CANBERRA, July 31 (Xinhua) -- Australia has equaled its best-ever swimming medal tally at an away Olympics.
Kaylee McKeown won her second gold medal at the Tokyo Games in the women's 200m backstroke final on Saturday morning, making her the first Australian to ever win both the 100m and 200m in this discipline at the one Olympics.
It was Australia's seventh swimming gold in Tokyo, equalling Athens 2004 as the country's best overseas games in the pool.
Australia's swimmers will have a chance to equal the eight gold medals won by the country in the pool in Melbourne in 1956, with the women's 50m freestyle and women's 4x100m medley relay finals to be staged on Sunday.
McKeown, the world record holder in the 100m backstroke, was second at the final turn of Saturday's finals but swam the final 50m in a field-best 31.08 seconds to beat Canada's Kylie Masse. Fellow Australian Emily Seebohm came third.
"The (200m) is supposed to be my dominant event so to come away with another gold is really exciting. I knew I had it deep in me and I think the whole Australian team did as well," said the 20-year-old McKeown, according to The Australian.
Seebohm, 29, broke down in tears after the race, saying she was "shocked" to win her sixth Olympic medal at her fourth Games in the 200 backstroke.
"The team has done so well and it's an absolute dream on this team and I'm so grateful for all the times I've been on the Australian swim team," she told host broadcaster Channel Seven.
Later on Saturday Australian freestyle prodigy Ariarne Titmus won her fourth medal of the Tokyo Games, including two individual gold medals in the 200m and 400m freestyle, came second behind Kathleen Ledecky in the 800m freestyle final.
Australia won a bronze in the mixed 4x100m medley relay behind Britain and China. Enditem
