Latest news with #AustralianTrials
Daily Telegraph
6 days ago
- Sport
- Daily Telegraph
Kaylee McKeown hits out amid special treatment claim following overturned disqualification at Australian national swimming trials
Don't miss out on the headlines from Swimming. Followed categories will be added to My News. Kaylee McKeown has hit out at claims she is given special treatment in the wake of her dramatic disqualification and then reinstatement at the Australian national swimming trials in Adelaide last week. McKeown – who holds the 50m backstroke world record at 26.86 seconds – was the clear fastest in last Monday's heats of the 50m backstroke but was disqualified over an issue with her start. Watch the biggest Aussie sports & the best from overseas LIVE on Kayo Sports | New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer. McKeown, who claimed Olympic gold in both the 100m and 200m backstroke at the Paris Olympics, was informed by officials she had broken early, as she was ushered off the pool deck in tears. The ruling seemingly dashed her hopes of competing for a 50m backstroke world championships gold medal later this year. However, the 23-year-old protested the decision and in the end, it was overturned. McKewon was reinstated in the final which she won narrowly over Mollie O'Callaghan, securing her ticket to the world championships in Singapore from July 27 to August 3. You can watch her Australian swim trials victory in the player above. Kaylee McKeown has rejected claims she gets preferential treatment. Image: Getty But in the wake of the ordeal, McKeown was accused of receiving preferential treatment due to her reputation and status in the sport. And in an Instagram post on Monday, McKeown moved to clear up what went down as she rejected the notion there was any sort of favouritism at play. 'I've copped quite a bit of scrutiny over the past week for my DQ in the 50 backstroke,' she wrote. 'I'd just like to clarify that while it was a clear disqualification, I was able to lodge a protest due to movement directly behind my starting block. I followed all the standard procedures for my reinstatement! 'For those who know me well, you'll know I'm all for fair sport and certainly wouldn't have protested if I knew I didn't have a fair case. 'What I'm not for is people tearing others down … at no point was I shown any favouritism.' Kaylee McKeown is the 50m world record holder. (Photo by) After hearing her protest officials ruled in her favour, accepting she had been 'distracted by a movement' on the blocks. 'Things happen and it just crumbled that way,' she continued. 'I knew as soon as I started, what I had done. 'But thankfully we had the technology to look back at footage and saw the distraction and I got reinstated.' McKeown will next compete at the world championships in Singapore which get underway on July 27. Originally published as Kaylee McKeown hits out amid special treatment claim following overturned Aussie swim trials disqualification
Daily Telegraph
13-06-2025
- Sport
- Daily Telegraph
Mollie O'Callaghan stuns in 100m final at Australian swim trials
Don't miss out on the headlines from Swimming. Followed categories will be added to My News. Champion swimmer Mollie O'Callaghan has made a major statement with a spectacular time in the 100m freestyle final of the Australian trials. The 21-year-old, who won Olympic gold in Paris for the 200m freestyle and finished fourth in the 100m race, was unstoppable as she swam a time of 52.87 seconds to add to her Singapore World Championships schedule. She was happy with her swim despite a challenging period of preparation. 'This is probably my fourth 100m of the season for freestyle and it was definitely a tough one,' she said. 'I probably have to be a bit nicer on myself to get to this point. 'I think when you're at your weakest it's always worth it to step up.' O'Callaghan had experienced a challenging time after Paris and leading into the trials, revealing she struggled with her mental health after coming down from the highs of the Olympics. Mollie O'Callaghan on her way to a blistering time in the 100m final. 'I've had a rough past couple months, it was really stressful for me,' she said. 'There hasn't been anything as hard as this, coming back and trying to race after the Olympics. 'I have had a lot of pressure on myself to get to this point and to make the team, especially in the 200 freestyle — I put a lot of pressure on myself. 'Externally, people expect a lot of me but they don't see the work that goes behind it and what I've been through.' The 100m result is O'Callaghan's second major triumph at the trials after she also took out the 200m freestyle final with an impressive 1:54.43 time, ahead of St Peters Western squad mate Lani Pallister in second. With the weight of making the team for the World Championships now off of her shoulders, O'Callaghan said she was looking forward to enjoying herself in Singapore alongside her teammates. 'Dean (Boxall) and I have spoken about it this year, there have been some curveballs thrown at me but it's now about having fun,' she said. 'I think making the team and having that pressure taken off, just to go race, meet new people, enjoy myself and train alongside my buddies in this team – that's the whole purpose of this.' STUBBELTY-COOK AIMS HIGHER AFTER TRIALS BLITZ Paris Olympics silver medallist Zac Stubblety-Cook said his best swim was still in him after booking a spot in next month's World Championships with a strong 200m breaststroke swim in the Australian trials final. The 26-year-old, who in the lead up to the trials had still been recovering from setbacks stemming from a neck fracture suffered before the 2024 Olympics, produced a dominant display to take first place with ease in Adelaide. Now training under renowned breaststroke coach Mel Marshall, Stubblety-Cook said he was feeling as confident as ever ahead of next month's world champs. 'I'm reasonably happy with the performance,' he said. 'Mel and I just wanted to step through this, so I can't really complain — there is a lot of work to do in the next five weeks for Singapore. Zac Stubblety-Cook during the final. 'To get back on the team and move toward the World Championships is really exciting and I think I'm a lot more confident.' Stubblety-Cook said he had evolved significantly since beginning training with Marshall ahead of the national trials. Not only have his injuries improved, but believed he had also improved psychologically with his ability to remain calm and composed ahead of competition. 'We're doing a few different things under her (Mel), she's been really good at managing the injury I've had…I wouldn't be here without her. 'I think the last eight years, I've been that younger and hungry athlete but last year I had some time to reflect and figure out my approach and what I wanted to commit to for the next four years. 'The way Mel put it to me, you go from being capable and hungry but mentally not knowing how to do it, then you swap that over and you start thinking about and trusting the process more. 'For me, my best swim is still in me, so I'm still chasing that and I think that's the goal over the next three years, and just to get better and better each year.' Sam Short in the water at the Paris Olympics. SHORT STAMPS HIS AUTHORITY TO HOLD OFF RISING STAR Rejuvenated swimmer Sam Short has added to a strong showing in the Australian trials ahead of the July World Championships with a narrow 1500m freestyle final win. The 21-year-old just finished ahead of emerging young gun Ben Goedemans with a 14:53.43 time, with Goedemans settling for second at 14:53.99. With multiple personal bests and the 400m final win already under his belt, Short's triumph on Friday night in Adelaide only adds to his bragging rights. 'I felt really good until the last 500 metres and then just went downhill a bit physically,' he said. 'I just wanted to get my hand on the wall first so I'm happy I did...I have a lot to improve on for the World Championships.' For Goedemans, his performance also adds to what has been a rewarding national trials, the St Peters Western swimmer already fulfilling his dream of making a senior Dolphins team with his win in the 800m freestyle. He said he had experienced major improvements under Dean Boxall. 'I was definitely after a race like that after some personal bests at nationals,' he said. 'Dean has really helped me, I wasn't this fast before being under him.' Originally published as Mollie O'Callaghan stuns in 100m final at Australian swim trials
News.com.au
13-06-2025
- Sport
- News.com.au
Mollie O'Callaghan stuns in 100m final at Australian swim trials
Champion swimmer Mollie O'Callaghan has made a major statement with a spectacular time in the 100m freestyle final of the Australian trials. The 21-year-old, who won Olympic gold in Paris for the 200m freestyle and finished fourth in the 100m race, was unstoppable as she swam a time of 52.87 seconds to add to her Singapore World Championships schedule. She was happy with her swim despite a challenging period of preparation. 'This is probably my fourth 100m of the season for freestyle and it was definitely a tough one,' she said. 'I probably have to be a bit nicer on myself to get to this point. 'I think when you're at your weakest it's always worth it to step up.' O'Callaghan had experienced a challenging time after Paris and leading into the trials, revealing she struggled with her mental health after coming down from the highs of the Olympics. 'I've had a rough past couple months, it was really stressful for me,' she said. 'There hasn't been anything as hard as this, coming back and trying to race after the Olympics. 'I have had a lot of pressure on myself to get to this point and to make the team, especially in the 200 freestyle — I put a lot of pressure on myself. 'Externally, people expect a lot of me but they don't see the work that goes behind it and what I've been through.' The 100m result is O'Callaghan's second major triumph at the trials after she also took out the 200m freestyle final with an impressive 1:54.43 time, ahead of St Peters Western squad mate Lani Pallister in second. With the weight of making the team for the World Championships now off of her shoulders, O'Callaghan said she was looking forward to enjoying herself in Singapore alongside her teammates. 'Dean (Boxall) and I have spoken about it this year, there have been some curveballs thrown at me but it's now about having fun,' she said. 'I think making the team and having that pressure taken off, just to go race, meet new people, enjoy myself and train alongside my buddies in this team – that's the whole purpose of this.'
ABC News
09-06-2025
- Sport
- ABC News
Backstroke star Kaylee McKeown disqualified, but wins protest at world champ trials
Defending 50m backstroke world champion Kaylee McKeown appeared to have her hopes of defending the crown dashed, after being disqualified from her heat on the opening day of the Australian Swimming Trials. McKeown, who is the reigning world champion in the women's 50m, 100m and 200m backstroke, qualified fastest for Monday night's final in the 50m backstroke. But the current world record holder was disqualified after officials ruled she had taken off too early in her heat. However, McKeown will line up in Monday's final after successfully arguing she had been distracted by movement just before the starting siren. McKeown qualified with a time of 27.27 seconds, just ahead of Mollie O'Callaghan, who was second fastest with 27.72. Both were under the qualifying times for next month's World Aquatics Championships in Singapore. Meanwhile, Lani Pallister was the fastest qualifier for the women's 400m freestyle. The women's 400m freestyle has been a hot topic in swimming circles after Canadian star Summer McIntosh demolished the world record over the weekend. McIntosh bettered the previous mark, held by Australian Olympic champion Ariarne Titmus, by a massive 1.2 seconds. "It's so insane to be racing at a time when there's been three generational talents," Pallister said of McIntosh's benchmark. "If you look at the big three for women's distance swimming … Arnie (Titmus), Katie (Ledecky) and Summer (McIntosh). It's really incredible.' TItmus will not be participating at this week's swimming trials after electing to take a year away from competitive swimming.
ABC News
22-04-2025
- Sport
- ABC News
Cameron McEvoy wins Australian Open Championship 50m butterfly with low-distance training regime
Cameron McEvoy has made his name as something of an innovator in recent years. The 30-year-old has turned conventional swimming wisdom on its head by forgoing lengthy sessions in the pool in exchange for a more targeted training plan in the gym. Heading into the Australian Open Championships in Brisbane this week, "I only got back in the water three weeks ago after being pretty much gym-only for a long time," McEvoy told ABC Sport after his victory on Easter Monday. "Today was the third time I've swum a full 50 since Paris. "So yeah, it feels weird being back." Given the timing of the meet, six weeks out from the World Championships Trials, fast times are not necessarily expected. But McEvoy is anything but conventional. He came desperately close to a personal best in the morning's heats with a 23.09 — just 0.02 seconds off the time he set at the 2023 Australian Trials. That was not fast enough to be the quickest qualifier. That honour went to Italian Thomas Ceccon, who swam an all-comers record 23.00, even if he wasn't super pleased with the time. Thomas Ceccon set a new all-comers record in the 50m butterfly in the heats. ( Getty Images: Chris Hyde ) "23.00 is alright, maybe it would be better [to do] 22," the Italian told ABC Sport. The 24-year-old, who was the 2023 world champion in the 50 butterfly and won Olympic gold in the 100 backstroke in Paris, withdrew from the final to focus on the 200m backstroke, a decision that clearly paid off when he swam an Italian record 1:55.71 to claim victory. In the absence of Ceccon in the final, McEvoy, a bronze medallist in the 50 fly in the World Championships in 2024 in Doha, swam 23.18 to claim gold. "I gave it a crack, I almost got it back, I was, what, 0.09 behind him," McEvoy asked of his time compared to Ceccon. "But he's 2023 world champ in this event and like ninth best ever in history in terms of top 10 rankings. "So he's a good guy to compare myself to with this event, especially with LA coming up." Looking forward In keeping with McEvoy's affectionate sobriquet "the professor", he will turn his forensic eye to his race with an eye to improve ahead of the world trials. "I'm trying a new approach again this season," McEvoy said. "Same underlying stuff, just done in a different way. "We'll analyse the whole 50 … like anything you can analyse. "I'll just be taking that with me, seeing where I'm at and then that'll kind of guide me as to what to do between now and world champs trials [in Adelaide in June]." Cameron McEvoy was a comfortable winner in the 50m fly. ( Supplied: Swimming Australia/Delly Carr ) Such has been his success, it seems that plenty of other people have also fixed their gaze on the Brisbane-based sprinter's methodology. "All of a sudden pure, 50, specialist training is now in hot demand, whereas before it was kind of, I guess, looked down upon a little bit," McEvoy said. "So it's nice that that's back. "The amount of people like retired swimmers, or swammers, who have heard this and said, 'I don't even care if I'm this age or whatever, I'm gonna come back, give it a shot'. He said it would rejuvenate the sport. "It's gonna not only make the 50s faster, but everyone trying to get better in the 50 is gonna make their 100 quicker," he said. "So it's gonna have a snowball effect throughout the sprint world and the 50s and 100s. "I can't fault it. There's no negative reason to think that it's bad for anyone." Sprint focus Another person who agreed with that sentiment was British breaststroke legend Adam Peaty, who confirmed he would stay in the sport for another cycle after the announcement that he would be able to compete in the 50 in LA. Adam Peaty won 100m breaststroke silver at the Paris Olympics. ( Getty Images: Quinn Rooney ) "I watched the press conference and thought, 'This is going to change the sport for everyone'," Peaty told BBC Sport. "Swimming is one of those sports where it is incredibly demanding. "You are doing 4,000 to 5,000m in the morning, doing a whole day of work or school then 4,000m at night. "Sprinting is a little bit different because you don't have to commit to the metres as much. ABC Sport Daily is your daily sports conversation. We dive into the biggest story of the day and get you up to speed with everything else that's making headlines. "You still have to put the time in, it is going to be difficult like anything, but it is going to give longevity to those athletes that have been doing that for a long time, are getting tired of the sport and can train a bit differently." As something of a pioneer for modern era short-distance specialist sprint training, McEvoy said he still fielded hundreds of messages from all over the world about his techniques. He said about five a day came on Instagram alone. "More since the announcement, but still, even before that, it was a lot," he said. "And we've seen a few other people independently have kind of taken inspiration from it and created their own program." The low-metres approach to training is not necessarily new — British former short course record holder Mark Foster was experimenting with different training styles through the 1990s. But with McEvoy repopularising it, the new wave of swimmers experimenting are producing results that speak for themselves. "Some of the results coming out are insane," McEvoy said. "There's a British guy [Rob Shaw], his 50 fly PB was from 2007, he's had testicular cancer twice, he's overcome it, last time was in 2023, he's come back training three times a week and he just did a lifetime best and made the B final at the British Nationals. "It's unreal." The ABC of SPORT Sports content to make you think... or allow you not to. A newsletter delivered each Saturday. Your information is being handled in accordance with the Email address Subscribe
