Kaylee McKeown swam the second-fastest 100-meter backstroke in history to win the Australian Olympic Trials in Brisbane on Tuesday.
McKeown, an Olympic and world champion and world record holder in both backstrokes, clocked 57.41 seconds. She was eight-hundredths away from her world record set last October.
“I’m not going to lie, I was a little disappointed about that,” McKeown said on Australia’s Nine network. “There is always room for improvement.”
McKeown, 22, owns the six fastest 100-meter times in history.
The second fastest swimmer is American Regan Smith, who held the world record of 57.57 until McKeown broke it at the 2021 Olympic Trials in Australia.
Smith will attempt to make her second U.S. Olympic team at trials in Indianapolis, which begin Saturday.
Mollie O’Callaghan, the world record holder in the 200m freestyle, finished second to McKeown in the 100m in 57.88 seconds on Tuesday, becoming the fourth fastest woman in history.
O’Callaghan said she has yet to decide which events she will swim at the Olympics. The semi-finals of the 100 meters back will take place in the same session as the final of the 200 meters free in Paris. The final on the 100 meters back takes place in the same session as the semi-finals on the 100 meters free time.
2024 US Olympic Swimming Trials TV, Live Stream Schedule
The U.S. Olympic Swimming Trials will be broadcast live on NBC Sports and Peacock from Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.
