Australian Trials, Day 1: From DQ To Reinstatement – Kaylee McKeown Keeps Her Head And Her Cool To Win 50m Backstroke
After a tumultuous day when she was disqualified and then reinstated backstroking queen Kaylee McKeownreturned to the SA Aquatic And Leisure Centre tonight and kept her head and her unbeaten record at home in touch.
FOCUSED: Ksylee McKeown focused for the final after a day she just wants to forget. Photo Courtesy Delly Carr (Swimming Australia)
After a successful appeal following her disqualification for moving her head before the start of heat one of the 50m backstroke, the 23-year-old lunged at the finish to out-touch her best friend and rival – fellow Olympic champion Mollie O’Callaghan in a touch and go final.
McKeown (USC Spartans, QLD) coming over the top of Mollie O to win by the proverbial fingernail, 27.33 to 27.39 – just six 100ths of a second with Alyssa Burgess (Highlanders, WA) third in 28.03 – saying she was relieved to be able to race.
“I’m really happy to have the chance to race tonight, it wasn’t exactly what I wanted to train for but I’m on the team so I’m happy for that,” said McKeown.
When asked by Cate Campbell what would you say to yourself if you were your coach?
Kaylee joked “Do it again!”
Before going on to say “It hasn’t been easy, a change of club, but it’s not easy to kind of just slot into something like that but I’m really enjoying it and I’m the happiest I’ve been in a really long time, so that’s my priority at the moment.”
Kaylee mentioned that she “knew straight away” when the disqualification in the morning heats happened. “I’m not going to comment on it any further it’s just what happens,, I guess it’s just the way the cookie crumbles.”
On the news of 50m being added to the Olympic program?
“I’m a big fan of 100s and 200s, it’s going to be a really tough decision for me whether I do 200m IM or if I do the 50 back,” said McKeown.
“That’s something that I’ve got to figure out over the next three years. I love swimming the 200m medley, I had a bit of FOMO watching the girls in the 200Im final tonight so watch this space.”
The men’s 50m Backstroke saw defending world champion Isaac Cooper (St Andrews, QLD) crack the qualifying time for Singapore with his second qualifying time of the day in 24.69, after his 24.65 in the morning’s heats.
LET’S RACE: Kaylee McKeown gets ready to race in Adelaide. Photo Courtesy Delly Carr (Swimming Australia)
“I’m pretty happy with that, this has been my shortest prep leading into a competition ever. I had a pretty big break off the end of last year and I can honestly say that this is the most I’ve been enjoying training,” said Cooper, who finished ahead of fellow Paris Olympians Ben Armbruster (Bond, QLD) 25.02 and Bradley Woodward (Mingara, NSW) 25.23.
“To be able to come here and get another qualifying time and be able to have an opportunity to race again in Singapore at World’s is pretty special.
When asked what it means to have the 50m backstroke as an Olympic event for LA 2028 ?
“I think it’s kind of hard to put into words really, I don’t think that many people will really fully understand what it means for the sport until Olympic medals are being won in individual 50 form stroke events,” said Cooper.
“I want to put my best foot forward to hopefully make the Olympic team and see if I can be one of those people as well.”
PARTING PICS…..
BACK-TO-BACK: Defending champion Isaac Cooper gets the chance to go back to back in Singapore. Photos Courtsey Delly Carr (Swimming Australia)
