Meg Harris wins individual 100m gold at Commonwealth Games as leader of the ‘starfish’

There aren’t many legacies in sport as dominant as Australia in the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay.

The first night of the Glasgow program marked the team’s 19th victory in the past 21 major international finals across the Olympics, long-course world championships, Pan Pacs and Commonwealth Games.

It also marked the sixth time Meg Harris had stood on the top step of the podium with her teammates in those events, bridging the gap from the Campbells era to these Commonwealth Games and onwards towards Brisbane 2032.

But on Tuesday morning (AEST), when Mollie O’Callaghan and Shayna Jack joined her up there, they did so with her blessing, of course, after she became the solo 100m champion for the first time.

“It’s pretty incredible, I’ve never done that before. I’ve never been in that position,” Harris said.

“Hopefully this is just the start of my journey. I’m pretty happy with that. These girls are absolutely incredible, so any chance I get to stand on the podium with them is great.”

The trials in June marked the first time she had made the team as an individual 100m swimmer.

The 24-year-old admitted to struggling with motivation in the 100m after the Paris Olympics, rediscovering her love for the sport through her pet 50m event, where she won the world title in Singapore last year.

“I’ve always loved the [100m] race,” she said.

“The 50m was something I’ve always loved and always known I’ve enjoyed racing that … but the 100m is always the one I’ve been working towards in the long run. I guess I need to take a step back and enjoy it for a while.”

Harris’s win was one of seven gold medals on the night for Australia, with Alex Perkins in the 100m butterfly and Jenna Forrester in the 400m individual medley also enjoying a breakout meet.

Forrester’s victory added to her surprise 200m backstroke victory three nights earlier.

“We all really get around each other, and that’s what makes Team Australia really special and successful,” Perkins said.

Little did she know how true that was.

Minutes earlier, Harris had made an immediate pivot from star performer to cheer captain, stepping away from her media obligations to cheer Perkins on with every stroke as she powered to victory.

“She’s amazing; all those girls are in the 100m freestyle,” Perkins said.

“[They’re] so successful in that event and [Harris is] just also a gorgeous human. I was really proud; it was really inspiring to watch her before my event.”

Perkins and Harris are kindred spirits, two swimmers winning their favourite events for the first time after years of toil while in their mid-20s (Perkins celebrating gold on her 26th birthday).

Along with Forrester, Sam Short, Lani Pallister and a slew of other gold medallists on the night and at these Games, it’s all part of a moment of transition for the Dolphins in Glasgow.

It’s not so much a passing of the baton as simply getting more hands on it.

“We’ve got a home [Olympic] Games in 2032, we’re all trying to do our best and make the most of every moment,” Perkins said.

And Harris is a key part of that.

The 4x100m freestyle squad featured eight swimmers in Glasgow: Brittany Castelluzzo (25), Inez Miller (19), Jessica Cole (19) and Hannah Casey (20) in their heat; and Harris, Perkins, Jack and O’Callaghan in the final.

The jewel in Australian swimming’s crown is central to the rejuvenation that never really stops for this all-conquering team.

In among the Dolphins, they call themselves “the starfish”, according to the retiring Jack.

Swimming is perhaps the loneliest of all elite sport pursuits, so finding that connection is crucial to, if you’ll pardon the pun, keeping your head above water.

“Meg’s my roommate here, which I’m really grateful for because we do have a lot of events together and being able to share in those moments with her is extremely special to me,” Jack said.

“Swimming is such an event that can be quite isolating. That’s also why I love the relays because you get to share in those special moments with somebody else, and being able to go 1-2-3 tonight, it’s just another moment I get to share with these amazing girls.”

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