YOG: Twelve of the nation’s first ever Youth Olympians brought home nine medals from the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, including six gold, one silver and two bronze.
Twenty-year-old Emma McKeon, who won one gold, two silver and three bronze medals at the inaugural Youth Olympic Games in Singapore in 2010, was the darling of the Australian Swim Team in Glasgow.
McKeon, whose father and brother have both represented Australia at the Olympic Games, won four gold and two bronze medals in swimming at the 2014 Commonwealth Games.
In doing so, the girl from Wollongong earned the praise of the Olympic great Ian Thorpe on the BBC.
"I don't think Australia have had a swimmer like Emma McKeon since Susie O'Neill," Thorpe said.
McKeon won her only individual gold medal in the Women’s 200m Freestyle, the same event in which O’Neill unexpectedly won an Olympic gold medal at the Sydney Games in 2000.
Ironically, O’Neill is now Chef de Mission of the 2014 Australian Youth Olympic Team, which leaves on Wednesday 13 August to compete at the second summer Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China.
McKeon also won gold in the Women’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay (WR 3:30.98), the Women’s 4x200m Freestyle Relay and the Women’s 4x100m Medley Relay. She took home bronze in the Women’s 100m Freestyle and the Women’s 100m Butterfly.
Also in the pool were 2010 Youth Olympians Kenneth To and Madi Wilson.
As a heat swimmer in the Men’s 4x100m Freestyle Relay and Men’s 4x100km Medley Relay, 21-year-old To won a gold and silver medal.
Wilson, who came home from Singapore with a gold, silver and bronze medal, produced her best Commonwealth Games result in the Women’s 200m Backstroke, finishing in sixth place.
On the hockey field, Daniel Beale was part of the Men’s gold medal winning team, which claimed a fifth Commonwealth Games title, maintaining their record as the only team ever to win the gold medal at Games.
On the track, Youth Olympic gold medallist Nick Hough, finished fourth in the Men’s 110m Hurdles in a personal best time of 13.57secs and Michelle Jenneke, who won a silver medal at the 2010 YOG in the 100m Hurdles, finished fifth in the same event.
Also finishing fifth was Victorian Damien Birkinhead, who threw 19.59m in Men’s Shot Put. Brandon Starc was eighth in the Men’s High Jump Final while heavy rain impeded Liz Parnov’s participation in the Women’s Pole Vault.
In shooting, Emily Esposito, whose brother Max will compete in Modern Pentathlon at the 2014 Youth Olympics, finished 11th in Women’s 10m Air Pistol Qualification.
While in wrestling, Jayden Lawrence who finished fifth in wrestling at the 2010 Youth Olympics, bowed out in the Men’s FS 74kg Bronze Medal Finals and Carissa Holland was knocked out in the Women’s FS 58kg Quarter-final.
From the 2010 and 2012 Australian Youth Olympic Teams (AYOT), six athletes have gone on to represent Australia at the Olympic Games, including Olympic silver medallist Jessica Fox, who has been appointed Young Ambassador to the 2014 AYOT. More are expected to transition from these and future Youth Olympic Games to Rio 2016, Pyeongchang 2018 and Tokyo 2020.
Australia will send 89 of the nation’s best young athletes to compete across 23 sports at the second summer Youth Olympic Games in Nanjing, China. The Games run for 12 days and commence on Saturday 16 August 2014.
Frances Cordaro
olympics.com.au
@AUSOlympicTeam