Mollie O’Callaghan and Kaylee McKeown spectacularly heralded a new chapter for Australian swimming in the post-Ariarne Titmus era, each shattering short course world records at the World Cup meet in Westmont, Illinois.
The new wave of Australian talent made its mark as Olympic 200m freestyle champion O’Callaghan set a blistering time of 1:49.77 for victory on Saturday, breaking the previous record of 1:50.31 set by Hong Kong’s Siobhan Haughey in 2021.
McKeown followed on the final night of competition Sunday, winning the 200m backstroke in 1:57.87. Her performance erased the previous benchmark of 1:58.04, which was set by American rival Regan Smith at the short course world championships last December.
McKeown’s victory served as a reversal of fortune after Smith had narrowly defeated her for the 100m backstroke title the previous day, a race in which Smith equalled her own short-course world record of 54.02.
Departing from her typical strategy of chasing down Smith in the latter stages, McKeown took a commanding early lead in the 200m event and tenaciously held off her opponent’s challenge to the finish.
“I wanted to see what I could do tonight,” said McKeown, 24, a double Olympic gold medalist in both the 100m and 200m backstroke. “Regan pushed me through all the way. I wanted to go out hard and hold on; it’s not something that I’m used to doing.”
McKeown now holds the world records for the 200m backstroke in both short and long course formats, while Smith possesses both records for the 100m backstroke.
These standout performances from the Australian women arrive just days after their former teammate, Olympic 400m freestyle champion Ariarne Titmus, announced her surprising retirement from the sport at age 25.
Adding to the record-breaking spree, American star Kate Douglass seized the women’s 100m freestyle world record with a time of 50.19, surpassing the previous mark of 50.25 set by Australia’s Cate Campbell in 2017.
This victory marks the versatile Douglass’s third short course world record, adding to her existing records in the 200m individual medley and the 200m breaststroke.
“I kind of wanted to go for it tonight,” the 23-year-old said. “It’s definitely crazy to think that I have a breaststroke and freestyle world record. Pretty cool.”
The third and concluding meet of the World Cup series is scheduled to begin in Toronto on Thursday.
