Kaylee McKeown clinches gold medals in 50m Backstroke and 100m Backstroke at World Aquatics Championship in Fukuoka

Australian swimmer Kaylee McKeown clinched gold medals in the 50m Backstroke and 100m Backstroke at the ongoing World Aquatics Championship in Fukuoka.

McKeown won a gold medal in the 50m Backstroke on July 27, with a time of 27.08 seconds, ahead of Regan Smith from the USA. Smith completed the race in 27.11 seconds. Britain's Lauren Cox had to settle for third place with a time of 27.20 seconds.

Regan Smith had toppled the Australian in the 50m Backstroke semifinals with a time of 27.10 seconds while Kaylee McKeown completed in 27.26 seconds. However, McKeown performed exceptionally in the finals, becoming the third-fastest performer in the event.

Just two days before her gold in the 50m Backstroke, the 22-year-old won a gold medal in 100m Backstroke with a time of 57.53 seconds. Regan Smith was the runner-up in that event as well, with a time of 57.78 seconds. America's Katharine Berkoff secured third place, finishing in 58.25 seconds.

With 57.53 seconds, McKeown smashed Regan Smith's Championship record of 57.57 seconds in the 100m Backstroke, which she created in the 2019 World Aquatics Championship in Gwangju, South Korea. This was the fourth-fastest performance of all time (McKeown herself is the world record holder for the event at 57.45 seconds).

Kaylee McKeown was appalled after being disqualified from the 200m Individual Medley in Fukuoka

Kaylee McKeown reacts after being disqualified in Women's 200m Individual Medley in the 2023 World Aquatic Championship at Marine Messe in Fukuoka, Japan.

Kaylee McKeown, who specializes in Backstroke and Individual Medley, was disqualified from the 200m Individual Medley Semifinals on July 23. She was disqualified for an illegal change from backstroke to breaststroke in Fukuoka. The 22-year-old was shocked by the decision.

According to World Aquatics regulations, swimmers are required to be on their back while touching the wall, but the Australian was allegedly already rotating.

The Australian could have been a potential winner if it wasn't for the disqualification. She had recorded an entry time of 2:07.19 in the event.

Addressing the disqualification, McKeown said:

"I had a bit of a cry. A bit of an emotional rollercoaster but it's sport and it's what happens in sport. Unfortunately some people just get the bad hand and I got dealt that bad hand. It's just a matter of trying to flip it into a positive and just give the big 'f u' kind of thing. We have footage and other angles that say otherwise to what the officials saw."