on the starter’s blocks.
“I was so nervous, you know, I just kind of thought in my head … there’s nothing to lose here,” O’Callaghan said. “I can do the best that I can and leave it all on the floor.”
And then a post-race nod to Titmus. “She races like an absolute beast and it’s an honour to train alongside her,” O’Callaghan said. “She deserves so much. It’s incredible, this is her second medal and it’s day three (at the Olympics). Like, come on, that’s amazing.”
Titmus dived badly and was fourth after the first lap, but summoned her inner-beast to move back into second position and remained that way until her final touch in 1:53.81.
Hong Kong swimmer Siobhan Haughey was in front at the final turn, O’Callaghan third after nudging back from fifth at the midpoint. The 20-year-old then mowed Haughey and Titmus down, pulling away from her teammate over the last 25 metres and powering to the wall in 1:53.27. Along with the gold, she took Titmus’ Olympic record in what is regarded as a slow pool.
They became the first Australian swimmers to secure gold and silver since Ian Thorpe and Grant Hackett in the 400m freestyle in Athens 20 years ago, and the first women since Susie O’Neill and Petria Thomas in the women’s 200m butterfly in Atlanta in 1996. Titmus was a few strokes short of defending her 200m-400m Tokyo freestyle double.
She got half of it, but has already matched Thorpe — two gold medals in the 400m as well as a gold and silver in the 200m.
She still has the 800m freestyle to come — she took silver in Tokyo — although the giant shadow of distance specialist Katie Ledecky again looms. They will swim together in heat two on Friday night. Ledecky is gunning for a fourth Olympic 800m title in a row.
There is also the 4x200m freestyle relay, in which she’ll join forces with O’Callaghan, and it would be brave to bet against Australian gold.
O’Callaghan says she is far from satisfied, with the 100m freestyle final to come along with the relay.
“I’ve got to stay steady and calm,” O’Callaghan said. “I have got the 100 free tomorrow so I have got to keep collected. I’ve got so much more to go.”
Amazingly, the pair train at the same Queensland swim club under coach Dean Boxall, renowned for his poolside histrionics in Tokyo but a little more reserved in Paris, who hatched plans for both swimmers to beat the other and then watched the drama unfold.
One moment he was having a consoling chat with Titmus on the pool deck and then next, fist pumping with O’Callaghan. It’s one of the great juggling acts, prepping O’Callaghan on how to beat his aquatic creation and vice versa.“To manage this and have the two fastest girls in the world is a credit to him,” Titmus said. “It’s not just us. Opening night (in Paris) he contributed to every medal that we won as a coach. I just feel very blessed to have him in our corner.”
O’Callaghan dedicated her gold to Boxall, her family — and every Australian.
“This medal is for my support team, my coach, my family — it’s not just for me,” she said.
“There was a whole village behind me getting me to this point so I’m very thankful to have them.”
Moesha Johnson made up for Lani Pallister being forced to withdraw with COVID from the 1500-metre freestyle, qualifying fifth fastest for the final.
These are happy tears, honestly. I don’t know. It’s really hard to hold your emotions in these situations.
Ariarne Titmus
