A new video suggests a second US swimmer should have been disqualified in the women’s 200m individual medley – a race in which Aussie Kaylee McKeown was bumped up to bronze.
McKeown was fourth to the wall in Sunday’s final but was promoted to third after officials disqualified American Alex Walsh for an illegal turn going into the breaststroke leg.
Now more footage, seen by News Corp Australia, shows silver medal winner Kate Douglass also performed a suspicious turn that was missed by the race referees.
It means McKeown, whose podium spot has been dubbed a “Bradbury bronze”, may have actually been robbed of silver.
Swimming Australia denied to comment when contacted by News Corp, and there are no means of appeal.
Canada’s Summer McIntosh streaked ahead of the field to win gold in a new Olympic record.
Mckeown told Nine after the race she was proud to have just made the final, where she raced from a difficult position in lane one.
“It gave me the opportunity to just race my own race tonight – but it did suck a little bit because I breathe to the other side, so I couldn’t really see the other girls,” she said.
“At the end of the day, I’m just proud to be in that final.
“I didn’t think I would be able to do that. I’m just proud of myself for adding to my event list.”
McKeown reflected on the toll competing in three different events in 72 hours had taken on her physically and mentally, saying her coach helped reset her mindframe.
“A lot of the other girls in that final were heavily fatigued as well and not going in there fresh. That was a little bit of an advantage that helped me mentally get through it,” she said.
“I’ve got the best coach in the world … he sat me down and told me to put my balls on the line and I feel like I’ve done that.”
The Queenslander was herself denied a spot in the individual medley final at last year’s world championships in Fukuoka for performing a similar turn to Walsh.
Mckeown’s two gold medals in Paris took her into GOAT territory for Australian swimming as one of only 14 male or female swimmers to win at least four individual Olympic golds.
On the weekend Douglass said she was “heartbroken” for Walsh, who “deserved to be on that podium with me”.
“I’m upset because I don’t know if it was the right call or not, but I can’t really speak on that, I’m not an official,” she said.
“But when it comes to back-to-breast turns like that, we all have our fair share of mistakes and stuff.
“I don’t know if it was worth the DQ. There’s nothing you can say to make it better.”
Australia’s swimming rivalry with the US reached fever pitch in the lead up to Paris with barbs traded between legends from both countries.
The Aussies got off to a blistering start in the pool but were overhauled in the medal tally in the final two days of the swimming program.
America finished on top with eight gold medals to Australia’s seven.
The medley relays were the difference — the US won the women’s and mixed medley relays to overtake Australia after eight days in arrears.
Source Agencies
