Australian swimmer Kaylee McKeown set a new world record in the women’s 100m short-course backstroke at the Australian championships, clocking in at 54.56 seconds. The 23-year-old Olympic champion, who recently won gold in both the 100m and 200m backstroke at the Paris Olympics, decided to compete last-minute after feeling “stir-crazy” at home.
McKeown’s performance broke the previous record set by fellow Australian Minna Atherton in 2019. Despite already qualifying for December’s world short-course championships in Budapest, McKeown remains undecided about competing, stating she’s not putting pressure on herself following her Olympic triumphs. She also holds the 200m short-course backstroke world record and is set to compete in that event next.
