With the 2032 Olympic Games heading to Brisbane, Australia, in 2032, comes an enticing opportunity for Olympic legend Kaylee McKeown to have a picture-perfect send-off.
According to a report from ABC News Australia, McKeown has not yet decided what her future in the sport holds beyond the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. However, she will “not rule out extending her career through the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.”
McKeown, the 50 and 200 backstroke world record holder, has already hinted at the beginning of the end for her illustrious career, having previously announced that this upcoming Commonwealth Games in Glasgow will be her last. The decision to push beyond the Los Angeles Games will also come after some time away from the water.
“You never know when it’s going to be your last. The last Commonwealth [Games] could have been my last,” McKeown said in the report from ABC News. “After LA, I’m going to take some time off and probably think about what I want to do.”
McKewon, the soon-to-be 25-year-old, was not born in time to witness the 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia, which also fuels her potential desire to race in a home Olympics.
“I would love to be able to represent my country on home soil,” McKeown said in the report from ABC News. “I missed out on 2000 [Sydney Olympics]. I was born in 2001, so I missed out on it completely, but you hear about it… You hear about all the greats and just the amount of people that were there to support them.”
McKeown has had a taste of a major championship on home soil, having raced at the 2018 Commonwealth Games in Australia, but the magnitude of the Olympics carries more weight than just any other meet.
“There’s nothing better. I had the Commonwealth Games in 2018 on home soil, and that was cool in itself, so I couldn’t imagine an Olympics.”
McKeown has talked about the mental struggles that she went through following a very strong showing in Paris at the 2024 Olympics, where she defended both the 100 and 200 backstroke Olympic titles. Those struggles have helped McKeown compete with a new, happier mindset as she prepares for the Commonwealth Games later this month.
Regan Smith just fell to her knees in a Buc-ee’s.
Cool story, bro.
In the USA, we have a saying “don’t count your chickens before they hatch.” Meaning she should take it one Olympics at a time.
That does not mean Kaylee isn’t taking things one step at a time; however, as Australia’s biggest swimming star, it is natural for the local press to be interested in whether she will compete at a home Games. Kaylee has already stated that, for now, her goal is Los Angeles much to the dismay of many Americans.
Six years is a long time, but she will still only be 30, Regan Smith is about the same age and these two are so far ahead of everyone else. If she feels she can still bring the thunder and wants to go it, more flower to her. Home Olympics is hard to pass up, ask any American swimmer hanging in to get to LA28.
Kaylee winning at home would be massive for her and the nation. Only Cathy Freeman in the 400m in 2000 could possibly be bigger as THE defining Aussie m9ment.
Why so many downvotes? Y’all have some form of USA derangement…
I doubt that she’ll be able to physically hold up for 6 more years. (The same applies to Regan, who I predict won’t make the 2028 Olympic team.)
0/10 Ragebait
Yup low quality rage bait
Tell us more about how you know nothing about swimming.
She already hinted at it in a SwimSwam podcast; honestly, given the existence of the 50m backstroke, it would seem strange not to see McKeown give it a shot in 2032—even if she skips major championships during the four-year gap following 2028.
Yes! She could honor Dawn Fraser and the memory of Murray Rose by swimming at Brisbane ‘32!
Sjostrom inspiring a future generation of women in their 30’s