Australia's swimming golden backstroker Kaylee McKeown produced an absolute stunner at the Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre to open the first night of finals at the 2023 NSW State Open Championships.

The reigning Olympic and world champion in the women's 200m backstroke proved she's on track for the upcoming World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka, Japan. Her Friday night performance in Sydney betters the mark Regan Smith set in the semifinals at the World Aquatics Championships - Gwangju 2019. Smith would go on to win the 200m backstroke world title in Gwangju (KOR) with McKeown placing second, 2:03.69 to 2:06.26. 

Image Source: Delly Carr

With this World Record, the 21-year-old is now the Olympic champion and the World Record holder in both the 100m and 200m backstroke. At the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, McKeown also won gold as part of the Dolphins' 4x100m Medley Relay. 

We last saw McKeown on the international stage in December at the World Swimming Championships (25m) - Melbourne 2022 where the Redcliffe, Queensland native won five medals, including golds in the 100m and 200m backstroke events, and the Women's 4x50m Medley Relay.

Image Source: Delly Carr

Making McKeown’s performance even more notable is that most of Australia’s top swimmers have been in heavy training programmes at this time of the training cycle with the Fukuoka world titles still four months away.

“The race was actually swum 20 minutes earlier than it was scheduled on the time line – I was so rushed...and talking to Molly I said ”what’s going on...?” McKeown recalled to The Advertiser after the race. “I actually like sitting in marshalling and kind of gathering my thoughts before my race..but I had no time for that...so I just pulled up my straps and went for it really...but I love racing....it’s what we train for.

“I knew it was going to be a new level heading into the Olympics and I think it’s great seeing Regan Smith doing all her double ups – it’s scary and it's daunting to me looking when you are looking at a competitor or competitors that fierce – even Molly O’Callaghan in Australia – the backstroke depth is definitely coming back at that top level so it’s exciting.”