Kaylee McKeown had one of her world records broken. It could be a blessing in disguise

Olympic great Kaylee McKeown has revealed she won’t race internationally for the remainder of the year and says losing her 50-metre backstroke world record has lit a fire inside her ahead of a historic quest for glory at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

The 25-year-old, who missed the recent Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and Pan Pacific Championships in California due to glandular fever, is prioritising her health and will sit out World Cup events in October, as well as the World Short Course Championships in China in December.

McKeown, a five-time Olympic gold medallist, said earlier this month she hoped to be back racing on the world stage later this year, but she and her coach, Michael Sage, have agreed to instead target next year’s longcourse world championships in Budapest.

“My health comes first and I want to be ready for next year and the year after,” McKeown told this masthead at an event in Sydney where she was unveiled as a new Under Armour ambassador.

“If that means taking the rest of the year off, that’s what I have to do. The end goal for me is getting to LA and being in the best shape possible.

“I’m not even close to where I want to be. But I’m also being patient with myself.”

Due to the illness that affected her performances at Australia’s trials in June, McKeown has dialled back her training from nine sessions a week to three, while cutting her time in the pool from six kilometres a session to about three.

She said it was “really hard” being unable to compete at two major international meets, particularly given her training indicated she was primed for a big season.

McKeown’s setback robbed her of the chance to go head-to-head with her long-time rival, American Regan Smith, at Pan Pacs. However, McKeown’s times in the 100-metre and 200m backstroke at trials would have seen her win gold at Pan Pacs.

But the most eye-catching swim came at the European Championships from Italy’s Sara Curtis, who lowered McKeown’s 50m backstroke world record, set in 2023, from 26.86 to 26.63 and then again to 26.56 in the final.

From late 2023 to June 2024, McKeown held the 50m, 100m and 200m backstroke world records. She now owns only the latter, after Smith lowered the 100m mark to 57.13 at the US Olympic trials two years ago.

Despite that, McKeown again accounted for Smith at the 2024 Paris Olympics, claiming gold in the 100m and 200m backstroke events to repeat her double from Tokyo in 2021.

With the 50m backstroke now an Olympic event – as well the 50m breaststroke and butterfly for men and women – Curtis’ latest achievement has not gone unnoticed.

“It fuels the fire in the belly … I’m all for taking people down,” McKeown said.

“Mentally, it takes the pressure off me. She’s going to be asked all the hard questions. She’s the one who’s supposed to win this event. I’m just going in trying to chase her down. That’s the way I like it going in.

“I think it’s going to be really hard for me to get on the podium. I wouldn’t be as hungry if I knew it was a guarantee that I was going to stand on a podium. Seeing my world record in the 50 [backstroke] get taken, Regan still having the 100 backstroke world record and me only holding the 200 backstroke world record – probably not for much longer – those things are always in the back of my mind and drive me.”

McKeown is putting no internal pressure on herself but would love to complete a remarkable three-peat in the 100m and 200m backstroke across three Olympics, a feat that would put her in rarefied air. But if LA doesn’t unfold as she hopes, McKeown says she can live with that.

She wasn’t in LA with her Dolphins teammates when they checked out SoFi Stadium – the swimming venue for the upcoming Olympics – but doesn’t believe that will affect her ability to swim fast in front of more than 40,000 spectators.

“I believe I have more in the tank,” McKeown said.

“I don’t want as much external pressure from media and extended friends. I don’t really care because I’ve achieved more than I ever thought I could. I’ve achieved stuff that some people will never be able to do. I’m OK with whatever happens.

“Ultimately, I’d love a three-peat of the 100 and 200 backstroke, but if I can’t do that, who’s going to be able to take my medals away? No one can. You can take world records. They’re meant to be broken.

“I never saw the [Olympic swimming] stadium in Tokyo or Paris [beforehand]. I had no idea what I was walking into. I think that is what will make it so special for me. I’m going to walk in and be blown away with the number of people that will be in the stands.”

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