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The 24-strong Australian lineup for the 2024 Short Course World Championships was recently revealed but there’s already been a changeup.
23-year-old Olympic multi-champion Kaylee McKeown says she has decided to withdraw from December’s competition.
Per her Instagram today, Thursday, October 3rd, McKeown states, “Today I made the decision to pull out of the 2024 World Short course team, it’s not something I wanted to do but needed to do.
“The past five year prep has been an onslaught both physically and mentally. I have continuously pursued for consistency and greatness within the work I do and sometimes you just need a break. A break from the hype, the media, the adrenaline rush from competition.”
The good news for McKeown fans is that the world record holder says she will still be racing in the World Cup circuit coming up later this month.
- Shanghai, China, 18-20 October
- Incheon, South Korea, 24-26 October
- Singapore, 31 October – 2 November
States McKeown, “Although I will not be competing at WSC I have committed to World cups in a few weeks. I’m looking forward to competing freely with no pressure and little work.”
McKeown was pre-qualified for the Short Course World Championships as a result of her earning two individual medals – women’s 100m and 200m back golds – at the 2024 Olympic Games.
She raced at the Australian Short Course Championships where she ripped a new world record of 54.56 while also registering winning times of 2:01.80 and 25.40 in the 200m and 50m backstroke events, respectively.
18-year-old world Championships medalist Iona Anderson finished 2nd in the 100m back (55.79) while 19-year-old Bella Grant logged 2:04.12 as the 200m back silver medalist in South Australia with both women being named to the Aussie roster for Budapest.