Swimming star ‘makes pain her friend’ as she chases Olympic glory

She smashed the 100m backstroke world record at the Australian Olympic trials in memory of her beloved dad. But Kaylee McKeown has another secret weapon that helped her across the line.

Rising swim star Kaylee McKeown has a permanent reminder of her beloved dad on her foot, a tattoo which says: “I will always be with you”, but not a day goes by when she doesn‘t miss him.

Australia cheered as the Sunshine Coast teen smashed the world record for 100m backstroke at the Olympic trials to book her place in the team for Tokyo

But McKeown’s tears were real as she opened up about the loss of her father 10 months to the day that he passed away form brain cancer at the age of 53.

She paid tribute to her mother and sister Taylor, an Olympic medallist at Rio in 2016, who were sitting in the stands and said she had turned the tragedy into motivation.

“I use it every day that I wake up because I know it‘s a privilege to be on this Earth and walk and talk,” she said.

The nineteen-year-old’s performance sent shockwaves around the swimming world – stopping the clock at 57.45 seconds, slashing 0.12 off the previous mark set by American Regan Smith. But mum Sharon insists that when her youngest child didn’t expect to break any world records Sunday night.

“She was going out there to have a fast swim so for her to swim fast and break the world record is just the icing on the cake,” she said.

Mrs McKeown said it was a bitter sweet moment hugging her daughters – with Taylor also poolside after the swim – knowing her husband Sholto would have loved to be there to share in the incredible moment.

The McKeown family: Kaylee, Sholto, Sharon and Taylor at Sholto’s Hope – a fundraiser for Mark Hughes Foundation. The family raised over $11,000 and donated it to the foundation that raises much needed funds for research, creates awareness and supports brain cancer patients and their families. Picture: Supplied

“She just knows that Dad is there watching over her and she can get inspiration from that and draw on that and that’s a good thing and if that is going to be her driver,” she said.

Growing up Kaylee always looked up to her older sister but Mrs McKeown said the pair was “chalk and cheese” personality wise.

Asked to describe the younger sister as a kid Mrs McKeown had one word: “mischievous”.

“She was always up to something … we found her putting kittens in a toilet once to give them a bath,” she said.

Kaylee McKeown was described by her mum as a “mischievous” little girl. Picture: Supplied

Although the couple only intended for their girls to learn to swim to keep them safe as a family with a pool at home, it became one of Mr McKeown’s dreams to see his girls compete at an Olympics together.

“He wanted to watch his girls go to the Olympics last year and obviously with the Olympics being postponed he didn’t get to see his dream,” Mrs McKeown said.

“Taylor’s final race is tomorrow night and we’re hoping she can still make the team tomorrow night and both of the girls go together.”

The McKeown family celebrates Kaylee’s 19th birthday – Sholto was pretty sick at this stage and was only home from eight nights before going back into palliative care. He’d just stolen a piece of chocolate from Kaylee’s cake in this photo which accounts for the look on Sharon’s face. Picture: Supplied

Training at the University of the Sunshine Coast with super coach Chris Mooney, Kaylee is the clear favourite to win the 100m backstroke gold medal in Tokyo but that’s just the tip of the iceberg.

She’s also ranked No. 1 in the world in 200m backstroke, 200m individual medley and 400m individual medley.

Not that either Mooney or Kaylee is getting ahead of themselves.

“This is just step one for her when we get home it’s back to the grindstone … we can’t get caught up in this, we are up against plenty of other nations and athletes that take this sport as seriously as us,” Mooney said.

Asked what it was that set Kaylee apart Mooney’s answer was simple: “she just doesn’t care about pain”.

“She owns her own craft … when we adopt plan she is just really proficient and she gets about her plan and doesn’t shy away from the pain barrier, she just smashes through it and not a lot of people can continually do that,” he said.

“She makes pain her friend.”

Mooney said that Kaylee’s impeccable training and coaching as a youngster helped hone her raw talent.

Kaylee McKeown prepares for her Women's 100 Metre Backstroke heat during the Australian National Olympic Swimming Trials at SA Aquatic & Leisure Centre on June 13, 2021 in Adelaide, Australia. Picture: Mark Brake/Getty Images

Pacific Lutheran College Principal Dr Bronwyn Dolling said she knew her former pupil would go onto great things not just for her achievements at a young age but by how she handled setbacks.

“I had the pleasure of watching her compete at the Commonwealth Games and saw her respond to disappointment there with more determination and enthusiasm and it showed that not only did she have the talent she had the heart,” she said.