- Mack Horton won Australia’s first 2018 Commonwealth Games gold on Thursday
- He took out James McLoughlin and Britain’s James Guy in men’s 400m freestyle
- The 21-year-old has ended a 16-year medal drought for Australia in the event
Mack Horton has won Australia’s first gold at the 2018 Commonwealth Games after smashing out Britain’s James Guy and teammate James McLoughlin in the men’s 400m freestyle
Australia’s Mack Horton has delivered the nation its first gold medal in the 2018 Commonwealth Games.
The 21-year-old also ended a 16-year-drought for Australia in the men’s 400 metres freestyle after pulling ahead of England’s James Guy and his own teammate James McLoughlin in the final 100m of the race.
He slammed into the wall in just three minutes, 43.76 – only 1.5 seconds before McLoughlin as Guy came in behind them for bronze.
Horton also took out first gold at the Rio Olympics, and is widely regarded as the swimming legend the nation has been missing since Ian Thorpe’s retirement.
Speaking with Channel Seven after the event, the Melbourne-based athlete shared his delight at being able to pace himself to take out former 200m world champion James Guy.
The British swimmer led the race for the first six laps of the pool, but tired off in the last leg – just like Horton thought he would.
Teammate James McLoughlin (right) came in just 1.5 seconds behind the swimming sensation and said it was a ‘special moment’ to stand on the podium with Horton (centre) and British swimmer James Guy (left)
Horton was trailing behind Guy for the first 300 metres before surging forward in the last leg as the British champion swimmer began to lag
‘[Guy] typically goes out a bit hard in that 400 – he thinks it’s the only way he can swim it, so I know that’s what he does,’ Horton said.
‘I knew what I had to do on the way home, and if you go that hard, you’re gonna be hurting on the back end more than I’m going to be hurting.’
McLoughlin was also delighted with his performance, having won his first international medal.
The 23-year-old swimmer told Channel Seven it was a ‘special moment’ to be able to share the podium with Horton and Guy.
Australia won eight of nine golds in the men’s 400m freestyle from 1970 to 2002 – but lost out to Scotland’s David Carry in 2006 and Canada’s Ryan Cochrane in 2010 and 2014.
Horton’s win on Thursday night ends a 16-year drought for Australia in the men’s 400m freestyle
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