Australian swimmer Mollie O’Callaghan has given her final gold medal to teammate Jamie Perkins in a touching gesture that acknowledges her friend’s role in making the victory possible.
O’Callaghan placed the Olympic gold medal in the 4×200-meter freestyle – the third she won at the Paris Games and fifth overall – around Perkins’ neck before the two embraced poolside.
Perkins was one of four swimmers in Thursday’s qualifying heat that led Australia to the final, but she and Shayna Jack were replaced by O’Callaghan and Ariarne Titmus for Friday’s medal race.
O’Callaghan, Titmus, Lani Pallister and Brianna Throssell swam the final on Friday morning, winning gold and setting a new Olympic record of seven minutes, 38.08 seconds (7:38.08).
After the medal ceremony, the four Australian women ran off the podium to their two teammates who had withdrawn from the final and they hugged each other.
Then O’Callaghan – who herself had swum two heats for relay teams that won gold at Tokyo 2020 but withdrew from the final and failed to medal on the podium – presented her gold medal to Perkins.
“(This team) means the world to me,” O’Callaghan told Nine afterwards.
‘The opportunity to swim with the girls and two [other] Girls who swam the series mean a lot to me.
O’Callaghan (pictured left) celebrates their triumph on stage with fellow finalist teammates Lani Pallister, Brianna Throssell and Ariarne Titmus
Australian swimmer Mollie O’Callaghan has hung her latest gold medal around the neck of her teammate Jamie Perkins
“I’ve been dreaming of this moment since Tokyo, I’m striving to get on this team and do everything I can, and that these girls are by my side and their support means the world to me. I’ve said that many times.
‘Jamie is my best friend in training. She’s there for me. She’s been my roommate through the whole competition. She trained her ass off to get here. She’s had a back injury, [and] everything that was possible was done.
“I think that gold medal means a lot to me to give her because it represents what she’s been through and she deserves it and they’re the team. When I count it, there’s six of us.”
Perkins, who competed in the 200m freestyle relay but withdrew from the final, was later seen wearing the medal she was given
Although heat swimmers do not receive a podium finish at the Olympics, they do receive the medal their team wins.
The 4x200m freestyle relay victory is a fine continuation of the Australian women’s record in the pool.
The team has claimed five of the eight gold medals Australia has won so far at Paris 2024.