"I am extremely honored" - Emma McKeon on receiving the Young Australian of the Year award

Emma McKeon has been one of the best swimmers to take to the water in recent years. The Australian has five Olympic gold medals to her name, four of which she won in Tokyo in 2020.

McKeon has had a stellar year so far, winning gold at the 2023 World Championships in the 4 x 100m relay alongside teammates Mollie O'Callaghan, Shayna Jack, and Meg Harris.

Emma McKeon was recently the recipient of Queensland's Young Australian of the Year award. Expressing her gratitude for the same, the 29-year-old wrote on Instagram:

"I am extremely honored to be Queensland's nomination for Young Australian of the year. Last night was an amazing opportunity to listen to the other nominees and award winners about the incredible things they are doing for this country. They are truly inspiring. Thank You @australianoftheyear"

McKeon will now represent Queensland at the Australian of the Year awards alongside nominees from other states. The winners will be announced on January 25, 2024, in Canberra.

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Emma McKeon's swimming career

Emma McKeon has certainly had an exemplary career. She was born into a family of swimmers, with her father being an Olympian and her mother being a Commonwealth Games participant. McKeon's uncle and brother were Olympians as well, and her sister was a national-age swimmer.

McKeon broke out on the international scene at the 2010 Summer Youth Olympics, where she walked away with one gold, two silvers, and three bronze medals.

However, the Australian missed out on qualifying for the 2012 London Olympics and ended up taking some time away to rediscover her passion for the sport.

The 2016 Rio De Janeiro Olympics was McKeon's time to shine. She qualified for the Games alongside her brother, making them the first Australian brother-sister duo to attend the Olympics together since 1960.

While in Rio, McKeon won the gold in the 4x100m freestyle relay, setting a world record for the event. She also won silver in the 4x200m relay and the 4x100 medley relay. She topped her medal tally off with a bronze in the 200m individual freestyle.

The 2020 Tokyo Olympics marked another major medal haul for Emma McKeon. She won four golds and three bronze, making her the most successful Australian Olympian ever. Her performance in Tokyo also made her the most successful athlete across sports in that edition of the Games.

While in Tokyo, McKeon also rewrote the world record for the 4x100m freestyle relay and set Olympic records in the 100m and 50m freestyle.