SYDNEY • Australian Kaylee McKeown yesterday narrowly missed the 50m backstroke world record while setting the year's best time in the 200m individual medley, as she ramps up preparations for the Tokyo Olympics.
The 19-year-old was the outstanding performer at the four-day Sydney Open, swimming the second-fastest 100m backstroke in history and the fourth-quickest over 200m.
She followed up those exploits by setting an Australian and Commonwealth record of 27.16 seconds over 50m, just 0.18 outside the world record held by China's Liu Xiang since 2018.
McKeown finished the medley in 2min 8.73sec, a time bettered this season only by her own 2:08.23 at the Queensland State Championships.
"Kaylee takes her body and her mind, and she punches through pain barriers like no one else I've ever seen in my life and she doesn't mind doing it," her coach Chris Mooney said.
The Sydney Open was the last meet before Australia's Olympic trials in Adelaide next month.
Maddy Gough was also in superb form, winning the 1,500m freestyle - which will be a new Olympic distance in Tokyo for women - in a personal best 15:55.14, a time bettered only by United States star Katie Ledecky and Germany's Sarah Kohler.
Zac Stubblety-Cook warmed up for the national trials by clocking an Australian record of 2:07.00 in the men's 200m breast, the second-fastest time in the world this year. "It does wonders for the confidence, knowing that all the hard work in training, that comes down to just over two minutes' work in the race, is certainly paying off and we are on the right track," he said.
Meanwhile, Michael Andrew notched his third win in as many days at the Indianapolis Pro Swim Series on Saturday and if his 200m IM victory left something to be desired, it was still a good sign with the US Olympic trials coming up.
He won the race in 1:56.84 but admitted he was "a little tired mentally".
Andrew, who looked impressive in 100m breast and 100m fly victories earlier, added: "That (medley) race hurt a lot more, but I'm happy with some of the adjustments we were able to make and I'm looking forward to these next three weeks and getting ready for trials."
World record holder Regan Smith won the women's 100m back in 58.77sec, with Phoebe Bacon - who bested Smith in the 200m back - second in 59.62.
At the US trials next month, Smith and Bacon will be up against stiff competition in the 100m back as evidenced by results on Saturday in the Atlanta Classic.
There, Olivia Smoliga won the women's 100m back in 58.31 with Rhyan White second in 58.43. That moved them to third and fourth in the world this season, a list topped by McKeown's 57.63 in Sydney - the second-fastest time ever behind Smith's world mark of 57.57 set in 2019.
AGENCE FRANCE-PRESSE
