Australian Swimming World Championship trials: Hayley Lewis celebrates son Kai Taylor’s win

Kai Taylor had enough pressure on him as it was swimming to make the world championships, but his legendary mum Hayley Lewis had a secret reason to ramp up the heat even more.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA - JUNE 17th, 2023: Kai Taylor, winner of the men's 200m freestyle at the World Championship Trials, and his No. 1 supporter, mum Hayley Lewis. Picture: David Geraghty

Everyone who has seen the video clip of Hayley Lewis cheering like crazy when her teenage son Kai Taylor qualified for the world swimming championships this week, can tell just how proud and excited she was.

But what no-one knew at the time was also how relieved the whole family was because they hadn’t let anyone know they had secretly bought tickets to Japan, in the hope he might get on the Australian team.

With the top six finishers from the 200m freestyle at the trials expected to be picked, at least in the relay, getting in early to purchase tickets looked like a prudent move when the 19-year-old won the event at the Australian championship in April.

But the family’s trip to Fukuoka suddenly looked in doubt when Taylor slightly misjudged the pace of his heat swim and missed a spot in the final, only to be thrown a lifeline when Kyle Chalmers pulled out.

Kai Taylor, winner of the men's 200m freestyle at the World Championship Trials, and his No. 1 supporter, mum Hayley Lewis. Picture: David Geraghty

Promoted to the final, but swimming from the outside, in lane eight, Taylor seized his second chance to win the race and book his place on the team, saving his parents from having to cancel their tickets.

“I think mum and dad were worried about it adding a little bit of pressure,” Taylor said.

“Obviously, it definitely did add a little bit of pressure, there‘s no doubt about that when you haven’t even made the team.

“I always knew that even if I didn‘t make the team, mum and dad wouldn’t be disappointed or angry or upset or anything. And I knew they could cancel the tickets. But obviously, there’s always that little bit of added pressure.”

Lewis said she and her husband, Greg Taylor, didn’t plan on telling their talented son about the tickets so as not to jinx him.

But they let the cat out of the bag when he casually asked them whether they would travel to Fukuoka if he happened to make the team.

“I guess you could say my husband is the manager of me and Kai and his brother, he‘s just a very good organiser,” Lewis said.

“So when Kai swam at the Gold Coast, my husband said ‘I‘m going to get this thing organised, just in case’.

“But we didn‘t know whether we should tell Kai because we didn’t want him to think we’re going to waste our money.”

In the end, they had nothing to worry about. Not only did Taylor qualify for the individual 200m freestyle and the 4x200m freestyle relay but he also sealed a spot in the 4x100m freestyle relay.

Still just a teenager, he is emerging as one of Australia‘s best young prospects, with his eyes set on next year’s Paris Olympic and beyond.

Unlike his famous mother who burst on the international scene when she was just 15 - winning five gold medals at the Commonwealth Games - then going on to win a world championship and Olympic medals, Taylor has been given plenty of time to mature away from the spotlight.

Lewis (R) and husband Greg Taylor (C) cheer on their son Kai Taylor to victory in the men's 200m freestyle swimming final at the 2023 Australian World Championship Trials. Picture: William West

Taylor celebrates the win. Picture: Michael Klein.

Despite his genes - his father was also a swimmer - Taylor wasn’t ever pushed into swimming, so played other basketball and cricket with his mates until he decided his future was in the pool.

A legend of the sport, Lewis won the 200m freestyle world championship from lane eight but said the only advice she has passed on to her son was just to just to enjoy himself after she struggled with the weight of expectation that was put on her.

“I was over it when I was 19,” Lewis said. “I think it was because I‘d had, pretty much from the age of about ten, people were saying to me ’you’re going to go to the Olympics?

“At 11, 12, 13, it was like, ‘you‘re going to do it’ and so I guess there was that pressure from such a young age that I was definitely going to make it.

“But there wasn‘t the mental health support that the kids have got these days in terms of how to deal with the good times and the bad.

“In my era it was all about ‘toughen up, stop being a wuss. If you can’t be tough, then get out of the sport.’

“So I didn‘t have the opportunity to have a good cry after one of my swims, otherwise I’d be told that I was weak and I need to stop swimming.”

By coincidence, Lewis made her last appearance for Australia in Fukuoka, at the 2001 world championships, winning a bronze in the 5km open water,

And while the now 49-year-old has experienced all the highs and lows of being thrust into the public glare, she believes the sport is much better at looking after younger competitors and has no concerns for her son.

“He has a great sports psychologist that he can ring at any time and have a chat to him,” Lewis said.

“He could potentially have so many more years ahead of him, whereas at 19 I was ready to quit and work as a barista in a coffee shop. That was like all I wanted to do, just do something that was very chilled and very, no stress.

“No offence to the baristas, I‘m sure they have stress, but it’s different expectations and I am so grateful that Kai has had a different journey to me.”