Kaylee McKeown Slays 5th Fastest 200 Back Performance Of All-Time

2022 AUSTRALIAN SHORT COURSE CHAMPIONSHIPS

Multi-Olympic medalist Kaylee McKeown might have gotten clipped by American backstroke Beata Nelson in the 100m on night 1, but the Aussie came back with a vengeance on Thursday.

While competing on night 2 of the Australian Short Course Championships, 21-year-old McKeown ripped a time of 1:59.48 to take the women’s 200m backstroke.

That outing comfortably won gold ahead of runners-up Nelson and fellow Aussie Minna Atherton who clocked times of 2:02.73 and 2:03.62, respectively.

As for McKeown, the Griffith University star opened in 58.75 and brought it home in 1:00.73, with her final time of 1:59.48 falling just outside of her lifetime best.

That PB is represented by her own World Record time of 1:58.94 put up in November of 2020.

However, her performance this evening does check in as the second fastest of her own career, as well as the overall 5th fastest swim in history.

Top 5 Women’s SCM 200 Backstroker Performances of All Time

  1. Kaylee McKeown (AUS) – 1:58.94, 2020
  2. Katinka Hosszu (HUN) – 1:59.23, 2014
  3. Minna Atherton (AUS) – 1:59.25, 2019
  4. Daryna Zevina (UKR) – 1:59.35, 2016
  5. Minna Atherton (AUS) – 1;59.48, 2019/Kaylee McKeown (AUS) – 1:59.48, 2022

McKeown is the reigning Olympic gold medalist in both the 100m and 200m backstroke events. This year she took 200m backstroke gold and 200m IM silver at the FINA World Aquatics Championships while also snagging 100m/200m back gold, 50m back bronze and 200m IM silver at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.

 

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swimfast
2 years ago

Kaylee McKweon: greatest female swimmer EVER. Why? Girl goes 2:04 in the 200 LC back, 4:32 200 IM, 2:08 200 IM (SLAY!!), WORLD RECORD HOLDER IN THE 100 BACK (SLAY X2), and can also swim freestyle and breaststroke fast! (TRIPLE SLAY!!!!), all while being from Australia! Go queen!

Verram
2 years ago

They have to use the word “slay” to promote woman empowerment .. it only works for women, not men.. otherwise that’s assault .. woke up !

Fraser Thorpe
Reply to  Verram
2 years ago

You Slay those windmills sir!

Verram
2 years ago

I’m really hoping Minna Atherton would get her mojo back in swimming .. she was doing so well in 2019 then somehow slid back .. if she can give Kaylee some domestic competition that could only be good for both

torchbearer
Reply to  Verram
2 years ago

Indeed, she is WR holder over the 100m back SC

Robbos
2 years ago

What a great great swimmer.

5wimmer
2 years ago

Yassss kaylee slay Queen

jeff
2 years ago

kaylee is so slay

YourLocalD3Swimmer
2 years ago

Slay

1. To kill a person or animal in a violent way
2. to greatly impress or amuse someone

Neither of those contexts really make sense here. She killed a 1:59? She impressed a 1:59?

LBWIM
Reply to  YourLocalD3Swimmer
2 years ago

I guess you’re right. She can slay the competition, but slaying her finishing time? Hmm.

Teddy
Reply to  YourLocalD3Swimmer
2 years ago

Confusingly, I think she slayed the 6th fastest time (or former 5th fastest time), while establishing the new 5th fastest time

…oh, she tied it. That’a even more confusing

Last edited 2 years ago by Teddy
RCP
Reply to  YourLocalD3Swimmer
2 years ago

Ah, but this is the internet. To paraphrase Lewis Carroll, internet idioms can mean whatever you want them to mean whenever you want regardless of the inconsistency from moment to moment. Right, Alice?

Awsi Dooger
Reply to  YourLocalD3Swimmer
2 years ago

Somehow that word is now abused to the extreme in swimming social media. The American women in particular thought it was so clever and necessary they attached it to virtually every Instagram post during the world championships. The Virginia women and Regan Smith were the prime offenders but sadly they dragged others like Katie Grimes along with them.

I guess there’s nothing like peer pressure

Linzy
Reply to  Awsi Dooger
2 years ago

USlay 😆

torchbearer
Reply to  YourLocalD3Swimmer
2 years ago

The word that is really incorrectly overused is iconic…argh….. was Kaylee’s swim iconic? 🙂

leo
2 years ago

what a pic, kind of did her dirty with that one Loretta

Sub13
Reply to  leo
2 years ago

They use this pic all the time haha

About Retta Race

Former Masters swimmer and coach Loretta (Retta) thrives on a non-stop but productive schedule. Nowadays, that includes having earned her MBA while working full-time in IT while owning French 75 Boutique while also providing swimming insight for BBC.

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