Kaylee McKeown Breaks 100m Backstroke World Record

Kaylee McKeown continued her post-Olympics success by breaking the world record in the women's 100m backstroke at the Australian Short Course Championships with a time of 54.56 seconds, surpassing the previous record set by Minna Atherton in 2019. The 23-year-old swimmer, who recently won double gold at the Paris Olympics, entered the championships on a whim due to feeling bored after her Olympic victories. On Day 3 of the championships, she also claimed gold in the 50m backstroke with a lifetime best of 25.40 seconds, which broke the Australian national record previously held by Mollie O'Callaghan. McKeown now ranks as the second-fastest performer of all time in the 50m backstroke, trailing only Maggie MacNeil's world record. She expressed surprise at her performances given her limited training since the Olympics but highlighted her enjoyment of the meet. McKeown holds multiple world records in both long-course and short-course events, solidifying her status as a leading figure in competitive swimming.