Cody Simpson rejects ugly Emma McKeon relationship rumour

Cody Simpson shut down an ugly rumour about his relationship with Emma McKeon, but there was one question he couldn’t answer.

Australian swim stars Cody Simpson and Emma McKeon have opened up on their high-profile romance ahead of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

The pair will dive into the pool this week but their relationship has provided as many headlines as their sporting achievements of late.

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McKeon is the swimming superstar who dominated last year’s Tokyo Olympics and is looking to continue that trend at the Commonwealth Games. Simpson is revelling in his first meet as a member of an Australian team, delighted his career switch away from the music industry has paid dividends far sooner than he expected.

The happy couple were profiled on Channel 7’s Spotlight on Sunday night, where they were happy to speak about their love life. Simpson — who said he “wooed” McKeon with his singing — admitted he had a crush on the 28-year-old for some time before acting on his feelings.

“You know, when you meet someone, you just recognise that there’s something there. I always saw her as this special person to me. Like overall, pretty inspiring human,” Simpson told Seven’s Denham Hitchcock.

“There’s something there that we didn’t obviously explore then.

“I always acknowledged that there was a connection that we had. But we didn’t act on it until what ended up being a year later.

“We talk every day about how happy we are and how lucky we are. I think we definitely appreciate it.

“Whenever I’m playing (music), she’ll just drop whatever she’s doing and watch and listen. She doesn’t have to do that, but I like that. You always pay attention. It’s nice.”

McKeon said she “likes listening to him play” music, adding: “I feel like we’re best friends, which to me is so important. I’m close with my family, that is important to me, as well, so we just have a lot in common.’

“We’re loving where we’re at at the moment. And we have fun together. We just love each other’s company.”

The happy couple are hoping to dominate in the pool.

Simpson made a huge change when he decided to ditch the pop star life and return to swimming, where he excelled as a junior before chasing his music dream.

After making his mark in showbusiness, the 25-year-old — who has been romantically linked to celebrities like Miley Cyrus and Gigi Hadid — embarked on a new path nobody saw coming.

Initially eyeing off an Australian berth at the 2024 Paris Olympics, Simpson is ahead of schedule. His remarkable swim to place third in the 100m butterfly behind Matt Temple and Kyle Chalmers at the recent National Championships was enough to secure him a spot on the Commonwealth Games team — and the sweet moment he learnt of his selection while sitting alongside McKeon in Adelaide quickly went viral across social media.

But asked to choose whether McKeon or swimming was the “best thing” in his life, Simpson struggled to answer.

“It’s a loaded question. Like, swimming is that we do together, it’s all wrapped up in one,” he said.

Simpson was ecstatic when he received a text informing him of his selection in Australia’s Commonwealth Games team. Picture: Instagram

McKeon was by his side to enjoy the sweet moment. Picture: Instagram

The pair were also asked about rumours of friction in the Aussie camp, stemming from McKeon’s previous relationship with sprint stud Chalmers, who won gold in Rio six years ago and silver in Tokyo in his favoured 100m freestyle.

Chalmers surprised plenty by opting to add the 100m butterfly to his program at this year’s National Championships, robbing Simpson of the chance to compete at the World Championships in Budapest.

Chalmers slammed rumours he was motivated to swim the event because of Simpson’s relationship with McKeon.

Simpson told Spotlight “there’s obviously been drama in the media” but added there was “nothing” wrong with the team dynamic in Birmingham.

McKeon elaborated on her admiration for Simpson and his determination to achieve a new goal, saying the two share a similar drive and ambition.

“He believed that he could do it. And that’s something that’s inspiring for me and a lot of people, is just to believe in yourself and you can get there,” she said.

“I’m someone that puts pressure on myself to do what I want to do and he’s the same. I guess it’s kind of like a stubborn mindset. Just being like, ‘No, this is what I want and I’m going to work for it’. And I’m similar like that.”

Simpson and McKeon are the new golden couple of Australian sport. (Photo by Mark Brake/Getty Images)

After keeping details of their personal lives relatively quiet during the early stages of their relationship, Simpson and McKeon stepped out for the premiere of the Elvis biopic in Queensland last month.

They also went Instagram official earlier in July, posting photos of themselves holding hands in Spain.

“A brief rendezvous in Barcelona with my love,” Simpson’s caption read.

McKeon was the star of the Australian Tokyo Olympic team, coming away with seven medals, including four golds.

Adding her four medals from Rio, she became the most decorated Olympian in Australian history with a tally of five golds, two silvers and four bronze.

Going “Insta official” is a big deal these days. Picture: Instagram