Swimming

McKeon & McKeown Set To Race At 2024 Victorian Open This Week

February 19, 2024

2024 VICTORIAN OPEN LONG COURSE CHAMPIONSHIPS

Friday, February 23rd – Sunday, February 25th
Melbourne Sports Centres Outdoor Pool (MSAC)
LCM (50m)
Meet Central
Psych Sheets

As the 2024 World Championships from Doha, Qatar wrapped up last night, psych sheets for this year’s Victorian Open Long Course Championships have been released.

The three-day competition taking place at the Melbourne Sports Centres Outdoor Pool (MSAC) represents one of the major opportunities for Olympic hopefuls to hone their craft ahead of the Australian National Championships in April, as well as the all-important Olympic Trials in June.

Olympic champion and world record holder Kaylee McKeown is among the high-profile female athletes. The 22-year-old Griffith star is set to race six events, including the 50m/100m back, 200m IM, 100m breast, 100m free and 400m free.

The 400m free in particular is an off-event for the woman who is the reigning 100m and 200m backstroke Olympic champion as well as the 2023 world champion in all 3 backstroke distances.

Mckeown owns a lifetime best of 4:10.67 in the 4free, a time she established at the 2020 Medal Shots LC Prep Meet. At these championships, she’ll race against teammate Lani Pallister as well as Western Melbourne Olympian Tamsin Cook.

The most decorated Australian Olympian of all time, Emma McKeon, is also entered in this competition. She’s expected to race in the women’s 50m/100m fly and 50m/100m free events.

In all 4, she’ll meet the likes of Japanese Olympian Rikako Ikee, with Ikee also entered in the 200m free.

23-year-old Ikee has been stationed in Australia since last fall, continuing her training under Michael Bohl until the Japanese Olympic Trials on the agenda for next month.

The key men’s competitors for this Vic Open include Cody Simpson and Isaac Cooper, the latter of whom became world champion in the 50m backstroke in Doha.

25-year-old William Yang is another one to watch, with the Sopac Swim Club athlete continuing to come back to form after undergoing back surgery last year.

Additional Notable Entrants