ADELAIDE: World record holder Kaylee McKeown survived a huge fright before winning the 50m backstroke at the Australian world championship trials on Monday after being disqualified from her heat and then reinstated.

The reigning Olympic 100m and 200m backstroke gold medallist hit the wall in 27.33 seconds to edge Mollie O’Callaghan (27.39) in the final and book her ticket to the championships in Singapore next month.

It came after a nerve-racking day for the 23-year-old, who won her morning heat convincingly but was disqualified over a slight head movement on the blocks, where competitors must be absolutely still.

The distraught gold medal favourite and 2023 world champion appealed against the disqualification and had to endure an anxious two-hour wait before being reinstated.

Reigning world champion Isaac Cooper was fastest in the men’s 50m race, touching in 24.69 to qualify.

McKeown, who swept the 50-100-200 backstroke treble at the 2023 worlds, will also race over 100m and 200m at the trials in Adelaide.

However, she has dropped the 200m medley despite winning bronze at the Paris Olympics.

That opened the door to 20-year-old Ella Ramsey, who made the Olympic final last year but was forced to withdraw with Covid.

Published in Dawn, June 10th, 2025