McKeown survives scare to book world championship ticket

Adelaide, Australia: World record holder Kaylee McKeown survived a huge fright before winning the 50m backstroke at the Australian world championship trials on Monday after being disqualified from her heat and then reinstated.

The reigning Olympic 100m and 200m backstroke gold medallist hit the wall in 27.33 seconds to edge Mollie O´Callaghan (27.39) in the final and book her ticket to the championships in Singapore next month.

It came after a nerve-racking day for the 23-year-old, who won her morning heat convincingly but was disqualified over a slight head movement on the blocks, where competitors must be absolutely still.

The distraught gold medal favourite and 2023 world champion appealed against the disqualification and had to endure an anxious two-hour wait before being reinstated. “I guess it´s just the way that the cookie crumbles,” said McKeown. “But you know, I´m really happy to have had the chance to race tonight.

“It wasn´t exactly what I wanted or what I´ve trained for, but I´m on the team, so I´m happy for that.” Reigning world champion Isaac Cooper was fastest in the men´s 50m race, touching in 24.69 to qualify.

McKeown, who swept the 50-100-200 backstroke treble at the 2023 worlds, will also race over 100m and 200m at the trials in Adelaide. However, she has dropped the 200m medley despite winning bronze at the Paris Olympics.

That opened the door to 20-year-old Ella Ramsey, who made the Olympic final last year but was forced to withdraw with Covid. Ramsey clocked 2:09.21 to be well under the qualifying time, with Tara Kinder also making the grade.

The trials represent a changing of the guard for Australia, with several big-name swimmers either retiring or taking a break. Australia´s most successful Olympian Emma McKeon hung up her goggles after Paris, as did other stalwarts including Mitch Larkin, Brianna Throssell and Jenna Strauch.