Sunshine Coast swim star Kaylee McKeown has made history and stunned the world in a gold medal-winning performance at the Tokyo Games.
The 20-year-old clocked 57.45sec in the 100m backstroke final to break the Olympic record and finish ahead of Canadian Kylie Masse (57.72) and American Regan Smith (58.05).
She was third at the turn, before producing an electrifying finish.
It was an amazing effort from McKeown, who lost her father Sholto to cancer last year.
She cherished the win.
“It’s something a lot of people definitely dream of. It’s something I’ve always dreamed of and to make it a reality is really amazing,” she told Channel 7.
When asked what she would like to say to her father, she said: “I hope you’re proud and I’ll keep doing you proud.”
Kaylee admitted she was nervous before the race but had confidence.
“I have a really good support team and a few people came up to me before the race and said: ‘you’re the hardest trainer and to have all the faith in the world that you’ve got this’.”
Kaylee said she was emotional on the podium.
“I was trying to hold in a lot of tears because there’s a lot of effort that goes behind these kind of things and it’s not everyday you get to sing the national anthem at the Olympics.”
“It’s the pinnacle of sport, so it was an honour to be standing up there and singing the anthem.”
She was cheered on from home, with Sunshine Coasters tuning in to watch the big race.
Her mother Sharon and sister Taylor were among a contingent, including swimming legend Dawn Fraser, at Noosa cheering her on.
“Her daddy would be so proud,” Sharon told Channel 7.
“I’m so happy for her and excited. I just can’t wait to give her a big cuddle.”
Sharon said the past 12 months had been “pretty tough”.
“But COVID has probably been a bit of a blessing and Kaylee’s been able to focus and fly under the radar and she’s done a great job.
“She always knows dad’s watching over her.”
Taylor, a silver medallist from Rio, was beside herself.
“I don’t even have words. I literally can’t talk, I’m so happy for her. She just looked so beautiful on TV as well, with such grace.”
Taylor said Kaylee was a committed and determined athlete.
“This is testament to her, and her hard work. You can ask anyone in her training group and her swim team, Kaylee’s a hard worker… she’s an absolute animal.”
She said Kaylee would inspire the next generation of swimmers, especially with Brisbane to host the Games in 2032.
“I hope lots of kids are inspired to get out there, train hard and achieve your dreams because anyone can do it if you put the work in.”
And Kaylee said she wanted to motivate others.
“I hope I can be an inspiration to so many people. I take a lot of pride in just being who I am and that’s all I can really do, and hopefully people like that.”
Students at her former school, Pacific Lutheran College, provided some of the biggest cheers for McKeown during the past couple of days of competition.
Olympic gold medallist and Channel 7 commentator Leisel Jones praised McKeown for her feat.
“If you want to see a race beautifully executed, that’s how you do it,” she said.
The University of Sunshine Coast club member went into the event in great form, after snaring the world record (57.45) at the Australian selection trials in Adelaide last month.
McKeown still has the 200m backstroke and medley relays to come at Tokyo. She recently broke the Commonwealth record for the 200m event.
EARLIER
Young swim sensation Kaylee McKeown is poised for the race of her life as her Sunshine Coast family and friends cheer her on.
The 20-year-old has advanced to the final of the 100m backstroke at the Tokyo Olympics (11.51am), after breaking the world record at the national selection trials in Adelaide last month.
Students at her former school, Pacific Lutheran College, watched her semi-final on Monday and will be among those cheering the loudest during the final.
Principal Dr Bronwyn Dolling said the school was proud and delighted to see McKeown on the world’s biggest sporting stage.
“We’re very excited to see her competing at the Olympics, and I think it’s important to really celebrate her achievement to this point,” Dr Dolling said.
“She’s been a wonderful, young person who has worked hard, and she always celebrated success with dignity and humility. We’re very proud of who she is in and out of the pool. We wish her all the best.”
Dr Dolling said McKeown had motivated the students.
“I think it (her effort) is inspirational for any young person and particularly the students at Pacific Lutheran, to see someone able to compete and do well on the world stage, and to see someone follow their dreams, work hard and do very well.
“That’s inspiring for young people, no matter what their future pathway is.”
She said McKeown had shown significant potential from a young age.
“She was always really highly regarded as a junior swimmer. She worked really hard at it and was supported well by her family and team.
Dr Dolling said McKeown displayed quality attributes as an athlete, and person.
“She’s always had tremendous courage and persistence.
McKeown had the third fastest qualifying time for the final, after finishing second in her semi-final on Monday.
She broke the Olympic record in her heat on Sunday, moments after it went to Canadian Kylie Masse and then American Regan Smith.
“I would lie if I said I wasn’t nervous,” McKeown told Channel Seven after her heat win, which was her first swim at an Olympics.
“I was very nervous walking out (but) I think just making it to the semis, I’m just relaxed a bit more.”.
Smith regained the Olympic record in the semi-finals, to set up a thrilling showdown in the final.
McKeown holds the world record of 57.45sec. She snared it with a stunning swim at the Australian selection trials at Adelaide in June, after the loss of her father to cancer last year.
McKeown is also set to compete in the 200m backstroke, with heats on Thursday. She claimed a Commonwealth record for the distance (2:04.28) at the national trials.
She’s also likely to swim in the women’s medley relay and/or the mixed medley relay during the week.
But she withdrew from the 200m individual medley, due to her workload and schedule at the Games.
Fellow Aussie Ariarne Titmus claimed a scintillating win in the 400m freestyle on Monday, edging American Katie Ledecky after a head-to-head battle.
Her family, who have relocated from Tasmania to Noosa, cheered her on from home, with Australian swimming legend and local Dawn Fraser and other Australian swim team supporters.
Father Steve celebrated the big win.
“I can’t believe it. I’ve lost my voice. I cannot believe it,” he told Channel 7.
“Wow. Just quite extraordinary. She’s done it. She’s actually done it.
“That last 100, she’s just gritty, determined, unbelievable.”
Meanwhile, Coolum Beach’s Julian Wilson bowed out of the men’s surfing contest at the Olympics on Monday.
He was beaten by Brazilian star Gabriel Medina 14.33 to 13.00 in Round 3, to essentially finish equal ninth.
The 32-year-old lodged a protest after the heat, when the Australian camp argued that Medina had scored while surfing a wave outside the competition boundary.
But officials dismissed the protest and said the rules stipulated that surfers could compete out the zone, but they risked not getting scored if judges could not see it.
The 32-year-old was last of four surfers in his Round 1 heat on Saturday, which was non-elimination, before he finished third of five surfers to survive a cut-throat Round 2 heat on Sunday, before bowing out in Round 3 on Monday.
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Mapleton’s Ryan Tyack and his compatriots David Barnes and Taylor Worth were eliminated from the team event on Monday.
They were beaten 5-4 by Chinese Taipei in the first elimination round, to finish equal ninth.
The Aussies won the first and third while their opponents won the second and fourth to lock scores at 4-apiece, before the match was decided in a shoot-off.
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Tyack was due to compete in the individual event on Tuesday evening, after he was 42nd in the ranking round, among 64.
He was scheduled to meet US Virgin Islands’ Nicholas D’Amour (23rd in ranking round).
Kayakers Alyce Wood and Alyssa Bull are set to open their campaigns on Monday and they will compete in the K2 500 and K1 500 events.
Open water swimmer Kareena Lee is set to compete in the 10km event next Wednesday.
Sunshine Coast athletes in action this week
Kaylee McKeown (swimming)
- Tuesday, July 27: Women’s 100m backstroke final, 11.51am.
- Thursday, July 29: Women’s 200m backstroke heats, from 9.02pm.
- Thursday, July 29: Mixed 4x100m medley relay heats, from 9.17pm (maybe).
- Friday, July 30: Women’s 200m backstroke semi-finals, from 12.35pm.
- Friday, July 30: Women’s 4x100m medley relay heats, from 9.50pm (maybe).
- Saturday, July 31: Women’s 200m backstroke final, 11.37am.
- Saturday, July 31: Mixed 4x100m medley relay final, 12.43pm (maybe).
- Sunday, August 1: Women’s 4x100m medley final, 12.15pm (maybe).
Julian Wilson (surfing)
- Finished equal 9th.
Ryan Tyack (archery)
- Thursday, July 29: Men’s individual. Round of 64, 1.06pm.
- Finished equal 9th in the team event.
Alyce Wood and Alyssa Bull (kayaking)
- Monday, August 2: Women’s K2 500m heats, from 12.08pm.
- Tuesday, August 3: Women’s K2 500m semi-final, from 11.23pm.
- Tuesday, August 3: Women’s K2 500m final, from 1.39pm.
- Wednesday, August 4: Women’s K1 500m heats, from 11.40pm.
- Wednesday, August 4: Women’s K1 500m quarter finals, from 1.50pm.
- Thursday, August 5, Women’s K1 500m, semi-finals from 10.58am.
- Thursday, August 5, Women’s K1 500m final, from 1.15pm.
Kareena Lee (swimming)
- Wednesday, August 4, 10km marathon swim, 7.30am.
