American superstar Katie Ledecky had made a big statement in pipping Ariarne Titmus in their blockbuster 400m freestyle heat on the opening day at the Olympics.
Titmus, who won the event in Tokyo, looked on track for a dominant victory, but Ledecky came from behind to steal the victory in the final 50m.
Ledecky posted a time of 4:02.19, just ahead Titmus (4:02.46) with the pair posting the fastest two times from the three heats.
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It means the Aussie world record holder and five-time gold medallist will swim from lane five in Sunday morning’s final.
“Just having a look at Arnie at the end of that race, she actually didn’t look that pushed,” Giaan Rooney said on Nine’s coverage.
“It didn’t look comfortable in that last 100 (metres) but I also wonder if that was a bit of a play of ‘I don’t want to burn everything I have this morning, if you want to post that time you post that time, I don’t need to’.”
There will be another Australian in the final with Jamie Perkins qualifying fifth fastest.
Kiwi Erika Fairweather (third) and Canadian Summer McIntosh (fourth) both swam well to set the scene for the epic final.
McKeon makes hot start
Aussie superstar Emma McKeon booked her spot in the semi-finals of the 100m butterfly after a strong performance in her heat.
McKeon swam in the second of four heats and finished second in a time of 56.79, just behind China’s Zhang Yufei (56.50).
“Not a great touch on the wall either from Emma,” Ian Thorpe said on Channel 9
“Had a bit of a long glide. So improvement to come in.
“She did what she needed to do and we are away.”
Fellow Aussie Alex Perkins stormed home to finish third in her heat in a time of 57.46, which was enough to secure a spot in the top 16 times.
McKeon qualified fifth-fastest overall, while Perkins was eighth.
The semi-finals will be on Sunday morning (AEST).
Aussie men safely through
Josh Yong is through to the semi-finals of the 100m breaststroke after finishing third behind fastest qualifier Caspar Corbeau in their heat.
Corbeau posted a time of 59.04 to blitz the field with American Nic Fink (59.66) and Yong just behind (59.75).
Yong’s time was the 12th fastest, which takes him through the semi-finals.
There will be two men in the final of the 400m freestyle with Elijah Winnington and Sam Short both posting strong times.
Winnington took it right up to German Lukas Maertens to eventually clock a time of 3:44.87, which was good enough for fifth fastest.
Short also finished second in his heat, behind Brazilian Guilherme Costa, with a time of 3:44.88 to book his spot in the eight-man field.
