Doctor McKeon? Aussie Olympic legend Emma McKeon reveals surprising new career milestone
She’s already Australia’s most decorated Olympian. Now Emma McKeon has a new title to match, thanks to the university where her swimming career began.
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She’s dominated the Olympic podium, smashed world records, and now Australia’s golden girl Emma McKeon has earned the title of doctor.
The 31-year-old swimming sensation — who holds a record 14 Olympic medals — received an Honorary Doctorate in Health Sciences last week by the University of Wollongong (UOW), in recognition of her extraordinary contribution to Australian sport and her advocacy for youth health and wellbeing.
McKeon, who trained at the university’s swimming facilities as a teenager, returned to her alma mater for a moving graduation ceremony where she delivered a heartfelt address to the class of 2025.
“Today, take the time to pause and be proud, even though there is more you want to achieve,” she told graduates.
“Be proud of not just the outcomes, but of the persistence, the sacrifices and the resilience it took to get here.”
McKeon, shared footage of the ceremony on social media, donning a traditional Tudor bonnet and academic gown while posing alongside her boyfriend of three years, singer and fellow swimmer Cody Simpson, who beamed with pride.
“Last week I received an Honorary Doctorate in Health Sciences from the University of Wollongong,” she captioned the post, which was quickly flooded with congratulations from fellow athletes and fans alike.
Aussie swimming icon Ian Thorpe called it “a well recognised accomplishment,” adding: “Much more than you could simply read in a txt book, you were doing it and creating it!” Meanwhile, Simpson wrote: “Sooo proud of you. You deserve it alllll.”
The event was capped off with another symbolic moment, the renaming of the university’s pool to the Emma McKeon Pool, the very place where the Olympic legend first chased her dreams under the watchful eye of her father and coach, dual Olympian Ron McKeon.
McKeon, who retired from professional competition following the Paris Olympics, grew up and began her swimming career in Wollongong before relocating to Queensland to pursue Olympic glory.
UOW Chancellor Michael Still praised McKeon’s humility and legacy, saying the honorary doctorate and pool renaming were “a way of saying thank you – for what she’s achieved, and for the pride she brings to Wollongong.”
In 2024, she was named Young Australian of the Year and has since taken on a role as a UNICEF Australia Ambassador, using her platform to promote children’s rights and mental health.
Originally published as Doctor McKeon? Aussie Olympic legend Emma McKeon reveals surprising new career milestone