Australian Championships, Day 2: Kaylee McKeown’s 57.65 Maintains Her World Dominance In The Women’s 100m Backstroke En-Route To LA28
Backstroking’s golden girl Kaylee McKeown has given her best indication yet that LA28 is definitely on her radar after yet another dominant showing to win the 100m backstroke on night two of the 2025 Australian Championships in Brisbane.
The 23-year-old four-time Olympic champion from Tokyo and Paris improved her own previous best time – clocking 57.65 – ahead of her own previous rankings leading mark of 57.73 – swum at last month’s NSW State Championships in Sydney – that time after just nine sessions!
McKeown was out in 28.29 and back in 29.36 –compared to Smith’s splits of 27.94 and 29.19 for her WR time of 57.13. With McKeown’s best friend Mollie O’Callaghan, fresh from her 100m freestyle win in 53.12 on night one, second home in 59.23 and Mollie’s St Peters Western training partner, Hannah Fredericks third home in 1:00.41.
LA DREAMING: Kaylee McKeown has set her sights on Back-to-back-to-back in LA28.Photo Courtesy Delly Carr (Swimming Australia)
It was another effortless but stella showing of “in season” backstroke swimming from McKeown as she continues to claw her way back from the mental depths of coming down from the highs and dealing with the lows of high performance sport.
And there is no mincing words with Kaylee McKeown who is also embarking on a third Olympic campaign and with a third different coach – with former British Olympic gold medal coach Mel Marshall taking over the reins from Michael Bohl, who took over from Chris Mooney.
Kaylee being as frank as always, saying after her win that It’s been hard getting back in.
“ I’m not going to beat around the bush.It’s really hard to go from such a high level and back down to the bottom,” said McKeown.
“But I believe it builds character and makes you stronger..,,,LA is looking good….”
And it is sure to conjure up yet another classic showdown with her arch rival and world record holder Regan Smith.
No other name appears in the fastest 20 times ever swum – McKeown with 11 and Smith with nine; Smith with the top two – McKeown with 11 of the next fastest 18 times – her time in Brisbane tonight the 18th fastest and knocking a Smith time out of the top 20.
Mouthwatering rivalry at its best…