Australian swimmer Taylor McKeown making a statement with her dolphin tattoo

THE new dolphin tattoo on Taylor McKeown’s rib cage has far greater meaning than simply being a member of the Australian swimming team.

THE new dolphin tattoo on Taylor McKeown’s rib cage has far greater meaning than simply being a member of the Australian swimming team.

The Sunshine Coast breaststroker is a woman with a purpose and she wants to use her profile as an Olympian heading to Rio to “give a voice to the voiceless’’.

That’s why when McKeown finishes her racing in Brazil in August the next time you see her she will be on the front line of protests in Japan to stop the slaughter of her favourite animal.

“My tattoo is just a symbol to remind me what my dreams are and I’ve always wanted to be in conservation so having that tattoo on me it’s a constant reminder of my purpose in life and that’s to give a voice to the voiceless,” McKeown said.

“As the Olympics finish the dolphin hunting season in Japan will start. It’s basically just a mass slaughter of dolphins and it’s really for no reason at all.

“I want to raise awareness around that and I want to travel to Japan after Rio to be on the frontline and be protesting there.

“I know there is going to be a lot of media attention around the Olympics and people will be interested in what the athletes do outside of their sport so that is what I want people to think of me as, someone there to preserve species and be against animal cruelty.”

Ideally McKeown will have a shiny medal hanging from her neck as she tells the world about animal rights in Rio.

Certainly the early 2016 form guide indicates the 21-year-old could step on to a podium at the Olympics as her 200m breaststroke time at the selection trials remains one of the world’s top three times this year.

McKeown achieved that personal best time after a major training setback when a torn hip muscle kept her from doing any breaststroke kick for at least a month before the trials.

It was the first 200m best time she had clocked in two years and gave her the shot of confidence and belief needed to take on the world in Rio.

Now she is back to full fitness and determined to keep improving her times in both the 100m and 200m so she can become a real medal threat.

“Last year was pretty disappointing just knowing I was nowhere near my best and I was thinking am I ever going to get back down to doing a 2:22,” she said.

“It just seemed that was impossible to do now.

“I started to think I’ve peaked already and I’m never going to get back there so it was a big relief at trials to do those PBs knowing I can still step it up.

“I can do breaststroke training now and be mostly pain-free and that does give you confidence that if I can achieve good times in training then come race day that will be in the back of my mind.

“At the moment it’s just all about doing my best and letting the results reflect that.”

Originally published as Australian swimmer Taylor McKeown making a statement with her dolphin tattoo