McKeown Magic Adds Midas Touch To Australia Dolphins Team For Budapest World Short Course Championships
Australian Olympic golden girl Kaylee McKeown will headline 12 Paris Olympians who will fill half of the 24-strong Australian Dolphins Swim Team for the World Short Course Championships in Budapest, December 10-15
McKeown (Griffith University, QLD) added world record number six when opening the 2024 Australian SC Championships with a new global best in the 100m backstroke on the opening night in Adelaide, then just a fingernail away from the 50m mark.
RIDGE BACK: Kaylee McKeown’s perfect golden arch.. (Swimming Australia Image/David Mariuz)
The 23-year-old two-time Paris 100 and 200m backstroke champion and the defending SC world 100 and 200m champion from Melbourne in 2022, is one of 17 Queenslanders on the team – who will be joined by:
The 2022 World SC Female Swimmer of the Meet Lani Pallister (Griffith University) – who showed she will be ready to rumble, winning the 200, 400 and 800m freestyle in Adelaide.
Pallister and McKeown will be joined on the team by Griffith teammates, Olympic 10km silver medallist Moesha Johnson (1500m free) and backstroker Josh Edwards-Smith, rewarded for his dedication after missing Paris.
Pallister also joined by her 1988 Olympian mum, coach Janelle Pallister, as Griffith head coach Michael Bohlis on a sabbatical.
Paris individual 50m freestyle silver medallist and a member of the all-conquering gold medal winning 4x100m freestyle relay team, Meg Harris – one of four Rackley, QLD club mates, joined by new recruit, two-time Rio and Tokyo relay medallist Leah Neal (200 and 400m free) and rookies Tiana Kritzinger (800 and 1500m free) and Lily Price (50 and 100m butterfly.
WA powerhouse Josh Yong, one of two from UWA West Coast in the 100 and 200m breaststroke, who burst onto the scene at the last World SC in Melbourne two years ago, where he won relay gold. Before gate-crashing his way onto the Paris team where he won bronze in the Mixed Medley Relay. Joined by emerging backstroke talent, Paris individual finalist and relay medallist, World Junior champion and World LC silver medallist Iona Anderson and their coach, former British coach Ben Higson (WAIS) and;
Fellow Olympians – 400m freestyle silver medallist Elijah Winnington (St Peters Western), dual Olympian Isaac Cooper (St Andrews, QLD), Alexandria Perkins (USC Spartans, WA), Max Giuliani (Miami, QLD) a member of the 4x200m bronze medallists, Elizabeth Dekkers (Chandler), the 2023 silver medallist in the 200m butterfly and Paris finalist, and dual Olympic butterflyer Matt Temple (Marion, SA).
GOLDEN FOUR DIVE: Tara Kinder taking four gold medals home to Victoria and a ticket to Budapest. (Swimming Australia Image/David Mariuz)
Brisbane Grammar’s, inspiring Ed Sommerville (Coach Bobby Jovanovich) who showed his perseverance and determination after dislocating his shoulder before Olympic Trials to come back and break the National 200m freestyle record, held by Cam McEvoy, is among the exciting group of rookies, including World Junior gold and silver medallist, 100m freestyle winner in Adelaide Milla Jansen and her Bond team mate Joshua Collett and fellow Gold Coaster, backstroker Enoch Robb (All Saints, QLD, Coach Ken Sabotic).
While Victorian pair Tara Kinder (Melbourne Vicentre, VIC) and Arizona State University Sun Devil David Schlicht (MC Aquatic, VIC) have certainly earned their spots on the team – the pair taking the 200-400IM doubles back to Victoria – Kinder adding the 100 and 200m titles in her breakout meet under Olympic gold medal coach Craig Jackson – who makes a welcome return to the Dolphins coaching staff.
Australia World Short Course head coach Simon Cusack said:
“The World Short Course has traditionally been a great opportunity for swimmers transitioning from junior to senior level.
“The World Short Course meet presents a great opportunity for our younger swimmers to learn from established Dolphins – this is a springboard meet ahead of the World Championships in Singapore next year
“It’s an opportunity for younger athletes to learn how to travel, become more resilient and perform when it matters most in an unfamiliar environment including time zones, weather and diet.”
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AUSTRALIA DOLPHINS Swim Team bound for Budapest. (Swimming Australia Image/David Mariuz)
Surprised omission Jamie Jack in the sprint freestyle .. I guess relays are not a priority for Budapest then