She scooped the medal pool in Tokyo last year. Is Emma McKeon now set to be our golden girl in Birmingham?
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The Wollongong swimmer will headline a strong contingent of Australian representatives heading to the UK for the Commonwealth Games, which kick off on July 28. In total, 435 athletes are set to wear the green and gold, which is the country's second biggest team at a Comm Games (473 athletes in 2018).
All eyes will be on McKeon, who created history with her seven-medal haul at last year's Olympic Games. It was a near flawless campaign in Tokyo, with the star winning four golds (100-metre freestyle, 4x100m freestyle relay, 4x100 medley relay and 50m freestyle) and three bronze medals (mixed 400x100m medley relay, 100m butterfly and 4x200m freestyle relay).
The haul made her McKeon the second person of any nationality to win seven medals at a Games, after Soviet gymnast Maria Gorokhovskaya achieved the feat in 1952.
The 28-year-old can now make more history in 2022. McKeon is an eight-time Commonwealth Games gold medallist, after winning four apiece at Glasgow in 2014 and Gold Coast in 2018, and is within striking distance of Madame Butterfly Susie O'Neill's Australian record of 10 Comm Games gold medals.
McKeon is set to have four shots at gold in Birmingham. She will look to defend her 2018 title in the 100m butterfly, and will also be among the favourites in the 50m, 100m and 200m freestyle.
The Illawarra talent has taken a different road to this year's Games. After her Tokyo campaign, McKeon spent three months competing overseas, before returning home to take three months off.
McKeon returned to training in March, but bypassed the Australian Championships after Swimming Australia offered all individual Tokyo Olympics medallists automatic selection for the Commonwealth Games team.
In May, McKeon told the Mercury that she felt refreshed and ready for Birmingham.
"It was really hard getting back into it," she said. "I didn't have routine for three months, so it was hard getting back into the grind and getting that fitness back.
"It's taken time, but I'm at a level now where I'm happy with my progress. My coach [Michael Bohl] is pretty confident I'll be ready for the Commonwealth Games, he knows what he's doing. We're doing everything with Paris [2024 Olympics] in mind, so I think I'll be ready to go at the Commonwealth Games."
It's taken time, but I'm at a level now where I'm happy with my progress... I think I'll be ready to go at the Commonwealth Games.
- - Emma McKeon
However, McKeon isn't the only athlete flying the local flag in the UK. Close to a dozen Illawarra representatives will compete at the Games, including Flynn Ogilvie.
Ogilvie was part of the Kookaburras side who claimed gold on the Gold Coast four years ago. This time around, he will be joined by good mate and fellow local Blake Govers, who missed their 2018 campaign due to a broken hand.
The Kookaburras capped an unbeaten 2018 Games by claiming a 2-0 victory over New Zealand in the gold medal match, which was a moment that Ogilvie will never forget.
"It was my first major tournament for the Kookaburras, so it was great to win the Comm Games. To do it in front of family and friends was even better, so it was nice to do it at home and celebrate with them. Usually we're just celebrating as a small team," Ogilvie told the Mercury last week.
"We played well and it was also Mark Knowles' last tournament for the Kookaburras, so we got to send him off on a high as well."
Ogilvie knows the Aussies face a fierce challenge to win gold again in Birmingham. The likes of India, England and New Zealand loom large, but the the 28-year-old says they need to respect every opponent.
"I think we're always seen as medal contenders, which puts pressure on us as a team. We see ourselves as one of the best teams going," Ogilvie said.
"There's always challenges from India, England and New Zealand, but there's also some other wildcards that we haven't played for a long time, so we need to do our preparation and be ready for whoever we come up against."
While McKeon and Ogilvie gear up for another campaign, the majority of Illawarra athletes will be making their Commonwealth Games debut.
Among that group is Albion Park's Jessica Hull, who competed at her first Olympics last year. The 25-year-old has taken her performances to another level in 2022, setting two record-breaking runs.
Earlier this month, Hull became the fastest Australian women over a mile in a race in Oregon, Portland, finishing in 4:19.89. That result came on the back of her breaking the Australian indoor mile record in February, clocking 4:24.06 in the Women's Wanamaker Mile in New York.
in March, Hull said she was determined to finish on the podium in Birmingham.
"At the Commonwealth Games there's a chance to have two Australian medallists if you look at Linden Hall and my rankings," she said. "It could be a big day for Australian women's 1500m running."
Triathlete Charlotte McShane compete at her second Comm Games, after finishing 11th in her event four years ago.
Illawarra athletes ready to make their Games debut include Corey Wedlock (lawn bowls); Abigail Paduch and Tinka Easton (both judo); Jonathan Goerlach (Para-Triathlete); and Grace Stewart (hockey), who received a late call-up earlier this week.
- Is there a local athlete that we've missed? Please email josh.bartlett@austcommunitymedia.com.au.
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