Australian backstroke queen Kaylee McKeown has released a sharply worded statement on the disqualification saga that rocked last week’s national trials, hinting at what distracted her, declaring she was not “shown any favouritism” and calling out people for “tearing others down”.
On a dramatic opening day of the trials for the Singapore world championships, McKeown was disqualified in Adelaide after her heat in the 50-metre backstroke, and then reinstated, after it was ruled she had been distracted by a movement immediately prior to the signal.
McKeown is the world record holder in the 50m backstroke and the Sunshine Coast superstar won gold in the event at the 2023 world championships in Fukuoka, Japan.
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McKeown, who touched first in her heat, was reinstated just over an hour after her heat and proceeded to win Monday night’s final, stopping the clock at 27.33 seconds.
Finishing in the top two and hitting Swimming Australia’s time standard, which was 27.74 seconds, qualified her for the world titles in the 50m backstroke.
The 23-year-old said after the final she didn’t feel comfortable commenting on what distracted her.
Kaylee McKeown at the trials. Delly Carr/Swimming Australia
But in a statement posted to Instagram on Sunday night, the five-time Olympic gold medallist hinted at the cause of her early movement, and hit out at her critics.
“I’ve copped quite a bit of scrutiny over the past week for my DQ in the 50 backstroke,” McKeown wrote.
“I’d just like to clarify that while it was a clear disqualification, I was able to lodge a protest due to movement directly behind my starting block.
“I followed all the standard procedures for my reinstatement!
“For those who know me well, you’ll know I’m all for fair sport and certainly wouldn’t have protested if I knew I didn’t have a fair case.
“What I’m not for is people tearing others down.
“At no point was I shown any favouritism.”
Kaylee McKeown posted the above statement as an Instagram story. Instagram
Standing directly behind McKeown’s block was a photographer, although she didn’t specifically pinpoint the photographer as the source of distraction in her statement.
“I knew [what caused the movement],” she told Cate Campbell on Nine after the final.
“I knew straight away.
“But … I’m not really going to comment on it any further. It’s just what happens.”
She made a similar remark in a chat with reporters after her interview on the broadcast.
“Just simple — I got DQ’d, I got reinstated … That’s as far as I feel comfortable saying,” McKeown said.
“Things happen, and it just crumbled that way.
“I knew as soon as I started what I’d done.”
The world championships will be held between July 28 and August 3.
McKeown will contest the 50m, 100m and 200m backstroke events.
