Paris Olympics 2024: Emma McKeon emotional after final Olympic race as Ariarne Titmus sets 200m freestyle pace

An emotional Emma McKeon fought back tears as she came to grips with the end of her individual Olympic career, as Ariarne Titmus and Mollie O’Callaghan set the scene for what looms as an epic 200m freestyle final.

A day after breaking a tie with Ian Thorpe to become Australia’s all-time leading gold medal-winner with six, McKeon finished sixth in the women’s 100m butterfly final, which saw hot favourite Gretchen Walsh upset by US compatriot Torri Huske.

It was the 14th and last individual Olympic final for 30-year-old McKeon, who a day prior broke a tie with Ian Thorpe as Australia’s all-time leading gold medal-winner with six.

McKeon said she was looking forward to the time where she could reflect on her career.

“I’ve tried not to think about it too much before,” McKeon said on Nine before pausing to compose herself.

“It’s just emotional.

“I had definitely hoped that (final race) would be better, but I know I’ve got a lot to be proud of.

“It’s always going to be emotional finishing something that has brought me so much joy, so many great relationships, and so many great life lessons. I’ve got so many fond memories.”

World record holder Titmus edged out compatriot O’Callaghan in qualifying fastest for Tuesday morning’s (WA time) 200m freestyle final, with just 0.06 seconds separating the pair in the semifinal.

The all-Aussie shootout looms as a must-watch event on day three in the pool, with Titmus looking to add to her 400m freestyle gold medal that made headlines on the opening night.

“I’m excited. It’s going to be a tough race, for sure,” Titmus said after the semifinal. “It’ll be good to see what I’m capable of.”

Earlier, France’s Leon Marchand used the energy of the home crowd at La Defense Arena to romp to victory in the 400m individual medley to claim his nation’s first swimming medal since 2012.

Marchand finished an emphatic 5.67 seconds clear of his nearest rival, and was buoyed by patriotic fans screaming ‘Allez’ - French for ‘Go’ - every time his head bobbed out of the water during the breaststroke leg.

“I was trying to take that energy from the crowd and use it,” Marchand said.

“The breaststroke was insane because I could hear the whole stadium.”

Great Britain’s Adam Peaty fell agonisingly short of achieving the ‘three-Peaty’ of a third consecutive gold medal in the men’s 100m breaststroke final, with the 29-year-old having to be content to share a silver with USA’s Nic Fink after falling 0.02 seconds short of Italian Nicolo Martinenghi in a boilover.

Tasmania’s Max Giuliani qualified for the men’s 200m freestyle final, but fellow Aussie Tommy Neill fell short in the semifinals.