Kaylee McKeown is eager to surpass her backstroke records following an impressive performance at the Australian Swimming Trials, despite battling illness throughout the competition.
During her events in the 50m, 100m, and 200m backstroke, McKeown showcased her exceptional skills but was not completely satisfied with her results due to health issues. The 24-year-old described her condition as feeling akin to “86 years old” after clinching victory in the 100m on Tuesday and expressed discomfort again following the demanding 200m event on Thursday evening.
Nevertheless, the world, Olympic, and Commonwealth champion exhibited her prowess in backstroke by finishing the 200m with a season-best time of 2:03.98. This result was just 0.84 seconds shy of her world record and nearly four seconds ahead of her closest competitor, Iona Anderson, who finished at 2:07.59.
In an interview with Channel Nine, McKeown revealed that she experienced significant pain during the final stretch of the race, indicating that the physical challenges of this longer backstroke event weighed heavily on her mind more than before. “I was quite nervous for that race tonight, more so for the pain. It never gets easier,” she stated to the press.
She reflected on her need to engage in longer distance races to help alleviate some of the discomfort associated with the event, comparing her current mindset to her younger years when she took risks without fear of injury. “As you grow older, you become more aware of the potential for pain, and that’s how it is with swimming for me now,” McKeown explained.
Despite her decisive win and best time of the season, McKeown expressed a desire for more, revealing that she has not achieved a personal best in over three years. “I haven’t PB’d in like three-and-a-half years, so I’m waiting for it,” she admitted.
Her most recent personal best occurred during the 100m at the world championships in Singapore last year, where she fell just 0.03 seconds short of American swimmer Regan Smith’s world record. At the midway point of the 200m race, McKeown was on track to potentially break her own world record of 2:03.14, set earlier this year at the NSW State Championships, but was unable to maintain that pace and ultimately finished behind the target time in Sydney.
Looking ahead, McKeown expressed her intention to work on her starts, aiming to match the aggressive approaches seen among American swimmers. “Unfortunately, I died in the back end, but hopefully with a bit more training and confidence, the times will come,” she concluded.
