2024 NEW SOUTH WALES STATE OPEN CHAMPIONSHIPS
- Friday, March 15th – Sunday, March 17th
- Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Center
- LCM (50m)
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- Results also available via Meet Mobile: “2024 NSW State Open Championships”
- Day 1 Prelims Live Recap | Day 1 Finals Live Recap
- Day 2 Prelims Live Recap | Day 2 Finals Live Recap
- Day 3 Prelims Live Recap | Day 3 Finals Live Recap
Racing on the final day of the 2024 New South Wales State Open Championships, 22-year-old world record holder Kaylee McKeown put on a show across a tough triple to close out the competition.
Griffith’s McKeown took on the 200m free, 200m IM and 50m back events, posting solid in-season results across each at this non-selection meet.
First in the 200m free, McKeown placed 4th in a time of 1:56.06. That represented a new personal best for the star, overtaking her previous career-quickest result of 1:56.14.
Then in the 200m IM, McKeown stopped the clock in a speedy 2:08.84, a time which would have won bronze at this year’s World Championships.
McKeown’s 2IM personal best rests at the 2:07.19 nabbed at last year’s Sydney Open to become the #2 Australian in history behind national record holder Stephanie Rice. Her season-best sits at the 2:07.54 produced at December’s Queensland Championships.
Finally, McKeown busted out a winning effort of 27.25 in the 50m back as the sole competitor under the 28-second threshold to cap off the evening. That registered as McKeown’s 7th-fastest performance in her already storied career.
All told, McKeown wracked up the following impressive swims throughout these championships:
- 2:04.21 – 200m back, gold
- 57.57 – 100m back, gold
- 1:56.06 – 200m free, 4th
- 2:08.84 – 200m IM, gold
- 27.25 – 50m back, gold
She has been so consistent, and these are incredible times given she is in heavy training. She is also ahead of where she was same time last year. It will take a low 57 or even a 56 to win the 100m in Paris. I’m backing Kaylee for the 100m, I think the 200m is more open though. Whatever happens, these individual backstroke races will be something special. Two generational swimmers pushing the WR’s.
Very very true, nothing better than seeing 2 top swimmers at the top of their game pushing each other.
Like Dressel v Chalmers
Ledecky v Titmus & now McIntosh, just greats pushing each other.
These times by McKeown at the NSW Championships are very very impressive. But I still think Regan Smith had a slightly better in season meet at the Westmont Pro Swim Series.
Of course, no one will remember who had a better in season meet in March. Can’t wait to see them head to head in Paris.
I think their performances are essentially comparable, although Kaylee did swim an extra event and got a PB in it.
However, I believe Kaylee is completely unrested while Smith said she did a partial taper (which for her is usually better than a full taper) so that swings the meter Kaylee’s way
When did she say she did a partial taper?
In the interview on the Mel article about 2 minutes before the end
Regan Smith also had smashing in season last year: she swam 57, 2:03.8, 2:03.8
Guess what happened in Fukuoka?
I can see the case that you are making in that Smith delivered medal level times in 2 different strokes; backstroke and fly and it is certainly a valid one.
Whilst international class in both freestyle and breaststroke; McKeown’s peak “alternate stroke” is IM and at this meet it took a lower priority to both her backstroke and 200free.
Both great backstrokers but differing skillsets/secondary “targets” as most likely will be deployed differently by their teams with regards to relays.
Her 1:56.04 would’ve gotten 7th in Fukuoka. Very impressive.
She would’ve killed it in NCAAs with this type of in season swimming and back to back racing
Seems like the Australian women are doing quite well without NCAAs since NONE have swum in the US collegiate program! It isn’t the end all for elite swimming. Maybe more elite American women should skip collegiate swimming?
There are Australian women in NCAAs right now but none of our stars.
I don’t care about NCAAs at all but a huge chunk of US stars have done it so I don’t get why people seem to say it ruins US swimmers or doesn’t teach them skills they need.
Historically comparitively few AUS women have taken the NCAA route whereas, from 1950 through to around 1980, there was a steady stream of outstanding male swimmers who made a mark on the collegiate circuit. The most notable woman was Michelle Ford at USC and the most recent of any significant note was Mel Schlanger who had a stint at Hawaii.
It’s a fair enough call to say that a strong percentage of the current crop of AUS swimmers could be highly succesful in the NCAA but there are always other factors in the equations.
- Like any group of elite athletes, there are those who are just “not academic”
- Even for English speakers or even other Americans, there can
… Read more »If the Gina Rinehart money supporting Aussie swimmers ever dried up I think that would be the catalyst to send a lot of Australian talent to the NCAA.
Gina’s generosity isn’t, and has never been, as widespread or deep as many have thought and what’s left comes with “terms and conditions”.
There will still be some public sector $$$ and some corporate $$$ from time to time but those who are expecting a repeat of the largesse of the Sydney era in the lead in to 2032 may be sorely disappointed, as indeed many sporting bureaucrats will be.
As to whether we may see top drawer AUS talent return to the NCAA; I’m non-commital. Partly for the reasons that I stated above but also due to the issues that the NCAA in general; and non revenue sports such as swimming, are facing to survive.
I was just thinking that about MOC actually. Fairly fast in season with killer UWs.
it would be interesting especially since at short course worlds it seemed it like her backstroke translated much better than her freestyle probably because of how she typically paces them long course
Kaylee McKeown clearly wants to be considered for 4×200, but thanks to Bowman and Regan Smith, the new schedule makes it extra difficult for her.
Even if she’s willing to do the double not sure coaches would allow it when they have other options who will be fresh.
Only way I see it happening is if she drops a big PB at trials to come 3rd and is significantly faster than 5th. Otherwise yeah doesn’t seem worth the risk.
Amazing. What a talent
The Paris Olympics is gonna be such a fun, rewarding meet for Kaylee.
That feeling when sweeping the backstrokes at a random in-season meet is harder than sweeping them at worlds
Yess. Same for Regan Smith