McKeown says she has 'a lot of work to do' to reclaim world records

Kaylee McKeown wants world records back after missing Commonwealth Games, Pan Pacifics Five-time Olympic champion Kaylee McKeown has opened up on the pain of watching her 50m world record get broken twice while she was sidelined with glandular fever and recovering from a broken wrist suffered this year. "I've had some of my records taken from me, [and] I'd like to reclaim them," McKeown told ABC Sport. "I think that [makes] your achievements very humbling with the fact that people can take them off you at any given moment. "I can hold onto my medals, but world records are meant to be broken." McKeown's 50m backstroke record was broken across two different races at the European championships by Italian swimmer Sara Curtis, with the Australian arguing the result was "inevitable" after the introduction of three sprint events to the Los Angeles Olympics. Breaststroke, butterfly and backstroke 50m races have been added to the 2028 calendar. "You get pure sprinters coming in and to her credit she's done a phenomenal job, she's broken the world record by 0.3 or 0.4 seconds," McKeown said. "I've got a lot of work to do. "The fact that I'm able to chase somebody now and not be the chased is something I really relish." This follows American Regan Smith breaking McKeown's 100m backstroke world mark in 2024. The ultra-competitive McKeown's run of poor health forced her to miss the Commonwealth Games and Pan Pacific Championships with glandular fever. She said watching the Dolphins' success from home was bittersweet. "It's my favourite part of swimming, competing in events against the best in the world," she said. "Unfortunately I missed that this year, but it has lit a fire in my belly just seeing the [Australian] swimmers do really well. "Our Aussie swimmers had a really great Comm Games … they held up really well so I think we've got a really bright future heading into Brisbane 2032 and LA." Rest 'the hardest thing' for competitor McKeown Arguably the greatest backstroker of all time, McKeown said dealing with glandular fever had been a new challenge for someone used to being at peak fitness. "That's the very challenging part, the feeling of not being able to do what you usually do," she said. "The thing with glandular fever is you look fine from the outside but on the inside your body is just crying for more rest, more relaxation. "That is the hardest thing for me, not only in the pool but outside the pool, so I've had to refrain from these activities [I'd normally do] to avoid getting chronic fatigue and going down that path." In contrast to her usual routine of nine training sessions per week, McKeown is currently limited to three as she builds slowly towards the 2027 World Aquatic Championships. "It's been a really slow recovery," she said. "It's always the biggest part of any campaign, the last year leading into the Olympics where you fine-tune everything. You see where your competitors are at and then you come back the year after for the Olympic Games. "I had a really, really good year in 2023 leading into the Paris Olympics and I'm hoping for the same next year. Hopefully my health [holds up] and there's no broken wrists either." And while she'll be 31 by the time Brisbane 2032 rolls around, McKeown has her sights firmly set on a home Olympics, drawing on Swedish returning mum Sarah Sjöström for inspiration. "It's different swimming 50m strokes, to 200 or 400 metre, so I'll definitely reassess after LA Olympic Games and hopefully get on track with my life outside the pool [then]," she said. "[Sjöström] had a kid and she's back and on top of the world, so if I can do that I will definitely be at Brisbane 2032." McKeown also continues to draw inspiration from her dad, who she lost in 2020, as she works towards the goal of representing her country in her home state. "We're not granted to be on this Earth," she said. "That's the way I really live my life: to take every day as you can."