Fans erupt over Mollie O'Callaghan and Ariarne Titmus act on podium after Aussie Olympic triumph

Ariarne Titmus and Mollie O'Callaghan have been praised for their brilliant acts of sportsmanship towards each other, after the Aussies went 1-2 in the 200m freestyle at the Olympics in a 20-year first. O'Callaghan and Titmus had been tipped to win gold and silver in the blockbuster event, but the order of those medals was anyone's guess.

On Monday night, O'Callaghan showed she's the 200m queen as she proved too good for Titmus - who won gold in the 400m event two nights before. In doing so, O'Callaghan thwarted Titmus' bid to become the only swimmer in Olympics history to successfully defend Olympic titles in both the 200m and 400m freestyles.

The 1-2 finish was Australia's first in an Olympic swimming event since Ian Thorpe and Grant Hackett in 2004. The 20-year-old O'Callaghan touched the wall in one minute 53.27 seconds in Monday night's final, with Titmus taking the silver medal in 1:53.81.

It marked O'Callaghan's first individual gold medal at the Olympics, adding to her three relay golds. The 21-year-old won two relay golds at the Tokyo Games in 2021, and was part of the triumphant 4x100m freestyle team in Paris on Saturday night.

The win for O'Callaghan delivered Australia a fifth gold medal at the Paris Games - including three in the pool. It was the third medal Australia won on Monday after Chris Burton rode to unexpected silver in the individual eventing equestrian event.

Fans in Australia were captivated by O'Callaghan's battle with Titmus, and blown away by the incredible sportsmanship both Aussies showed after the race. Titmus was the defending champion after winning gold in Tokyo, but showed her absolute class by embracing O'Callaghan in the pool and sharing some kind words with her teammate.

Titmus then stopped on the pool-deck to join the crowd in applauding O'Callaghan, before embracing her once again and raising her teammate's hand triumphantly. "It's such an honour to be with everyone, and compete against Arnie. She is an absolute gun," O'Callaghan told Channel 9 after the race. "She races like an absolute beast. And it's an honour to train alongside her and have such a great team around us."

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Mollie O'Callaghan's classy act for Ariarne Titmus on podium

O'Callaghan then returned the favour when she invited Titmus to share the gold medal position on the podium with her during the medal presentation. Rather than let Titmus stand below her in the silver medal position, O'Callaghan dragged her teammate and friend onto the top spot to share the moment with her.

"Another touch of class as Mollie shares the gold medal position on the dais with Ariarne Titmus," Mathew Thompson said in commentary for Channel 9. Viewers were blown away by O'Callaghan's stunning move for Titmus after the gold medal triumph.

"Mollie O'Callaghan and Ariarne Titmus standing on the top of the podium, after a great 200m freestyle race, makes it a double Australian treat of the morning from the Pool in Paris," one person wrote. Another added: "Mollie O’Callaghan inviting Ariarne Titmus onto the gold medal plinth to share the moment at the 200m freestyle medal ceremony - one of the great images of the Olympics already."

And a third commented: "OMG what a great gesture of Mollie O’Callaghan to invite Ariane Titmus onto the winners podium during the playing of national anthem under the Australian flag at the medal presentation for the women’s 200m freestyle. What a magnificent display of Australian spirit."