Australian Swimming Championships 2025, day two: Kaylee McKeown eyeing LA three-peat after stunning Aussie return

Kaylee McKeown was not beating round the bush, the Aussie Olympic star found it hard on her return to the pool, but it did not take long to find her best.

Kaylee McKeown never fails to disappoint.

An understated champion, there’s never been an Australian swimmer who has produced such consistent fast times for as long as she has.

That’s why she is the only Aussie – in any sport – to win four individual gold medals at the Olympics after completing the backstroke double at Tokyo and again at Paris.

And it’s why she is a long way from finished yet and already eyeing a three-peat at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

McKeown celebrates winning the Women’s 100m Backstroke Final. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

Only a handful of swimmers have won the same event at three Olympics and they are all living legends, including Dawn Fraser.

Still just 23, McKeown could well end up in that same elite company if she stays healthy and motivated and all the signs keep pointing to that.

Entitled to have the occasional dip in form between feature events, she just never does. That’s what makes her so great.

On Tuesday at the Australian championships, she reeled off the best time in the world this season to defend her 100m backstroke title.

By her own standards, her winning time of 57.65 seconds was nothing for her to get overly excited about but it was still a brilliant performance that other mere mortals could only dream about.

McKeown could follow in the footsteps of Dawn Fraser if she achieves more gold in LA. Picture: STAFF / AFP

Only two women in history have ever gone faster in the two-lap race.

One, of course, is McKeown, who has gone lower a staggering 10 times, with a personal best of 57.33. The other is the great American Regan Smith, who holds the world record at 57.13 but hasn’t been able to beat the Australian when it counts in the last two Olympic cycles.

Refreshed after taking a break following her dazzling efforts in Paris, McKeown said had enjoyed her rare time away from the pool over Summer.

Regan Smith setting the new world record in the women’s 100m backstroke, November 2024. Picture: Yong Teck Lim/Getty Images

“I think just being with family and friends we take it for granted,” she told the Nine Network after her win in Brisbane.

“They’ve supported me through a lot, so it’s just nice to spend time with them and actually be a normal human for once.”

But she also said she’s started to get used to training again and is already gearing up for this year’s world championships in Singapore, where she will come up against Smith, and also Los Angeles in 2028, where the 50m backstroke will be added to the Olympic program for the first time.

“You’ve got to be realistic and you know at this time of the year, people are just gearing up for trials and then onto the worlds,” she said.

“Look, it’s been hard getting back in, I’m not going to beat around the bush.

McKeown said it has been hard to get back into training. Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

“It’s really hard to go from such a high level back down to rock bottom.

“But, you know, I believe that it builds character and makes you stronger. So, LA is looking good.”

Rising sprint star Meg Harris also impressed on Tuesday, winning the women’s 50m freestyle in a slick 24.57 seconds.

A silver medallist in the one-lap dash at Paris, Harris finished almost half a second clear of a stellar field and is looking ahead to posting even faster times as she gets fitter after also taking a break.

“It’s nice to be back racing this time of the season and get up and get going before trials, so yeah, I’m happy,” she said.

“Definitely happy. I’m still working towards no breaths, but I’m not there yet, so we’ll see.”

Originally published as Australian Swimming Championships 2025, day two: Kaylee McKeown eyeing LA three-peat after stunning Aussie return