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'Historic day': Aussies celebrate never-before-seen feat at Olympics

andrew reid
·4-min read
Seen here Aussie Sailor Matt Wearn and swimmer Emma McKeon.
Sailor Matt Wearn and swimmer Emma McKeon played a big part in a historic day for Australia at the Olympics. Pic: Getty

Sailor Matt Wearn has clinched an extraordinary piece of history for Australia after winning gold to complete the most successful day in 125 years of Olympic competition for the Green and Gold.

Wearn completed his Laser medal race, securing a record-breaking fourth gold medal for Australia on the 10th day of the Tokyo Olympics.

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Wearn's dominance throughout 10 regular races meant he only needed to attempt to finish the final race on Sunday to win gold.

It is Australia's third consecutive Olympic gold medal in the one-man class, with the 25-year-old following in the footsteps of Tom Burton (Rio 2016) and Tom Slingsby (London 2012).

More importantly, it meant the Aussies were able to celebrate the never-before-seen feat of claiming four gold medals on one incredible day of Olympic competition.

The historic day for Australia was set up by our swimmers, with Emma McKeon claiming gold in the 50m freestyle, before taking part in the victorious Australian women's 4x100m medley relay team.

The two golds took Australia's tally in the pool to a staggering nine gold medals - Australia's most successful swimming campaign in Olympics history.

Logan Martin then made it a hat-trick of golds for Australia on Sunday in Tokyo after become the first male gold medallist in BMX freestyle in Olympic Games history.

Martin triumphed in an incredible final on Sunday as BMX freestyle made its Olympic debut at the Tokyo Games.

Wearn's gold in the sailing - albeit somewhat of a formality after a dominant display in his earlier races - left Aussie fans in a frenzy on social media as the country celebrated a historic moment in Australian sport.

Emma McKeon leads record day for Australia

Wearn's win capped off an incredible day of records for Australia after McKeon swam into the history books.

The 27-year-old swam the butterfly leg in the medley relay, winning her fourth gold medal and seventh overall at the Tokyo Games.

In doing so, she became the first female swimmer and second in any sport to win seven medals at one Games.

Seen here, Australia's women celebrate their gold in the 4x100m medley relay at the Olympics.
Australia's women celebrate their gold in the 4x100m medley relay at the Tokyo Games. Pic: Getty

She has now won 11 Olympic medals in her career, breaking the previous Australian record of nine held by Ian Thorpe and Leisel Jones.

McKeon also won gold in the 50m freestyle earlier on Sunday in an Olympic record of 23.81 seconds.

Her career haul of five gold, two silver and four bronze eclipses swim greats Thorpe (five gold, three silver, one bronze) and Jones (three gold, five silver, one bronze).

She also joins Thorpe as the only Australians in history to win five gold medals.

with AAP

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