Kaylee McKeown's 2026 Season Parked By Glandular Fever
Australia's Olympic backstroke queen is out of the Commonwealth Games and the Pan Pacific Championships after confirming she has struggled with fatigue, loss of breath, and loss of appetite for several months
Kaylee McKeown's 2026 long-course season came to a halt today when her withdrawal from the 2026 Glasgow Commonwealth Games and the Pan Pacific Championships was announced by Swimming Australia.
McKeown, who celebrates her 25th birthday on Sunday, confirmed today that she has struggled with fatigue, loss of breath, and loss of appetite for several months," the federation noted.
What may turn out to be the best timeout for the most decorated backstroke swimmer in history - including the Olympic 100 and 200m backstroke double at both Tokyo 2020ne and Paris 2024 - on the way to a third Olympic campaign at LA2028. McKeown said:
“I am gutted to medically withdraw. What I thought a few months ago was the flu has turned out to be my body fighting glandular fever. I was sick going into Trials and I just have not got better and I am worried about pushing myself so hard that I end up with chronic fatigue. It was a hard decision to make but it was the right one.”
Swimming Australia head coach of the Olympic program Rohan Taylor noted:
“At this point in time, Kaylee’s health is the most important thing. We all know how fierce and competitive she is – and she showed that by performing the way she did at Trials. Kaylee is a once in a generation athlete - she is what we call a racer.
“We are going to miss her on team not just in the pool but out of the pool with her experience and leadership but I personally feel, respect and support her decision to prioritise health. I know after Trials she significantly modified her training program to the point of no high-intensity work and she just didn’t improve.
“We can’t wait to see her well again and back in the water competing.”
Swimming Australia will now take a 59-strong team to compete at the Games from July 23-August 2 and 43 athletes to Pan Pacs from August 12-15.
2026 Glasgow Commonwealth Games Athletes
(*Dolphins debut)
Henry Allan*
Iona Anderson
Ben Armbruster
Emily Beecroft
Victoria Belando Nicholson*
Hannah Casey
Brittany Castelluzzo
Kyle Chalmers
Jessica Cole*
Isaac Cooper
Lizzy Dekkers
Jenna Forrester
Hannah Fredericks
Jasmin Fullgrabe*
Matthew Galea*
Alyssa Gillespie*
Ben Goedemans
Jasmine Greenwood
Meg Harris
Kirralee Hayes
Timothy Hodge
Mia Hogan*
Jack Ireland
Jamie Jack*
Shayna Jack
Jenna Jones
Tara Kinder
Tiana Kritzinger
Se-Bom Lee
Bailey Lello*
Beau Matthews*
Cam McEvoy
Madeleine McTernan
Inez Miller*
Tommy Neill
Mollie O'Callaghan
Lani Pallister
Lakeisha Patterson
Col Pearse
Alexandria Perkins
William Petric
Ella Ramsay
Alex Saffy
Gemma Sellick*
Sam Short
Brendon Smith
Edward Sommerville
Flynn Southam
Zac Stubblety-Cook
Kai Taylor
Matt Temple
Liam Togher*
Sienna Toohey
Harrison Turner
Harrison Vig
Molly Walker*
Amelia Weber*
Sam Williamson
Elijah Winnington
Yesterday, Swimming Australia launched FLICKBAIT:
Craig Lord
