Emma McKeon To Miss FINA Worlds In Budapest
Australia’s most prolific Olympic swimming medallist Emma McKeon, has Paris 2024 in her sights and will miss this year’s re-scheduled FINA World Championships in Budapest.
McKeon set the Tokyo Olympic pool alight last year, winning seven medals – four of them gold – including the 50 and 100m freestyle double – her first major individual gold medals.
McKeon’s coach Michael Bohl has told News Limited papers in Australia that at 27, she has to play the long game and will not be available for the re-scheduled Budapest meet in June/July.
“Emma’s a definite no for Worlds,” Bohl told the Courier Mail’s Emma Greenwood.
“We made a decision we’re going to back-end the year.
“Looking short-term is not the sensible option for someone like her. As the years get closer to 2024 they get more important.”
CREST OF A WAVE: Emma McKeon will play the long game to Paris. Photo Courtesy: Giorgio Scala / Deepbluemedia / Insidefoto
But like fellow Tokyo golden girl, Ariarne Titmus, McKeon may well decide to contest the Birmingham Commonwealth Games – a decision that will be made after the Australian Trials in Adelaide in May (17-22).
McKeon is a prolific medallist – winning 17 medals at the last four World Championships – four gold, nine silver and four bronze medals – and is a mainstay in all four Australian relays.
And while it remains to be seen what the plans are for McKeown, who set the Melbourne Sports And Aquatic Centre alight last night with the seventh fastest 200m backstroke time in history – Budapest may be on for her.
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“(Younger athletes), even Kaylee … going to these big meets is really important, whereas you’ve got Emma (McKeon) and Mack (Horton) who have been to Olympic Games and got on the podium, you feel a bit more comfortable with the fact that they’ve stood on that stage before and done it a couple of times now and performed quite well,” said Bohl.
“But I think those young ones coming through, the more they’re racing internationally, the better they’re going to be behind the blocks when they get to Paris.”