Olympic 100m and 200m backstroke champion Kaylee McKeown has offered a rare insight into her competitive psychology following the latest leg of the Swimming World Cup, conceding she had arrived on the short course circuit unsure of what to expect — and ultimately discovering that pre-race nerves remain the trigger for her best performances.
'I don't really know what to expect from these,' McKeown said in a post-race interview. 'I don't know what to expect from short course meters, but I just kind of had a feel for it, and at each stop I found a way that I like to race it. It's probably going out harder than what I'm used to doing. So suffering in the back end a little bit.'
The World Cup tour has historically served as a glorified training meet for Australia's top long course swimmers, with most stars using the events to test technical changes ahead of major championships. McKeown, however, said she was deliberately leaning into the high-stakes feel of every race to prepare for the year ahead.
'My warm-up, I was actually really, really nervous,' she said. 'I came to these World Cups trying to just enjoy myself and enjoy the experience. But I think for me to get the best out of myself, I need to be nervous. So I'm just learning more things about myself as I go.'
McKeown also paid tribute to her training partner — and short course rival — who broke a long-standing world record on the same tour stop.
'I could see the determination in her eyes when she was doing a pre-activation,' she said. 'I knew she was going to do something special. It's been a long time coming. I've been a training partner alongside her for the best part of four years until this year. So it's really nice to see her get up there and break that world record.'
The Australian also took the moment to reflect on the wider pace of records and personal bests across the women's program.
'I think just women in sport in general are really tough,' she said. 'Nothing against the men, sorry guys, but you know we push ourselves every single day, and I'm not surprised by any records, any PBs, just any finals that we make. It's no surprise.'
There was a note of relief, too, with McKeown confirming a long-overdue stability move in her personal life ahead of an extended training block. 'I'm actually having two weeks off,' she said. 'I spent the best part of the year kind of couch-surfing and not having anywhere to live. So finally found a place to settle down, which I'm so excited for. Having dogs back, a kitchen — yeah, it's just something I think that'll piece everything together in my new squad.'
With McKeown still firmly in the conversation as Australia's most consistent backstroker since Emily Seebohm, the World Cup tour will be remembered as the meet where she made friends with the very nerves she once tried to suppress.