Jaw-dropping photo of Aussie pool queens’ dominance as they smash world record at Commonwealth Games

It has been a long time coming, but the Australian women are the world’s best in the pool once more after smashing the world record in the 200m freestyle relay at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games.

Even though top-flight nations like China and the United States were not present, there was no questioning the dominant nature of this swim.

Ariarne Titmus claimed a personal world record in the anchor leg with a lightning-fast split of 1:52.82 seconds, with the overall world record shattered by the quartet of Titmus, Madi Wilson, Mollie O’Callaghan and Kiah Melverton. 

The image that shows how dominant Titmus’ anchor leg was in the women’s 200m freestyle relay at the Birmingham Commonwealth Games, leaving her Canadian rival in her wake

The effort from Titmus race meant the team sliced more than a second off the previous world record [7:40.33] set by China at last year’s Tokyo Olympics.  

Amazingly, Australia was afforded the luxury of resting champion swimmer Emma McKeon for the relay.

The win comes after a disappointing third place finish at last year’s Tokyo Olympics when the team were hot favourites for victory. 

Titmus was also missing due to Covid for the recent world championships where the Australian team finished behind the United States team to claim silver. 

This time around, everything fell into place beautifully.

Wilson, O’Callaghan and Melverton cheer Titmus home, the girls celebrate and on the podium with their gold medals after the world record swim in the 200m freestyle relay

In a stunning admission, she said she felt ‘slow’ in her world-record swim at Birmingham.  

‘I’m really happy to be able to perform for the girls,’ Titmus said afterwards. 

‘I mean, in the past couple of relays I have done I feel like I haven’t really performed my role as well as would have liked.

‘I was disappointed last year at the Olympics, so I’m glad that I could do my job for the team.’

 ‘I actually felt like I was going a bit slow. On the way back. I’m passing the other girls. I felt a bit of a wash and I didn’t really know how fast I was going. But I the crowd definitely helped.’

After the midway point of the Birmingham meet, Australia’s swim team have 11 golds, nine silver and 12 bronze.

McKeon has been the spearhead of the team and swam from greatness to legend in Birmingham on Sunday night, capturing her 11th overall Commonwealth Games gold medal – a record no other Australian swimmer has ever achieved.

Titmus praised McKeon for her efforts in the pool and around the team, dubbing her the ‘smiling assasin’.

‘She’s probably the most humble athlete around,’ Titmus said.

‘She’s so understated and just goes about her business … she’s a silent assassin, she goes out there and does her job.’

McKeon’s efforts in Birmingham mean she has eclipsed the previous record for most Commonwealth golds – 10 – set by Australian swimmers Susie O’Neill, Ian Thorpe and Leisel Jones.

‘It’s really nice to be mentioned alongside some of those names and I will be part of that history for years to come, hopefully,’ McKeon said.

McKeon has now won 11 Commonwealth Games gold medals, putting her ahead of legends of the sport including Susie O’Neill, Ian Thorpe and Leisel Jones

Zac Stubblety-Cook [men’s 100m breaststroke], Meg Harris [women’s 50m freestyle] Jenna Strauch [women’s 200m breaststroke] and Tim Hodge [men’s 100m breaststroke S8] secured silvers.

Shayna Jack [women’s 50m freestyle], Blake Cochrane [men’s 100m breaststroke S8) and Sam Williamson [men’s 100m breaststroke] bagged bronzes.

And Kyle Chalmers, after saying in the morning he felt like flying home amid dry-land controversy, figuratively flew home in the men’s 100m semi-finals.

McKeon celebrates after winning gold in the women’s 50m freestyle final with bronze medalist, Shayna Jack at the  Birmingham Commonwealth Games at Sandwell Aquatics Centre

After blasting false reporting of a supposed love triangle involving his ex-partner McKeon and her new flame Cody Simpson, Chalmers clocked the second-fastest 100m free time this year to be quickest into Monday’s final.

Like Chalmers, McKeon also shut out the media storm in an Australian sweep in her milestone medal race with Harris and Jack.

‘It is special,’ McKeon said.

‘It makes me reflect on the last eight years since my first Commonwealth Games.

‘I can see how far I’ve come as a person and an athlete.’