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Aussie swimmers break gold medal record

Australia's swim team has collected a record medal bounty at the Commonwealth Games after winning another eight gold medals on Tuesday night.

Australian swimmers won 73 medals - 28 gold, 21 silver and 24 bronze - at the Gold Coast Games after collecting eight of nine golds available on the final night of competition at the pool.

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The haul is Australian swimming's largest at a single Games, eclipsing the 57 medals taken from Glasgow four years ago.

And never before have Australian swimmers won so many golds at the one Games - the previous benchmark was 24 at Manchester in 2002 and the 1994 Victoria Games in Canada.

What an incredible effort. Image: Getty
What an incredible effort. Image: Getty

Mitch Larkin towels off with the most Gold Coast gold of any Australian swimmer - five.

He coolly secured two more on Tuesday night, in the 200m individual medley and 4x100 medley relay.

Larkin had already created history as the first swimmer to win every backstroke event - the 50m, 100m and 200m - at the same Games.

"Over the next couple of days I will take a moment to realise what a week it has been but it is incredible," Larkin said.

And Emma McKeon, who grabbed another gold on Tuesday night in the 4x100m medley relay, holds the biggest Aussie swag of swim medals - six (four golds and two bronzes)

"I don't really keep track to be honest ... I just race," McKeon said..

Tasmanian-raised 17-year-old Ariarne Titmus confirmed her status as the swim team's rising star by winning the 400m freestyle, adding to her 800m freestyle gold.

Titmus is the first female swimmer since compatriot Tracey Wickham at the 1982 Brisbane Games to achieve the golden 400-800 freestyle double.

"I thought I was going to be sick, I was so nervous," Titmus said.

Larkin's partner Emily Seebohm pocketed two more golds, in the 50m backstroke and medley relay, to complete her Gold Coast medal set - she also won 100m backstroke silver and 200m backstroke bronze.

"An amazing week," Seebohm said.

Brisbane's Jack McLoughlin triumphed in the 1500m freestyle before Australia's men's and women's 4x100m medley relay teams ended the Games with respective golds.

Para-swimmers Lakeisha Patterson (S8 50m freestyle) and Brenden Hall (S9 100m backstroke) also triumphed on Tuesday night, leaving Australia's swimming head coach Jacco Verhaeren rapt.

"It's fantastic," Verhaeren said.

"Our aim for this campaign was to make Australia proud, show what we are made of. And I think we succeeded in that.

"In doing that, you need performances. From what I can see the people love it and we love it too."

Australia's 4x100m medlay relay teams completed the incredible campaign by both snaring gold in the final 50m.

Remarkably, at least one Australian swam in each of the 50 medal races during the six-day pool program.

AUSTRALIA'S GOLD COAST GAMES AT A GLANCE

  • Most medals at single Games * 73 (28 gold, 21 silver, 24 bronze). Previous best: 57 at Glasgow, 2014

  • Most gold medals at single Games * 28. Previous best: 24 at Manchester, 2002 and Victoria B.C., 1994)

  • Most golds: 5 * Mitch Larkin

  • Most medals: 6 * Emma McKeon (four gold, two bronze)

  • World record: Women's 4x100m freestyle relay (three minutes 30.05 seconds)

AUSTRALIAN SWIMMING'S TOP COMMONWEALTH GAMES MEDAL HAULS

  • 2018 Gold Coast: 73 medals (28 gold, 21 silver, 24 bronze)

  • 2014 Glasgow: 57 medals (19 gold, 21 silver, 17 bronze)

  • 2010 Delhi: 54 medals (22 gold, 22 silver, 16 bronze)

  • 1990 Auckland: 52 medals (20 gold, 19 silver, 13 bronze)

  • 2006 Melbourne: 50 medals (16 gold, 18 silver, 16 bronze)

MOST AUSTRALIAN SWIMMING GOLDS AT A SINGLE GAMES

  • 28 golds: 2018 Gold Coast

  • 24 golds: 2002 Manchester, 1994 Victoria B.C.

  • 23 golds: 1998 Kuala Lumpur

  • 22 golds: 2010 Delhi

  • 20 golds: 1990 Auckland


with AAP