Swim star Kaylee McKeown is “gutted” that illness has forced her out of the Commonwealth Games in a major blow to Australia’s team.
McKeown’s Commonwealth Games career is over after battling glandular fever ahead of the Glasgow edition starting in 13 days.
“I am gutted to medically withdraw,” said the backstroke ace.
“What I thought a few months ago was flu has turned out to be my body fighting glandular fever.”
McKeow had declared Glasgow would be her last Commonwealth Games.
The Queenslander had her sights set on repeating her four gold medals from the Birmingham Games four years ago.
McKeown, who turns 25 on Sunday, was to have been the star attraction of the Glasgow pool, with Canada’s Summer McIntosh, who holds four individual world records, skipping the Games.
McKeown raced when sick at Australia’s swim selection trials for the July 23 to August 2 Games, dropping the 200m individual medley but qualifying in her pet events, the 100m and 200m backstroke.
“I was sick going into trials and I have just not got better,” she said.
“I am worried about pushing myself so hard that I end up with chronic fatigue.
“It was a hard decision to make but the right one.”
McKeown will also miss this year’s main global meet, the Pan Pacific Championships that follow Glasgow.
McKeown grew up on the Sunshine Coast and went to Pacific Lutheran College.
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She is a five-time Olympic gold medallist – she was joint closing ceremony flag-bearer in Paris in 2024 after becoming the first Australian to win four individual Olympic titles.
Australia’s Commonwealth Games team chef de mission Petria Thomas wished McKeown a hasty recovery with the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles in mind.
“Kaylee is an outstanding swimmer and fierce competitor,” Thomas said.
“To see her forced to withdraw for medical reasons is an unfortunate outcome for both her and the Australian Commonwealth Games team,” Thomas said.
“We wish her a speedy recovery and know that she will bounce back to her best ahead of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.”
The Australian swim team, now 59-strong, are hot favourites to extend their Commonwealth domination – they won 65 medals at the Birmingham pool four years ago including 25 golds, three shy of the nation’s record gold haul at the 2018 Gold Coast Games.
Australia is sending about 430 athletes and staff to Glasgow with an aim of claiming top spot on the medal table for a 15th time in 23 Games.
