Coutts does dad proud at Rio

Tears flowed when Australia's Alicia Coutts ended her swimming career by missing the Rio Olympic 200m individual medley podium.

Tears of joy, that is.

A fifth placing in her sole Rio event did not seem a fitting farewell for the triple Olympian.

However, the five-time Olympic medallist was happy she had done her dad proud.

As a kid, her father was the person who first suggested Coutts could be an Olympian.

Sadly, he never saw her realise that dream.

He died after a long cancer battle when Coutts was seven.

Yet he was ever present when Coutts drew the curtain on her glittering career after Tuesday night's 200m IM final.

"I always have him in my mind," an emotional Coutts said.

"I think he would be proud of my achievements."

Coutts, 28, at times struggled to handle her emotions as it sunk in her swimming career was over.

But she wasn't upset.

"It's just that it's an end of an era for me," she said using a towel to wipe away the tears.

And what an era.

In all, Coutts won 27 international medals.

That included five at London - equalling the record for the most medals by an Australian Olympian at a single Games.

She contemplated retiring after missing the 2015 world titles with a chronic shoulder injury.

Typically, Coutts battled back to make her third Games team.

In the end, Coutts' career finished the way it started.

Her fifth placing in the Rio 200m IM final was the same result she achieved on 2008 Beijing Games debut.

Coutts now plans to enjoy a belated honeymoon with husband Steve.

She earned it.

Her dad would be proud.