Kaylee McKeown ‘disappointed’ to narrowly miss own WR, rising star books Olympic spot
Kaylee McKeown nearly broke her own world record at the Aussie swim trials, while a young freestyler booked his Olympic spot.
Swimming
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Backstroke queen Kaylee McKeown has given her own 100m backstroke world record a scare on the second night of the Australian swimming trials.
McKeown seems to be breaking records every time she dives in the pool and she was just 0.08 off her own world mark, touching the wall in 57.41sec.
It’s the second fastest 100m backstroke time ever. McKeown now owns the seven fastest times in the history of the event.
The 22-year-old will get the chance to defend her Olympic title in the event in what shapes as a packed Paris program after she broke her own national record on Monday to also qualify in the 200m medley.
McKeown said based off her performance in training, she was hoping to go faster.
“I’m not gonna lie I was a bit disappointed with that,” McKeown told Channel 9.
“There is always room for improvement.
“My training has shown otherwise but booked the ticket to Paris, so that’s just a chance to go faster.
“It’s so hard when people ask (for my) goal time. For me, it’s not necessarily a goal time, it’s the execution for the time. I was happy with it, I’ll see what the coach says.”
Mollie O’Callaghan finished second in a personal best of 57.88, becoming just the fourth woman to join the exclusive sub-58 club in the 100m backstroke.
“That really hurt to be honest,” O’Callaghan said.
“To touch in a 57.8 is just amazing and I wasn’t expecting that, so I’m happy with the result.
“Definitely nervous for (the Olympics) but this is a great way to set it off.
“I’m happy with anything to be honest, 100m backstroke is a fun event for me
“I don’t really train for it. To go out there and do a 57 is just amazing. I put a lot of pressure on myself regardless of whether it’s a main event or not.”
O’Callaghan is expected to qualify in the 100m and 200m freestyle and said it’s too early to say if she will swim the 100m backstroke in Paris because of a schedule clash.
“I don’t really know yet,” she said.
“It depends on whether I qualify for the next two events. We’re taking it day by day and we’ll decide at the end of the meet.”
The 20-year-old won three relay medals in Tokyo and could be one of the breakout stars in the pool at the Olympics.
Iona Anderson was third in a strong qualifying time of 58.43 — the top three swimmers were all under McKeown’s world record pace with half a lap to go.
Emily Seebohm is vying to qualify for her fifth Olympics in a swimming comeback after she gave birth to a baby boy last September.
The 32-year-old finished seventh from lane 8 in 1:01.14 and has another chance to qualify in the 200m backstroke later in the week.
Max Giuliani set the second fastest 200m freestyle time in Australian history in December, and the 20-year-old proved it was no fluke, winning Tuesday’s final to book his ticket to Paris.
Giuliani, who like Ariarne Titmus has moved from Tasmania to Brisbane to pursue his swimming dream, dashed down the final lap to touch in 1:45.83 as the only swimmer under the qualifying time.
Announcing himself as a rising star in the pool, his Olympics debut will also be Giuliani’s first Dolphins team. Ian Thorpe is the only Aussie to swim the four-lap event faster that Giuliani’s personal best of 1:44.79.
Tom Neill was second in 1:46.02 and will likely swim the 200m freestyle in Paris after finishing ninth in Tokyo.
Elijah Winnington, Hayley Lewis’ son Kai Taylor, Zac Incerti and Alex Graham are also in line to be selected for the 4x200m freestyle relay.
Jenna Strauch won the 100m breaststroke in 1:06.90, outside Swimming Australia’s qualifying time. She will still be selected for the medley relay and could qualify in her preferred 200m breastroke.
The recent retirement of Chelsea Hodges, who swam the breaststroke leg of Australia’s gold medal winning women’s medley in Paris, has left somewhat of a void in the breaststroke ranks.
O’Callaghan could swim the backstroke leg and McKeown could swim the breaststroke if the relay order is reshuffled.
Isaac Cooper won the 100m backstroke but his time of 53.46 was just outside the qualifying time. He is a red hot chance to qualify in the 50m freestyle on Tuesday.
Mitch Larkin was fourth in 54.22 in his bid to make a fourth Olympics.
Originally published as Kaylee McKeown ‘disappointed’ to narrowly miss own WR, rising star books Olympic spot
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