A Nervous Kaylee McKeown To Add Platinum Touch For Swim GP Return In Melbourne
EVENT INFORMATION – Including Teams
A nervous five-time Olympic champion Kaylee McKeown will make her long-awaited return to racing when Swimming Australia unveils its new look Swim GP at the Melbourne Sports And Aquatic Centre tomorrow night.
The two-day teams format to be televised on Channel Nine’s Wide World Of Sports in Australia, will kick-start tomorrow night (Friday) and wrap up on a sold-out Saturday night fever.
There are four Teams:
Team KingTide (Powered by Carlile): Head Coach – Mel Marshall – Featuring Flynn Southam and Lani Pallister
Team Kraken (Powered by GoSwim): Head Coach – Craig Jackson – Featuring Alex Perkins and Sam Williamson
Team Wahoo (Powered by Rackley): Head Coach – Damien Jones – Featuring Sam Short and Meg Harris
Team Tsunami: Head Coach – Ian Hulme – Featuring Kaylee McKeown and Will Petric
McKeown was forced to sit out this year’s Commonwealth Games and Pan Pacs campaign with glandular fever, meets that saw Australia unleash two record-breaking gold medal hauls – making 2026 a watershed year for the Dolphins – even without McKeown and with Mollie O’Callaghan, Kyle Chalmers and Cam McEvoy and Flynn Southam by-passing the Pan Pacs in Irvine
McKeown , who will line up alongside Paris Olympic IM finalist Will Petric as the two Platinum athletes for Team Tsunami said she was excited and nervous.
“My body is slowly getting back there. I mean, it’s a never-ending roller coaster at the moment but I’m just excited to get back in the pool and start racing,” said McKeown.
“I’m a little bit nervous as you would be when you haven’t raced in a bit. So, I am glad that there’s no times (just points) that are being posted.”
The world’s premier female backstroker will also line up in next month’s Queensland Championships – a major drawcard at the Brisbane Aquatic Centre from December 12-18.
And while McKeown is on the comeback trail – her fellow Olympic champions, Chalmers and O’Callaghan have been forced to withdraw from the event for medical reasons – robbing Team Kraken of its two Platinum swimmers.
TOP FOUR: (L-R) Sam Short (Wahoo), Kyle Chalmers (Kraken), Flynn Southam (KingTide) and Will Petri Tsunami) ready to rock. Photo Courtesy Swimming Australia.
Chalmers has been forced to rest as he navigates lower back pain but will be on deck to lead his team, with O’Callaghan suffering foot cellulitis.
They have been replaced by backstroke rising star and Junior World Champion Ainsley Trotter (Bond University) and local Melbourne boy James Ward (Caulfield) who will both get an opportunity to step up.
Chalmers, who has been in the pool training has been advised not to race.
“I’ve been in the pool and I’ve been training, but, after my most recent MRI (on my back) and (advice from) my doctor, we’ve decided having six weeks of no swimming is probably going to be the best just to rehab my back and get on top of it,” said Chalmers.
“I think it’s important to come along and show my support for Swim GP and be part of a team environment, which is something that I’ve always loved throughout my swimming career.”
TRIPLE TREAT: (L-R) Swim GP rivals, Meg Harris, Alex Perkins and Lani Pallister Photo Courtesy Swimming Australia.
The pressure will now be on Paris Olympian and five-time Commonwealth Games medallist Alex Perkins who said: “I think the way that the teams will get around each other is going to be really exciting to watch. Hopefully the crowd can really get into it as well. Having everyone involved will be really special for our sport. There’s a whole bunch of events (on the Swim GP program) and something for everyone.”
Commonwealth Games and Pan Pac golden boy Sam Short, who will race for Team Wahoo said the meet was a great opportunity to get some racing in.
“It will be high intensity, fun and fast and will set me up quite well I think for the World Short Course Championships in a couple of weeks’ time in Beijing,” said Short.
“I love racing the best and I get to try and push myself as best I can. And I’m also a team captain, so I get to lead the future of Swimming Australia as well.
“It’s a new format. It’s exciting for swimming in Australia and the number of athletes here is huge and the opportunities for up-and-coming athletes are there … I think this will only grow in years to come leading into Brisbane 2032.”
BEIJING TUNE UP: Sam Short will use the Swim GP to tune up for the World Short Course Championships in Beijing. Photo Courtesy Swimming Australia.
