New dad Cameron McEvoy storms to dominant gold, creates history
Australia's Cameron McEvoy unleashed a dominant swim to clinch gold in the men's 50m freestyle at the world championships on Saturday night — 12 months to the day since winning Olympic gold in the one-lap dash in Paris.
McEvoy stormed to glory in Singapore in 21.14 seconds to reclaim the 50m freestyle world title he won in Fukuoka in 2023.
The 31-year-old also became the oldest Australian to win a world championship gold medal.
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Yet McEvoy is only getting better — the dramatic changes he's made to his training program have allowed that — and he's made it clear he wants to reach the Brisbane 2032 Olympics, by which point the Queenslander will be 38.
McEvoy and his wife, Madeline, welcomed their first child only three weeks ago — a boy they named Hartley.
Watch the World Aquatics Championships live and free on Nine and 9Now.
McEvoy had sweet words for his wife and newborn after hauling in gold.
"First, I want to shout out to Maddi at home," he said.
"I couldn't be here without her.
"Shout-out to Hartley, my three-week-old son.
"It's unreal. It's been a pretty hectic preparation. I'm just glad that I got my hand on the wall first in a great time.
"[I want to] enjoy it while it lasts here, but I'm so excited to get home."
Cameron McEvoy celebrates winning gold. Getty
His perspective has changed wildly since becoming a dad.
"It sounds cliché, but win or lose, I'm going home a winner," he said.
"It's given me a new light on the sport, on life, something new to navigate, and I'll see where it takes me in the future."
In a golden 10-minute window for Australia at the Paris 2024 Olympics, McEvoy triumphed in the men's 50m freestyle and Kaylee McKeown prevailed in the women's 200m backstroke.
In Singapore on Saturday night, the two champion swimmers again both came up trumps within a magical 10-minute period, with McKeown delivering yet another hammer blow to American arch-nemesis Regan Smith.
From left to right: Silver medallist Benjamin Proud, gold medallist Cameron McEvoy and bronze medallist Jack Alexy. Getty
McEvoy won Olympic gold by 0.05 of a second. He won gold on Saturday night by 0.12 of a second. On both occasions, Great Britain's Benjamin Proud was left staring down at silver.
McEvoy (21.14) was joined on the podium in Singapore by Proud (21.26) and American Jack Alexy (21.46).
The Australian recorded the fastest reaction time of the finalists and never surrendered his lead.
In celebration of victory on the penultimate night of the world titles, he raised a clenched right fist and slapped the water.
His wife and baby boy were watching from home on TV.
Cameron McEvoy's wife, Madeline, and their baby boy, Hartley, watching from home. Instagram
"It's a very different life," McEvoy said of becoming a dad, speaking to Cate Campbell on the Nine broadcast.
"I've got to navigate it. I'll figure it out.
"But it's cool to have that at home and still be here doing what I love."