Australian Kaylee McKeown swam her third historic time in four days and recorded the second-fastest 200m backstroke in history at the Australia Olympic Trials on Thursday.
McKeown clocked 2 minutes and 3.30 seconds in Brisbane, missing her own world record by 16 hundredths of a second.
Earlier this week, McKeown won the 100 meters in the second-fastest time in history and the 200-meter individual medley in the fourth-fastest time in history (and the world’s best time in almost eight years).
McKeown, 22, is the reigning Olympic gold medalist in the 100 meters and 200 meters back, a world champion in both events and the world record holder in both events.
She took silver in the IM of 200 meters at the 2022 World Cup, after which she was disqualified after her semi-final at the 2023 World Cup due to an illegal turn.
At the Paris Olympics, her main challenger in any event could be an American. The U.S. Olympic Trials begin Saturday (broadcast schedule here).
Regan Smith is the second-fastest woman in history in the 100m and 200m backstroke, taking silver in both events from McKeown at the 2023 World Championships.
Kate Douglass is the two-time reigning world champion in the 200m IM.
On August 2 at the Olympic Games, the final of the women’s 200 meters back will take place at 8:39 PM local time. The semi-finals of the women’s 200 meters IM start at 9.34 pm
