Kaylee McKeown Pulls Out of World Cup Series: “Putting My Mental Health First”

2024 WORLD AQUATICS SWIMMING WORLD CUP-SHANGHAI

After a record-setting day in Shanghai, Kaylee McKeown has announced her withdrawal from the remainder of the World Cup Series.

On Day 1 of the opening leg of the circuit, McKeown broke the Oceanian, Australian and World Cup Record in the women’s 50 backstroke, clocking 25.36 for the second-fastest swim of all-time, just 11 one-hundredths shy of the world record.

The 23-year-old followed up by placing third in the 100 IM in a time of 57.76, but after a successful opening day, McKeown announced she was pulling out of the series to prioritize her mental health.

She wrote on Instagram:

I would like to thank World Aquatics for the opportunity to come out and race at World Cups, it’s been so much fun here in Shanghai.

Putting my mental health first I’ve decided to cut my experience short. As an athlete It’s so important to listen to your heart and to know when enough is enough.

Time for a well overdue break
Peace and love to you all ✌🏽❤️

Two weeks ago, McKeown announced she was dropping out of the Short Course World Championships in December, citing the physical and mental toll the Olympic year has had on her. At the time, she said she would still race the World Cup series, but has opted out after just one day of racing in China.

The Shanghai leg of the series will run for the next two days, and although it sounds as though McKeown will stop competing immediately, she stills appears on the heat sheets for Saturday morning’s session.

Last year, McKeown was a dominant force on the World Cup series, winning the overall women’s title and walking away with a total prize purse of $186,000 after breaking multiple world records and earning three ‘Triple Crown’ bonuses for sweeping the women’s backstroke events at all three stops.

In the lead-up to the Olympics, the series was contested in long course meters last fall, but has returned to the traditional SCM format this year.

At the Paris Olympics, McKeown was unstoppable in the women’s 100 and 200 back, sweeping the events for the second straight Games while adding a third individual medal in the 200 IM (bronze) and a pair of relay medals for a total haul of five.

The withdrawal leaves American Regan Smith, McKeown’s primary rival, as the clear-cut favorite to dominate the women’s backstroke events for the rest of the series and into SC Worlds. In the 50 back on Friday, Smith was the runner-up to McKeown in a time of 25.70.