Kaylee McKeown wins 100m backstroke title, reveals lesson from disqualification drama
Okaylee McKeown has responded to her brutal disqualification in excellent style with a surprising come from behind win within the ladies’s 100-metre backstroke ultimate on the World Aquatics Championships in Fukuoka.
McKeown turned for the ultimate 50 metres behind America’s Regan Smith, however took out the gold medal with a fast ultimate stretch, touching the wall at 57.53, 00.25 seconds forward of Smith (57.78). America’s Katharine Berkoff took out the bronze medal with a time of 58.25.
The win capped off a rollercoaster 48 hours for the Australian star, who was left seething after being controversially disqualified in the course of the ladies’s 200-metre particular person medley semi-final on Sunday night time.
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Nonetheless, the 22-year-old noticed the optimistic aspect within the drama after her backstroke title win.
“I am certain there’s been worse I’ve needed to cope with, however it’s positively one thing I’ve learnt from, simply to not take it so emotionally and simply neglect about it actually,” she instructed 9.
“It was going to be 50-50 between the Individuals and I, so it was actually good coming again on that final 50 … I dug deep and gave it the whole lot I might.”
McKeown admitted that she was nervous previous to the race.
“I’ve by no means been this shaky in my life. I felt like I wanted to vomit earlier than my race,” she mentioned.
“My previous coach used to say in case you’re nervous to that extent it means you care about what you are about to do, so I actually chanelled that and did what I might.”
Australian swimming icon Ian Thorpe was stuffed with reward for a way McKeown rebounded from her disqualification within the medley semi-final.
“It was distinctive circumstances coming off what was a disappointing disqualification,” he instructed 9.
“Two days after that having the ability to create a efficiency like this it reveals the grit and willpower that Kaylee McKeown has.
“She takes that together with her and he or she owns that. It was all the way down to the final 15 metres.”
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McKeown will purpose to make it two golds later within the meet when she will get again within the pool for the 200-metre backstroke, the occasion the place she is the reigning Olympic champion.
“My velocity is there, whether or not or not my endurance is there’s something we have got to determine,” she mentioned when requested about her prospects within the 200.
“We’ll see what occurs.”
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