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How Aussie swimming soared after darkest moment

Nine years ago, Australian swimming was in a dark space.

The team collected just a single gold medal at the London Olympics in 2012 and out of the pool the situation was even worse, amid revelations of a bonding session that involved squad members taking the sleeping drug Stilnox.

It was a sharp fall from grace for a squad that just over a decade earlier had provided so many magic moments at the Sydney Games.

Fast forward to 2021, and the Australian public is once again in love with its swimming team. Nine gold medals – second only to the United States – and most importantly, a cast of characters that are so easy to like.

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Kieren Perkins celebrates victory in the 1500m freestyle at the Atlanta Olympics. (Fairfax Media/Tim Clayton)

Kieren Perkins, who stepped into the role of president of Swimming Australia last year, says the turnaround since London has been astonishing.

“The amount of work that’s been done by athletes, coaches and those in administration since London is absolutely extraordinary,” he told Wide World of Sports.

“You put in the time and effort, you focus on culture and leadership, and it’s remarkable what can be created from that.

“The credit goes to everyone, I’ve been fortunate enough to step into the role in the last year, but I tip my cap to those who came before me, they’ve done an extraordinary job.”

Gold medalist Emma McKeon of Team Australia poses during the medal ceremony for the Women’s 50m Freestyle Final. (Getty)

The lead-up to the Tokyo Games had been overshadowed by claims from Maddy Groves that the sport was awash with “misogynistic perverts”.

But Perkins points to Emily Seebohm’s not-so-subtle hint that she may target a fifth Olympic Games in Paris as evidence that the sport doesn’t have widespread cultural issues.

The three-time gold medallist wrote on Instagram that she was “like a fine wine getting better with age” and then made reference to competing in 2024.

“What’s another three years?” the 29-year-old asked.

Perkins says those comments are revealing.

“There’s no doubt that it’s a beautiful point that shows that, broadly, swimming’s in a great place at the moment,” he said.

“That doesn’t mean that we’re perfect, it doesn’t mean there’s not challenges, but to suggest that there’s some kind of deep, endemic issue is miles away from the mark.

“When Emily suggested that it’s only three years to Paris, you don’t opt-in to a conversation about continuing on if it’s not an environment that you’re proud of and want to be a part of.”

Gold medalist Kaylee McKeown of Team Australia (L) and bronze medalist Emily Seebohm pose on the podium. (Getty)

There was hardly a dry eye as Kaylee McKeown gestured for Seebohm to join her on the top step of the podium after the 200m backstroke. Along with Cate Campbell’s celebrations when Emma McKeon won the 100m freestyle, it was a clear example of how tight-knit the current group is, revelling in each other’s success.

“One of the things that has been a real fixture of the current group is just how much they respect each other and the trust they place in each other,” Perkins said.

“When you see things like that, moments where the more experienced athletes are being embraced by the younger generation, you know you’ve got an environment that’s really supporting the group to produce their best.

“That was a very visible example with Kaylee and Emily. The other was Emma and Cate, Cate celebrated Emma’s win probably more energetically than Emma did!

“I defy anyone to suggest there’s a cultural issue in swimming at the moment.”

Emma McKeon of Team Australia (L) celebrates with Cate Campbellafter winning the gold medal and breaking the Olympic record in the Womens 50m Freestyle Final. (Getty)

The gold rush in the pool has come at a time when many Australians are in lockdown, as frustration grows over the handling of the pandemic in this country.

To that end, the diversion of the last week has been welcomed by many.

“I truly hope so. I know for me, with my friends, the dialogue has been so much more positive and energised by the performances in Tokyo,” Perkins said.

“Going beyond the swimming, seeing Jess Fox win her gold medal, there’s so many other great performances and all of a sudden people are talking about positive things, the amazing role models that our athletes are and what great representatives they are of our country.

“We need it, we have spent the last 18 months focused on what has been a horrible thing and so it’s extraordinary to be reminded of humans that are doing wonderful, positive things.

“The challenges we’ve all had, it quite rightly created anxiousness about the appropriateness of holding the Olympics, but this proves why it was the right thing to do. It gave people the opportunity to watch an event that reminds us of the best of ourselves and to see some amazing role models perform to their best.”

Ariarne Titmus of Team Australia reacts after winning the gold medal in the Women’s 200m Freestyle. (Getty)

Perkins pointed out that those aged 10-15 at the moment will form the nucleus of the Australian team that competes in Brisbane in 2032, hopefully inspired by the performances they’re seeing from Tokyo.

The 1992 and 1996 gold medallist said the immediate challenge is maintaining the momentum from Tokyo through to Paris in 2024 and then beyond, but noted that Australia has never been short of talent.

What was noticeable in Tokyo was the relative lack of success for the male swimmers, with only Zac Stubblety-Cook winning an individual gold medal. But according to Perkins, that’s not a major concern.

“The boys certainly had a more challenging meet but there was still plenty to celebrate,” he said.

“Zac was extraordinary and I think Kyle Chalmers had multiple swims that only cemented his name into the folklore of our sport. Winning silver in the 100m was an outstanding swim for a guy who had shoulder surgery seven months ago.

“There’s no doubt we didn’t quite achieve what we hoped but there’s no reason to hang your head. Sometimes you come up against a group that’s better.”

Izaac Stubblety-Cook of Team Australia reacts after winning the gold medal in the Men’s 200m Breaststroke Final. (Getty)

One who certainly had no reason to hang her head was Ariarne Titmus, whose battle with American superstar Katie Ledecky will be long remembered.

Ultimately, the pair split the spoils and the mutual respect was clear.

“One of the things you’re always conscious of is the custodianship of the sport and the legacy that each generation has,” Perkins said.

“Ariarne is just another example of such great values and leadership within the team. To see that respect between the greatest of all-time, and someone who is slowly but surely etching her name as a candidate for that title, is fantastic.

“It’s a credit to Ariarne and those around her, as well as Katie Ledecky and the American program, that they can step away from the intensity of battle and still have that respect for each other’s achievements.”

Ariarne Titmus and Katie Ledeckyreact after competing in the Women’s 400m Freestyle Final on day three of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. (Getty)

Emma McKeon’s seven medals – four of them gold – make her the most decorated Olympic swimmer in this nation’s proud history, above legends such as Ian Thorpe, Dawn Fraser and Leisel Jones.

Describing the size of her program as “extraordinary”, Perkins says the team knew after the trials that the potential for such a haul was there, given her form coming into Tokyo.

“You never count your chickens before they hatch, especially at an Olympic Games, because every other nation is trying just as hard,” he said.

“In so many ways, what has been extraordinary is the number of athletes who reached their potential and delivered us so much success.

“Emma is now our most successful Olympic swimmer in history and that’s something she’s likely to hold on to for quite some time.”

Emma McKeon, Kaylee McKeown and Chelsea Hodges celebrate Australia’s ninth swimming gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics, in the 4x100m medley relay. (Getty)

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