Kaylee McKeown's gold medal in the 100 metres backstroke in Tokyo was a milestone moment – her medal is the 200th won by Australian women in either an individual or women's team events at the Summer Olympic Games.
Appropriately, the mark was achieved in the pool, given the first female medal was won by Fanny Durack in Stockholm in 1912 with victory in the 100 metres freestyle, with teammate Mina Wylie picking up the silver medal in the same race.
While the original medallists in 1912 had to overcome conservative opposition in order to compete, Kaylee McKeown was one of 261 women in the Australian Olympic Team to compete in Tokyo, with women comprising a record 53.6% of the Australian Team.
The Australian Team had its first female Flag Bearer in Raelene Boyle at Montreal in 1976 and five since, including Cate Campbell who joined with Patty Mills as a dual Flag Bearer for these Tokyo Games.
The Australian Team came into the Tokyo Games with 196 female event medals before the 4 x 100 metres freestyle relay team (gold), Ariarne Titmus (gold), Emma McKeon (bronze) and then Kaylee McKeown’s gold took the mark to 200.
Australia’s female medals have now come in 20 sports. The 200 figure does not include female medals achieved in mixed team sports. There have been three of these in Equestrian Eventing and one in sailing (Nacra 17).
Kaylee’s winning swim also makes her Australia’s first female backstroke Olympic gold medallist.
