Australian swimmer Kaylee McKeown medically withdraws from Commonwealth Games

The 24-year-old introduced she wouldn’t be competing on the Commonwealth Games or the Pan Pacific Championships in California in August after a sequence of medical points.

“I am gutted to medically withdraw,” she mentioned.

“What I thought a few months ago was the flu has turned out to be my body fighting glandular fever, and everything makes sense now.

“The loss of breath and fatigue just after an easy warm-up, not being able to eat, feeling tired all the time, insomnia combined with napping.”

She mentioned she was “desperate to wear the green and gold” and continued competing in trials, regardless of her poor well being.

”I’ve already mentioned that the 2026 Glasgow Commonwealth Games can be my final — and it appears becoming to log out on the Games in the identical metropolis the place my sister Taylor made her Dolphins debut and received a gold medal in 2014,” she mentioned.

“So I powered through in an effort to compete in Glasgow.

“But I just have not got better – and at the same time I worried pushing myself so hard that I end up with chronic fatigue.”

She mentioned she would relaxation and get better her physique in preparation for the following season

“I’m not exactly sure what that looks like for me just yet — all I know is that the return will be slow, steady and built up in small steps,” she mentioned.

McKeown is without doubt one of the nation’s most celebrated athletes, first coming into the aggressive scene at 15 alongside her sister within the 2014 Australian Dolphins swim staff.

She has 9 Olympic medals below her belt – 5 gold, one silver and three bronze – and is the reigning champion within the 100m and 200m backstroke swims.

The Queensland star was named the Best Female Swimmer of the Year by World Aquatics in 2023.

Australian staff Chef de Mission Petria Thomas mentioned the Olympian’s exit from the Commonwealth Games was an “unfortunate outcome” for each her and the staff.

“We wish her a speedy recovery and know that she will bounce back to her best ahead of the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games,” she mentioned.

“Our swimming team for Glasgow remains very strong and I’m confident they will deliver for the green and gold across six days of competition that kicks off on 24 July.”

This is the second blow for Australian sport within the span of 24 hours, after Australian sprinter Gout Gout introduced he would miss out on competing on the world under-20 championships subsequent month within the US attributable to an damage.

“Unfortunately I suffered an injury to my left hamstring last night at training in Brisbane,” he mentioned in a social media publish.

“I received this morning the MRI report, unfortunately the news is not good and I will not be able to compete in Eugene at the World U20s Championships next month.”