Kyle Chalmers rescues Australia’s 4x200m relay team for a bronze medal but his freakish performance wasn’t enough to beat the Brits
Australia’s freestyle relay team has stormed to an Olympic finish with a bronze medal under their belt, with powerhouse Kyle Chambers unable to beat out the British squad.
Following behind Great Britain was the Russian Olympic Committee with Australia trailing third.
Aussies Kyle Chalmers, Alexander Graham, Zac Incerti and Thomas Neil will now all take home bronze medals after battling it out in the 4x200m freestyle relay.
Chalmers who is the reigning Olympic 100m freestyle champ swam second in the relay and gained an extraordinary leg up on the other competitors.
After Graham touched in seventh, Chalmers powered into third at the halfway stage.
Australia’s freestyle relay team has stormed to an Olympic finish with a bronze medal under their belt, with powerhouse Kyle Chambers unable to beat out the British squad
Incerti then held ground in a pack trailing well behind the Brits, with Australia fourth when Olympic debutant Neill entered for the last leg.
The 19-year-old then produced a class swim under pressure.
Neill clocked the fast split of all the Australians to not only hold off the United States for the bronze medal, but almost pinch silver from the Russians.
Great Britain won in six minutes 58.58 seconds followed by the Russians (7:01.81) just ahead of Australia (7:01.84).
Australia’s swimmers have now won four gold medals, one silver and four bronze at the Tokyo pool.
Speaking after the race, Graham – who is also debuting – said he couldn’t believe he was walking away with a bronze medal.
‘We always knew it was going to be a tight race. To come away with a medal is pretty special,’ he said.
Neil admitted he was ‘quite nervous’ going into the race as the anchor while also giving a nod to a former NRL star.
‘A bronze medal at the Olympics – as Matty Johns said in Newcastle back in 1997, better than Lego,’ he said.
More to come.
Advertisement