Kaylee McKeown Named Swimming World Pacific Rim Feminine Swimmer of the Yr
Heading into final summer season’s Olympic Video games in Paris, any considered one of three Australian ladies had the potential to emerge as their nation’s headliner inside La Protection Enviornment. Every of the candidates – Kaylee McKeown, Ariarne Titmus and Mollie O’Callaghan – boasted world-record credentials and huge success on the worldwide stage.
And when the 9 days of motion within the French capital concluded, every member of The Large Three had a person Olympic gold medal draped round her neck. Extra, the triumvirate mixed – between solo efforts and relay obligation – for 12 medals.
So, when it got here time to tabulate the voting for Pacific Rim Feminine Swimmer of the Yr, it was not a shock that McKeown, Titmus and O’Callaghan occupied the top-three positions. The truth that McKeown swept the backstroke occasions for the second consecutive Olympiad handed her the award, marking the second straight yr she has earned Pacific Rim accolades.
As McKeown ready to race in Paris, there is no such thing as a doubt she wore a goal. Not solely was she the defending Olympic champion in each backstroke occasions, she swept all three backstroke disciplines on the 2023 World Championships – the final fully-attended version of Worlds. Extra, her constant velocity in all meets heralded McKeown as the favourite.
Finally, the Aussie delivered on the expectations, within the course of edging her longtime pleasant rival, Regan Smith of the US. McKeown’s march towards a double-double began when she prevailed within the 100 backstroke, clocking an Olympic report of 57.33. That efficiency gave McKeown a .33 margin over Smith, who touched for the silver medal in 57.66.
Finishing the sweep required a comeback flurry from McKeown, who trailed Smith by the opening 150 meters of the 200 backstroke. However McKeown produced a dynamic end to tug forward down the stretch and seize her newest gold medal in 2:03.73, slightly greater than a half-second away from Smith and her runnerup mark of two:04.26.
McKeown made a 3rd particular person journey to the rostrum on the Video games by way of her bronze-medal end within the 200 particular person medley, the place she completed behind Canadian Summer time McIntosh and American Kate Douglass. McKeown added a silver medal within the 400 medley relay, the place she jumpstarted Australia to second place behind the US.
“I couldn’t ask for far more, to be sincere,” McKeown mentioned of her Olympic double repeat. “Not simply the Aussie ladies, however the entire world and feminine sports activities have been unreal this yr. It’s simply nice to be part of that.”
Pacific Rim Feminine Swimmer of the Yr
Kaylee McKeown (Australia)
Ariarne Titmus (Australia)
Mollie O’Callaghan (Australia)
Zhang Yufei (China)
Siobhan Haughey (Hong Kong)
