Kaylee McKeown Discusses Her World Champs DQ, Regan Smith, And Cate Campbell's Comment

Gold Medal Minute by ‪@SwimOutlet-2000‬
Three-time Olympic swimming gold medalist Kaylee McKeown sat down for a lengthy conversation after sweeping the 50, 100 and 200 meter backstroke at the 2023 World Championships.
Kaylee is a rare type of pro swimmer when it comes to managing media--one to watch and learn from. Graciously she did the interview despite a slight cold, and I thoroughly enjoyed the talk because everything was on the table to discuss. Kaylee's simply so grounded in her confidence and humility, she just spoke plainly across a lot of topics.
In this podcast we cover:
Is she going to 2024 World Championships? No. It conflicts with her Olympic training schedule, but Australia will send some top talent to get battle-tested in the relays in preparation for the 2024 Olympics.
Her 200 IM disqualification is fully discussed. Understandably she went through a range of emotions, especially when it appeared officials were calling some DQs but not all of them on the backstroke to breaststroke turn. Moreover she unpacks how she processed the disappointment and got back in the saddle to race for the rest of the meet.
Will Kaylee attempt the 200 IM / 200 backstroke double at the 2024 Paris Olympic Games? Watch the podcast and makeup your own mind. It sounded to me like she is.
Kaylee has high praise for Regan Smith, nothing that Regan has made the backstroke red hot on the international stage. Kaylee shares a lot more, discussing their ready room conversations, and how she manages the stress of the ready room ahead of big finals races.
Kaylee does discuss Cate Campbell's comment - "sore losers" - which was made on the Australia morning TV show. Kaylee diplomatically notes that the show was meant to be lighthearted. However, Kaylee states that Cate Campbell wasn't at World Champs, specifically when Team USA won the Top Team Award, and then walked over to Swimming Australia and said they felt Australia deserved the award for their performance.
Kaylee even talks about the 4x100 medley relay, where Regan edged her on the backstroke lead-off. Kaylee unpacks that swim sharing where she fell short.
Kaylee covers the above and a lot more, unpacking her coaching and living changes, her 200 IM PB in the spring, her 200 backstroke world record and how much training she did the week before she snapped that swim, which called into question -- what does a McKeown taper look like? Kaylee discusses it all.
Many thanks to Kaylee for doing the podcast, and many thanks to SwimSwam reporter Yanyan Li and SwimSwam Editor-in-Chief Braden Keith for editorial support on the questions.
Swimming news courtesy of SwimSwam.com (swimswam.com)
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[@Lcruz2627]

Kaylee is very likable. She’s one of the main reasons why women’s swimming is so exciting.

[@heyarnoldfan12]

Kaylee is my favorite swimmer. What a nice and eloquent person.

[@austinbeaver94]

Great interview, really liking the showcase of swimmers outside USA - gives us a new perspective and sense of camaraderie in the sport

[@Tarawater18]

What a lovely young lady. Great interview.

[@carinalopez7479]

La mejor nadadora y aparte muy carismática y alegre que sigan los éxitos felicidades kayle

[@blairmcnaught5140]

Great interview Mel.

[@migueldasilva143]

Would be interesting to know if the option of Kaylee swimming breaststroke was discussed internally

[@SwimSwamTV]

...great question, but she's staying focused on back and IM through the Paris Olympics based on this conversation.

[@heyarnoldfan12]

They really need Chelsea Hodges to recover from injury and swim the breaststroke leg at the Olympics. Otherwise I don’t think they can win that relay. Breaststroke is the highest timed leg and a 104 vs a 106 makes it almost impossible to make up on the other legs.

[@Rhea123]

Please send Coleman to Australia for Practice and Pancakes please 😅

[@TheManuel012009]

The scheduling of the commonwealth games just didn’t suit the swimmers at all. I can see why she didn’t really want to be there. The times were overall well below par and it really reduces the spectacle. No prize money at commonwealth games so what motivation would there be for a swimmer to go 100%. At worlds it was $US 20,000 for 1st and an extra 30k for a world record so that’s got to be an enticement

[@PIANOPHUNGUY]

How'd she do in the medley relays? Did she come in first there too!

[@markbendall2460]

2 silver

[@nickw4999]

15:30 Headline should read Swim Swam makes Kaylee cry

[@houtansadeghi]

Now I know why I do not watch main tv channels ; because they do not have such good specific interviews. I came across this by accidents. I think you would get hell of a lot more views if you could somehow share it with other KZbin swim channels. And they could send you some of their interviews with swimmers. It appears as if Kylie had a bit of cold. Could she still perform as well in Japan if she had the cold during WC. If not what measures can they take not to have a cold. You practice so much for an event then you fly there and bingo you catch a bug on the flight.

[@Tahahahahahahaha]

She's so gen-Z lol. Cate Campbell is a millennial. She's not a snowflake

[@Rhea123]

Yeah Gen-Zers+Americans don't have a sense of humor that the boomers and millennials have. Was sarcasm but taken seriously. Love Kaylee though