With four medals from Rio, the Illawarra talent needs to claim another six in Tokyo to become the country's most successful Olympian.

It will be no easy task, but with a program of up to seven events, the 27-year-old is well and truly in the mix.

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Should she win six medals, McKeon will also become Australia's most successful athlete at a single Games.

Thorpe currently holds both records, claiming five medals in Sydney and four in Athens. Also with nine medals to her name is Jones, while Shane Gould claimed five at the 1972 Munich Games.

McKeon is set to contest three individual events and four relays in Tokyo.

While she's won multiple World Championships and Commonwealth Games medals, the Olympics are on another level.

It is here that McKeon has the chance to etch her name into Australian folklore.

"It's the biggest event on the planet, everyone watches the Olympics," older brother David McKeon said.

"Commonwealth Games are a great event, but it's not every country, the Olympics are on another level.

"Four years of training comes down to that one moment in time; you're racing the best athletes in that event for the past decade."

McKeon enters the Games as the No.1-ranked female in the 50 metres freestyle and 100m freestyle and is fourth in the 100m butterfly.

She is also set to contest the 4x100m freestyle, 4x200m freestyle, 4x100m medley and 4x100m mixed medley relays throughout the week.

Australia are defending Olympic champions in the first of those events and world champions in the mixed relay.

A potential conflict may arise during competition, with the mixed medley relay final to commence just 11 minutes after the 50m freestyle semi-finals.

McKeon swam the butterfly leg during the 2019 World Championships, but Australia has a range of alternate options.

The 27-year-old's campaign commences on Saturday night with the 100 butterfly heats, before semi-finals and the 4x100m freestyle relay final on Sunday morning.

McKeon won gold in the relay in Rio before she finished a disappointing sixth in the 100m butterfly.

She hit back two days later to claim bronze in the 200m freestyle, then won another two relay silvers.

David was there for the emotional rollercoaster in 2016 and feels that experience will serve his sister well throughout next week.

"That experience, being able to turn disappointment into success two days later, that's a big growing experience for her,'' he said.

"That might have been what's helped her along these last few years. She's been successful at World Championships, her consistency in the 100 fly has gotten so much better.

"Emma has got a lot stronger and that's helped her get a lot better at the sprint events. She's ranked No.1 in the world and right up there competing."

Emma McKeon

Women's 100m butterfly heats Saturday 8.28pm

Women's 4x100m freestyle relay heats Saturday 10.15pm

Women's 100m butterfly semi-finals Sunday 11.40am

Women's 4x100m freestyle relay final Sunday 12.45pm