Kaylee McKeown breaks 200m backstroke world record

Kaylee McKeown has revealed the secret behind her stunning world record after a ‘hard patch’ around the Tokyo Olympics.

Triple Olympic champion Kaylee McKeown has produced an absolute stunner at the NSW swimming titles on Friday night, breaking the 200m backstroke world record.

The Tokyo backstroke queen proved she is well and truly on track for more success at the Paris Olympics next year with a simply astounding swim at the meet at Sydney Olympic Park.

McKeown, who moved to the Gold Coast to train under Emma McKeon’s mentor Michael Bohl after the 2021 Olympics, broke the 200m record with a time of 2:03.14 – taking 0.21 off American Regan Smith’s 2019 mark.

Kaylee McKeown hits the water. Picture: Delly Carr (Swimming NSW)

Kaylee McKeown reacts after her record. Picture: Delly Carr (Swimming NSW)

Kaylee McKeown with a new world record!!

She just took 0.21 off Regan Smith’s 200m backstroke world record.

What a performance at the NSW State Open Championships 👏 pic.twitter.com/TzCoMd32DY

— Lachlan McKirdy (@LMcKirdy7) March 10, 2023

Kaylee McKeown is absolutely on one at the moment 🔥
Not every day a world record gets broken at NSW Open champs #swimminghttps://t.co/5ddZwlBgLy

— Matthew Sullivan (@Matt_H_Sullivan) March 10, 2023

Making McKeown’s performance even more remarkable is the fact most of Australia’s top swimmers are meant to be in heavy training programs at this time of year, with the Fukuoka world titles still four months away.

This early sign of speed and conditioning bodes well for McKeown, who won gold in both the 100m and 200m events at the Olympics as well as the 4x100m medley relay.

The NSW titles has attracted a who’s who of the Dolphins swim team, but nobody has turned heads quite like McKeown.

The Aussie said her shock performance was the result of finding happiness in her life after the expected come down from Tokyo made it hard to get motivated in 2022.

“After the Olympics I found it hard to get up behind the blocks again....I’m not sure, maybe after that Olympic phase, training a lot harder and training with guys in my squad at the Gold Coast Aquatic Centre,” McKeown told reporters after her record breaking swim.

“I found a new love for the sport and it just goes to show that a happy swimmer is a fast swimmer. I haven’t necessarily changed anything in my program or training wise. It’s just that I’m happier.”

With this world record McKeown is now the Olympic champion and world record holder in both the 100m and 200m backstroke.

McKeown is on another level. Picture: Delly Carr (Swimming NSW)

That is an achievement almost unheard of in Australian swimming with the 21-year-old sweeping all before her since storming into the international scene.

The performance is set to send a massive warning shot across the bow of her rivals - even moreso when they realise just how unprepared she was for the fastest swim of her life.

“The race was actually swum 20 minutes earlier than it was scheduled on the time line – I was so rushed...and talking to Molly I said ”what’s going on...?” she said.

“I actually like sitting in marshaling and kind of gathering my thoughts before my race..but I had no time for that...so I just pulled up my straps and went for it really...but I love racing....it’s what we train for...

“I knew it was going to be a new level heading into the Olympics and I think it’s great seeing Regan Smith doing all her double ups – it’s scary and its daunting to me looking when you are looking at a competitor or competitors that fierce – even Molly O’Callaghan in Australia – the backstroke depth is definitely coming back at that top level so it’s exciting.”

Originally published as Kaylee McKeown breaks 200m backstroke world record