EXCLUSIVE: Stephanie Rice raises jarring Emma McKeon question as final swim arrives
PARIS: Stephanie Rice would like to think Emma McKeon's rise to becoming the most decorated Australian Olympian of all time has been embraced by the public like the ascension of Ian Thorpe, but the swimming great worries that's not the case.
Rice, a winner of three gold medals at the Beijing 2008 Olympics, even doubts if many Australians would be able to "recall" McKeon's name.
The superfish from Wollongong captured seven Olympic medals in Tokyo three years ago, including four of the gold variety, to surpass Thorpe as Australia's most decorated Olympian.
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At the Paris La Defense Arena this week, Kaylee McKeown has won two gold medals to take her haul of Olympic golds to five, while Ariarne Titmus has taken her tally of Olympic golds to four by triumphing on two occasions. In regard to Olympic medals won, McKeown and Titmus now have eight each.
McKeon, after claiming one gold medal this week, has six Olympic golds, one more than the five won by Thorpe and McKeown, and the 30-year-old will be racing as a member of the Australian women's 4x100m medley relay team on Monday morning (AEST).
From left: Mollie O'Callaghan, Shayna Jack, Emma McKeon and Meg Harris sing the Australian national anthem after winning relay gold in Paris. Maddie Meyer/Getty Images
As it stands, McKeon has won 12 Olympic medals; three more than Thorpe's nine.
Rice, a Stan Sport expert commentator for Paris 2024, was asked if McKeon's rise to becoming Australia's most decorated Olympian had worked wonders for the growth of women's sport in the country, prompting a jarring response.
"I'd like to think so, but I feel like it could have been better, if I was being really honest," she told Wide World of Sports.
"I know about it [McKeon being Australia's most decorated Olympian] and you know about it because we love sport, and obviously I'm a swimmer and I'm up to date and Emma is a good friend. I think it's amazing to see a woman hold that title. But do I think the public perception of what Emma's done compared to what Thorpey did is of the same gravity? No.
Australian swimming legend Ian Thorpe. Getty
"I think there's still a lot of people that if you said, 'Who's Australia's greatest-ever Olympian?', I don't know if they would recall her name.
"... I really hope that it would hold the same weight for her because what she has achieved is beyond what any other Australian has achieved."
McKeon failed to qualify for the Paris Games in the women's 50m and 100m freestyle, forfeiting a chance to defend her Olympic gold medals in those events.
But she combined with Mollie O'Callaghan, Shayna Jack and Meg Harris in the final of the women's 4x100m freestyle relay, in which Australia won its fourth consecutive Olympic gold in the marquee event.
In her final Olympic race as an individual, McKeon finished sixth in the 100m butterfly this week, then broke down in tears.
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Australian swimming great Stephanie Rice. Fairfax
"Emma is also a different personality to Thorpe," Rice added.
"She is somebody that likes to be Emma and be quiet and shy, so she probably doesn't look for opportunities to leverage her success in the same way.
"She definitely could because she's a beautiful girl and so well spoken and articulate and intelligent and a great athlete."
