Five years on, the 20-year-old backstroke specialist from Queensland, Australia holds the world record in the women’s 100m Backstroke (57.45) and is smashing numerous records on the biggest of stages.

Inspired by her talented older sister Taylor, who represents Australia and won 200m Breaststroke gold at the 2015 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, McKeown also thanks her late father for his instrumental role in her career.

After losing her father, aged 53, in August 2020, following a two-year battle with brain cancer, McKeown told the Sydney Morning Herald: "He’s my big inspiration and I use him in the last 50 of the race to help me cross the line because I know he is there."

As a reminder of her father, whenever McKeown lifts up on the backstroke starting blocks, a tattoo on her foot reads, "I’ll always be with you."

Following her 1:01.01 in the women’s 100m backstroke at the Junior Pan Pacific Swimming Championships 2016 in the USA, nothing has stopped McKeown’s relentless drive for progression.

McKeown hit the wall in 59.25 in the women’s 100m backstroke at the 13th Pan Pacific Championships 2018 in Japan. She would continue to shave off more time in 2019, clocking 59.10 at the 13th Pan Pacific Championships 2018 in South Korea.

Taking it all in her stride, in the lead up to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games at the 2021 Australian Swimming Trials, McKeown went on to clock 57.45 in the women's 100m backstroke to take 0.12s off the Regan Smith’s existing mark and set a new world record. McKeown secured her ticket to her first Olympic Games in style.

McKeown left Tokyo as a triple Olympic gold medallist, winning both the 100m and 200m Backstroke, as well as the 4x100m Medley events.

Labelled as ‘One of the most impressive swimmers the world has ever seen,’ McKeown is setting the standard for a new golden era in Australian swimming.