Tokyo Olympics 2021: Kaylee McKeown burns mum following F-Bomb scolding

Double gold medallist Kaylee McKeown has thrown her mum under the bus after copping a scolding for the famous Olympic F-Bomb.

TOKYO, JAPAN – JULY 29: Kaylee McKeown of Team Australia competes in heat four of the Women's 200m Backstroke on day six of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at Tokyo Aquatics Centre on July 29, 2021 in Tokyo, Japan. (Photo by Maddie Meyer/Getty Images)

The K-Train arrived right on time. Again.

Too fast for all her rivals in the 100m backstroke final, this time Kaylee McKeown outlasted her opponents to snatch the 200m backstroke gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics yesterday.

That’s two gold medals from her two individual events for Australian swimming’s new sensation and she was happy to let the whole world know, triumphantly raising two fingers after she touched the wall before everyone else.

That was a big step back from her wild celebration to winning the 100m gold earlier in the week when she got caught up in the moment and dropped the F-Bomb live on national television.

It went viral on social media but her mother Sharon wasn’t impressed so scolded her, only to have her youngest daughter fire one back at her — in jest — after her stunning 200m victory.

“Good old mumsy wasn’t too impressed,” McKeown said.

“But you know you’ve got to learn it from somewhere and I just put it back on her.”

Kaylee McKeown has thrown her mum under the bus with a brilliant comeback. Picture: Jonathan Nackstrand/AFP

McKeown has been one of the breakout stars of the Tokyo Olympics, not only winning medals in the pool but also stealing the hearts of Australians with her inspiring courage after the passing of her father last year. Her mother and sister Taylor, who won a silver medal at the 2016 Rio Olympics, have been the rocks that have helped her through the most turbulent time of her life and joined in the celebrations at her breathtaking success.

“She’s pretty happy for me,” McKeown said. “Stoked is an understatement as to how proud she would be of me, and you know my sister as well and my dad. It’s just really special to have that family support.”

McKeown has won the hearts of Australia. Picture: Al Bello/Getty

McKeown’s tell it as it attitude has made her an instant darling of Australian sport after she arrived in Tokyo lumbering the extra weight of being the odds-on favourite even though no Australian woman had ever won Olympic gold in backstroke before.

It’s a burden that has proved too much for plenty of others but the 20-year-old Queensland has delivered and isn’t finished yet.’

“To come away with two medals, both gold, plus the bronze in the (mixed medley) relay is absolutely amazing, something I’ll always treasure,” she said.

“But the job is not done yet. We still have one more race to go.”

Trailing Canada’s Kylie Masse through the first three laps, no one was going to stop McKeown once she pulled the trigger on the last length and steamed to the wall in 2:04.68.

Masse held on to win the silver and the bronze went to Australia’s Emily Seebohm, one of McKeown’s childhood heroes.

McKeown returned to the pool less than an hour later and won a bronze medal as the lead off swimmer in the mixed medley relay, and also has the women’s medley relay final to come on Sunday, where the Australians are a strong medal chance.

If the Australians make the podium as expected, McKeown will leave Tokyo with four medals but is already thinking about expanding her schedule for the next Olympics, in Paris in 2024.

Multi-talented, she is also ranked number one in the world in 200m individual medley but pulled out of the race to concentrate on her backstroke.

The time she swam at last month’s Australian trials in Adelaide would have won her another gold in Tokyo and she said she plans to add the event to her program.

■ OLYMPICS LIVE: Follow all the action from Tokyo here

“I don’t like to think too far into the future, but I think if I do make that World Champs team next year it’ll be a big program,” she said.

But McKeown isn’t just a winner in the pool, she’s a winner out if it too, owning Australian swimming’s best nickname - The Postman.

The moniker was given to the 20-year-old golden girl by her coach because ‘she always delivers.

Beautiful gesture from young star to veteran

- Julian Linden

Australia swimming superstar Kaylee McKeown has won her second gold medal at the Tokyo Olympics while Emily Seebohm won a bronze to join the elite club of swimmers to win medals at four Olympics.

McKeown added the 200m backstroke gold to her earlier win in the 100m after digging deep on the last lap.

Kaylee McKeown shoots off some finger guns after the race.

And blows the smoke away. Picture: AFP

It’s Australia’s seventh gold medal in the pool – matching the best haul by a Dolphins team at an Olympics away from home.

The all time record is eight, from the 1956 Melbourne Olympics, which Australia has a great chance of at least matching.

Seebohm – competing in her fourth Olympics – swam sensationally to win the bronze medal, just behind Canada’s Kylie Masse, who led for the first 150m but was overtaken on the last lap.

Seebohm joins Cate Campbell and Leisel Jones as the only Aussie swimmers to win medals at four Games.

McKeown, who has talked about how much Seebohm inspired her over her young career, invited the Aussie legend onto the top step of the podium as the national anthem was played.

“I had a bit of a tear in my eye to be honest, Em has been around for so long and I speak so highly of her and for a reason. It made sense for her to be up there with me,” she said.

“She [Seebohm] deserved to be on that gold medal podium as much as I did.

McKeown and Seebohm stand on the top step together. Picture: Alex Coppel

McKeown as a child pictured with Seebohm.

“The (200m) is supposed to be my dominant event so to come away with another gold is really exciting. I knew I had it deep in me and I think the whole Australian team did as well. It was a matter of getting up there and doing my best.”

An emotional Seebohm broke down in tears on the pool deck as she talked about how much the bronze medal meant to her.

Kaylee McKeown Emily Seebohm hugs Kaylee McKeown after the race. Picture: Al Bello/Getty Images

“God, I’m not a cryer, normally, I’m not a cryer at all. Oh, just so proud. Like, the team has done so well and it’s an absolute dream on this team and I’m so grateful for all the times I’ve been on the Australian swim team,” she said through tears.

“I feel a bit like wine, it gets better as it ages I feel like a bit of a fine wine at the moment.”

Seebohm said she was shocked after her finish to claim bronze.

“I was fine, I was shocked at first,” she said.

“One of the volunteers was crying and that got me going. Otherwise I’m good, really happy.”

Seebohm said she was happy with the execution of her race.

“I had my race plan and I wanted to stick to my race plan,” she said.

“It was trying to not get distracted by the girls. I knew they were both in front of me. It worked perfectly.”

She said it was “pretty unbelievable” to have medalled at four consecutive Olympic Games.

“I’m so grateful, it is so hard getting on this team every year,” she said.

“I didn’t think I’d get this again. It’s something I hold so social to my heart because these teams are the time of my life. To medal at every Olympics I’ve been to, as a little girl all I thought I wanted to do was go to an Olympics.

“Medals weren’t really an option, I’ve been incredibly lucky, very blessed with the team around me.”