W4x200Free: O'Callaghan Matches Thorpe Tally On Latest Dolphins Triumph
Without the profanities, I was pretty much was saying to Mollie ‘Do you know who you are?’ And I think when you’ve had the former world record, and you’ve won the world championship the day before going in. Even in my mind, as soon as Mollie dives in, I know we’ve won it" - Lani Pallister
Mollie O'Callghan, 21, has equalled Ian Thorpe's Australian tally of 11 world championship golds after anchoring the women to victory in the 4x200m freestyle relay at the global; showcase this evening in Singapore.
No slight intended to O'Callaghan, who fended off Katie Ledecky on the last leg of a burning battle with the United States, but the Thorpe record is caught under particular circumstances: this is the third championship in the past four years - and that timeframe has featured an annual global long-course showdown.
The reason for the departure from what has been a standard pattern of a World l/c meet every two years since 2001, is "Covid catch-up contracts". The statistics of the sport have been buffeted by the pandemic and governance decisions that have required a whole new layer of asterisks to be added to the swimming history book.
O’Callaghan could add a 12th gold tomorrow evening in the final of the 100m freestyle after qualifying fastest. She said of her double: “It was pretty rough backing it up ... (but) it’s a dream to be part of this team.”
Victory for O’Callaghan, Lani Pallister, Jamie Perkins and Brittany Castelluzzo marked Australia’s third relay gold in Singapore.
The silver went to the United States, the bronze to China, which meant a medal for 12-year-old Yu Zidi, the first under-14 to race at, and win a medal at, the World Aquatics showcase championships.
The final:
