Kaylee McKeown reinstated after shock disqualification at Australian swimming trials

ADELAIDE: Australian swimming golden girl Kaylee McKeown was on Monday afternoon disqualified and then reinstated after a successful protest in a dramatic first session of the national trials.

The five-time Olympic gold medallist won her heat in the women's 50-metre backstroke before climbing out of the pool to the news that she was disqualified for early movement at the start.

The disqualification left her facing the prospect of not being able to race the one-lap event at the world championships, taking place in Singapore between July 28 and August 3.

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She stormed off the pool deck at SA Aquatic and Leisure Centre, visibly infuriated.

However, Swimming Australia (SA) confirmed with Wide World of Sports just over an hour after the race that McKeown was successful in her appeal.

SA explained in a statement that McKeown's appeal was successful because officials agreed she was distracted on the blocks.

"McKeown, the world record holder, was disqualified after being ruled to initiate an early start from lane four of heat one but her protest was upheld after officials ruled in her favour that she was distracted by a movement immediately prior to the signal," SA said.

Replays showed McKeown's head jolted back ever so slightly prior to the electronic beep sound going off. She steadied herself after the slight movement and then pushed off the wall.

McKeown clocked 27.27 seconds to record the fastest time of the heats.

Mollie O'Callaghan, who posted 27.72, was the only other swimmer who hit SA's world championship qualification standard, which is 27.74.

The final of the 50m backstroke is scheduled to be swum at 9.57pm Adelaide time (10.27pm AEST).

Watch the 2025 Australian swimming trials live and free on Nine and 9Now, taking place from June 9-14.

Athletes who finish in the top two of their event, and satisfy SA's qualification standard, will be selected for the world titles.

Unaware that McKeown had been distracted at the start, Australian swimming great Cate Campbell painted a grim picture of the situation prior to the outcome of the protest being determined.

"There was a little head movement while the rest of her was still, and then she stilled herself, and then she went, and from the time that the starter says 'take your marks' to that point where the gun goes, you have to be completely still," Campbell said on the Nine broadcast as a replay was shown.

"Any little movement, as you see, that little head nod, if you're on the blocks, a flick of your toe, and that's out, that's game over.

"So unfortunately, I just don't see that Kaylee will be able to have a successful challenge on that."

McKeown's personal best, 26.86, is the 50m backstroke world record, and the Queenslander won gold in the event at the 2023 world championships in Fukuoka, Japan.

She also won gold in the 100m and 200m backstroke events at both the Tokyo 2021 and Paris 2024 Olympics.

The 50m backstroke has been added to the Olympic program for the Los Angeles 2028 Games.