Hungry Aussie swim stars eye another gold rush

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Australia tin situation to imagination of treble golden successful the excavation connected Thursday and transportation the momentum from Wednesday's Tokyo medal rush.

The 7 medals - 3 golds and 4 bronze - means that time 5 successful Tokyo volition spell down arsenic 1 of the astir palmy days successful Australian Olympic history.

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Australian freestyle prima Kyle Chalmers. (Getty)

Australia's 3 golden medals - the men's and women's fours rowing crews and Ariarne Titmus successful the 200m freestyle - successful 1 hectic hr equalled the team's grounds for the astir golden medals successful a azygous day, acceptable astatine the 2008 Games successful Beijing with 2 sailing golds and 1 successful triathlon connected time 10.

A mates of immense hopes loom successful the swimming finals connected Thursday.

Kyle Chalmers defends his 100m freestyle rubric from Rio, with his biggest challengers being American Caeleb Dressel and Russian Kliment Kolesnikov. Chalmers volition look to swoop from lane 7 aft qualifying sixth fastest.

There's hardly been a warmer favourite for golden than the women's 4x200m freestyle relay.

Australia's 'B team' easy qualified fastest for the last arsenic Mollie O'Callaghan, Meg Harris, Brianna Throssell and Tamsin Cook clocked a clip of 7:44.61 to comfortably triumph their heat.

Australia look unstoppable for gold, with a trio of stars - Titmus, Emma McKeon and Madi Wilson – to astir surely travel into the team.

The Aussies look a beardown accidental to situation their ain satellite record, acceptable astatine the 2019 satellite championships, conscionable days aft the 4x100m freestyle squad blitzed the tract connected their mode to golden and a caller satellite record.

Zac Stubblety-Cook qualified fastest for the 200m breaststroke last and the 22-year-old's qualifying clip of 2:07.35 means helium isn't nether the radar anymore.

In Thursday's different finals, Jack McLoughlin (800m freestyle) and Brianna Throssell (200m butterfly) volition commencement arsenic outsiders.

Emma McKeon volition beryllium backmost successful the excavation for the semi-finals of the 100m freestyle.

McKeon broke the Olympic grounds successful the heats with a clip of 52.13.

"I'm beauteous blessed with that, an Olympic grounds is beauteous cool," she said.

Emma McKeon of Australia competes successful the 100m freestyle heats. (Getty)

Fellow Aussie Cate Campbell volition enactment up successful the different semi having swum a slick 52.80s.

Aussie Brendon Smith, who won bronze successful the 400m idiosyncratic medley successful Tokyo, missed retired connected a spot successful the semis of the 200m IM.

But compatriot Mitch Larkin got through, winning his vigor successful a clip of 1:57.50 by out-touching 35-year-old Hungarian fable Laszlo Cech.

Smith was 2nd successful his vigor successful a clip of 1:58.57 but it wasn't capable to suffice for Thursday's semi-finals.

Jenna Strauch progressed done to the 200m breaststroke semi-finals aft finishing 3rd successful her vigor with a clip of 2:23.30.

"I anticipation I tin conscionable support up the Australian breaststroke bequest for all," Strauch said erstwhile asked astir her idol Leisel Jones aft qualification.

Ariarne Titmus of Team Australia reacts aft winning the golden medal successful the Women's 200m Freestyle. (Getty)

However, it's was heartache for chap Aussie breaststroker Abbey Harkin who was not accelerated capable to advancement with a clip of 2:24:41.

Australian debutant Tristan Hollard qualified for the men's 200m backstroke semi-finals aft finishing 4th successful his heat.

Hollard deed the partition successful a clip of 1:57.24, which listed him arsenic 10th fastest wide and bully capable to advancement to the semis.

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