Aussie golden girl Kaylee McKeown faces big career decision following coach’s post-Tokyo move

Triple Olympic gold medallist Kaylee McKeown is home with family after her success in Tokyo. But a coach’s decision has left her with a big call to make.

Triple Olympic gold medallist Kaylee McKeown is facing a massive decision on her future after coach Chris Mooney accepted a position to leave the Sunshine Coast and move to the Gold Coast to coach at Bond University.

McKeown has grown up training with Mooney at the University of the Sunshine Coast, with the coach’s guidance and emotional support key to her success in Tokyo after the death of her father Sholto to cancer last year.

Mooney has spoken to his athletes but McKeown, who won gold in the 100m and 200m backstroke and medley relay in Tokyo, is yet to make a decision on her future.

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Kaylee McKeown won three gold medals at the Tokyo Olympic Games. Pic: Getty Images

And Mooney will not pressure her.

“We’ve had that conversation but I’ve got to be really mindful of the physical and emotional (drain she’s had),” he said.

“She’s just finished the Olympics, so the first thing I want her to do is celebrate and catch up with family.

“We’ve had a discussion and I trust these people, I trust my athletes so much.

“For her to have the time and to have the ability to process this the way she needs to is what it is and she’ll make that decision when she’s ready and there’ll be no pressure from me.”

McKeown plans to take the next two months out of the water and consider her options before deciding whether to join her coach on the Gold Coast.

Mooney does not want to be seen to be migrating his entire squad down the M1.

And with many of his athletes still young and living with family on the Sunshine Coast, that is unlikely to happen.

McKeown hugs coach Chris Mooney in Tokyo. Picture: Alex Coppel

But he and McKeown have a special bond, with Mooney saying in Tokyo after her fighting 100m backstroke win: “I wouldn’t swap her for anyone”.

“I want to make it very clear that I owe a lot to the University of the Sunshine Coast, the professional staff that we’ve put around us over this team is a very special one, so for these athletes to stay here would not surprise me because it’s a very special program,” he said.

“I’ll support any and all decisions that are made around where athletes end up.

“You know they’re going to be okay no matter what decision they make.”

McKeown’s older sister Taylor, who swam under Mooney and is a Rio Olympian, lives on the Gold Coast, which could make a move easier for Kaylee.

While she will enjoy a well-earned break, a decision on her future is time sensitive for McKeown, given the condensed schedule over the next three years leading into the Paris Olympics, after Tokyo’s year-long postponement.