Emma McKeon exclusive: “Paris 2024 will definitely be my last Olympics”

The Olympic Games Paris 2024 will be Emma McKeon’s last, and she plans to go out in style.

After making her Olympic debut at Rio 2016, the Australian swimmer became her nation’s most decorated Olympian ever, boasting a medal tally of five gold, two silver, and four bronze medals to date.

She is also tied with the legendary Ian Thorpe for the most Olympic golds in Australian history. But McKeon may well become the outright leader in just over 100 days.

*“*I think swimming will always be a part of my life and has been for my whole life so far. But this will definitely be my last Olympics, so I'm excited for that,” McKeon, 29, told Olympics.com.

*“*Success for me in Paris would be to swim faster than I ever have before.”

From missing out at London 2012 to global stardom at Tokyo 2020

After missing out on the Olympic Games London 2012 by a whisker, a disappointed 17-year-old McKeon took a break from the sport to rejuvenate.

The plan worked, with the Wollongong native returning to make a splash at the 2014 Commonwealth Games, where she claimed six medals from six races.

This provided the perfect tune up for Rio 2016, where she helped the Dolphins win gold with a world record in the coveted women’s 4x100m freestyle relay, two silvers and a bronze - going home as Australia's most successful swimmer.

But it was McKeon’s astonishing performance at Tokyo 2020 in 2021, which made the swimming world stand still.

McKeon overcame the COVID pandemic disruptions to land four gold medals - including the prestigious freestyle sprint double - and three bronze medals to become the most decorated Olympian in Japan, and the first female swimmer to win seven medals in a single Olympic Games.

As if that wasn’t impressive enough, her mesmerising performances in Tokyo also included improving the women’s 4x100m freestyle world record, and four Olympic Records in the 50m freestyle, 100m freestyle, the women's 4x100m medley relay, and the 4x100m freestyle relay.

Emma McKeon's focus on discipline over motivation

So what is the secret to remaining so consistent in a sport as physically and mentally punishing as swimming, especially after winning everything on offer?

“My motivation definitely goes up and down. But I've learnt over the years you can't really rely on motivation to get you up every morning,” she continued.

“It's more about discipline, and that's something I've grown more and more over the years in swimming. It's just having my goals in mind and just being disciplined in knowing what I have to do to achieve those goals.

“But I think post Tokyo, the thing that kept me going was that I felt like I had more to give, and I felt like I could go faster and do better. So that's kind of what brought me back to the pool."

Another huge factor in the 2024 Young Australian of the Year’s success is her mental fortitude.

Over the years she has continually lined up against household names like Sarah Sjostrom, Cate Campbell, and Siobhan Haughey in her individual events, before going up against - and often beating - many supremely-talented USA relay teams including the likes of Katie Ledecky.

McKeon has always found a way to deliver when it matters most.

“I think it's just being able to focus on yourself and put the blinkers up a little bit,” she said.

“Often you can compare yourself to other people and that for me isn't good. I think the best thing for me is focusing on myself and knowing that I'm doing everything that I can to be my best.

“You’ve still got to have an awareness of what your competitors are doing and you can learn from your competitors as well, but there's definitely certain times where you need to have to be focusing on yourself.”

But being focussed doesn’t make an athlete impervious to nerves.

Despite always looking calm on the starting blocks before competing on the biggest stages with the world’s eyes upon her, McKeon always has to first win the emotional battle internally.

*“*I think I look peaceful, but I don't think anyone's peaceful leading into an Olympic final or anything like that,” she admitted.

“I'm definitely more calm than a lot of sprinters, particularly the men, but I think it's just my personality. I kind of just carry that into my races as well. But internally, I'm definitely very nervous. But I know that I'm supposed to be nervous leading into a big race like that, and it’s about staying in the present moment.”

Being an elite athlete is often all-consuming, and the desire to find balance in life is paramount.

But for McKeon, there is simply no need to escape the water. It is where she feels most comfortable, and provides her with the most joy, as well as pain in training.

She comes from a strong family of Australian swimmers. In fact, her father, uncle, brother, and mother have also all represented Australia.

Her parents went on to open a swimming school in New South Wales and that meant that McKeon grew up around water - whether at the pool or the beach.

“I was a bit of a water baby. Ever since I was little. When I'm training it's not a calm vibe, but the water to me, I suppose, is also calm and peaceful. And I love the feeling of moving through it,” she said.

“This has been my life for the last 15 years or so, so I think it's just normal to me now.

“Of course, I think it's important to have other things going on outside of the pool, especially if you have big goals and or are a bit of a perfectionist like me. If I was to have nothing going on outside of the pool, it would become quite stressful.

“Swimming does take up a lot of time, but there are so many other parts to life as well and I think it's important to remember that. In my free time, I’m mostly recovering from sessions so I can perform in the next one. But I like writing and Netflix and spending time with my family and friends when I can.”

Intrinsic values over medals

For someone that has achieved so much success, McKeon keeps her ego firmly in check.

She doesn’t chase the limelight, and prefers to let her swimming do the talking.

As such, she naturally shies away from questions about her legacy.

But when asked about the impact she hopes to have left on others, it was clear that she values intrinsic qualities above all else.

“I would see myself as someone who is, I suppose, calm and well balanced, and I think quite grounded.

“And I hope to be someone that inspires other people to go after their goals and dreams.”

Perhaps this is the real secret to Emma McKeon’s success, as she embarks on a third and final Olympics in Paris.