Kaylee McKeown misses Commonwealth Games 2026 and Pan Pacific Championships; glandular fever sidelines campaigns

Inside Kaylee McKeown’s daily routine: The Olympic Champion’s training, diet and sleep secrets

The five-time Olympic champion sleeps more than nine hours a night to compensate for nine rigorous pool sessions per week.

Alarms before sunrise, bedtime before sunset and a three-egg breakfast wrap – five-time Olympic champion Kaylee McKeown knows the exact formula for her optimal performance.

And it’s giving her a few flashbacks.

“I feel like I’ve gone back to being a 14-year-old on a school night ,” the swimmer told nine.com.au about her sleep routine, which involves getting up at 5:30 a.m. and being in bed by 8 p.m.

“I think it’s the best thing for my body and what I do for my job.”

McKeown wears earplugs to optimise her sleep but also has a less mainstream habit.

“This is so embarrassing, but I’ve slept with a blanket since I was a little kid,” she shared. “I still do that.”

Sleep is a key recovery tool for McKeown, along with an occasional ice bath , and given her rigorous training routine, it is easy to see why she swears by it.

The Australian has nine pool sessions per week , from Monday to Friday and on Saturday mornings.

Mondays are the busiest with two hours in the pool, an hour-long gym session and an appointment with a physiotherapist . This routine is repeated at 2:30 p.m.

The two-time Olympian does core circuits on Tuesday and Thursday nights, while the rest of her gym training focuses on strength conditioning and building muscle mass. One thing that is not part of her gym plan, however, is Pilates.

“I found that quite hard,” she said with a laugh.

“Put me on land, and I’m very uncoordinated. I’m not very good at many other things.”

McKeown also pays close attention to her diet . As a rule, there are plenty of carbs with a balance of proteins and healthy fats. One go-to is her signature breakfast – a wrap with three eggs, halloumi and mushrooms.

“I eat a lot of food, probably about the same amount as a normal man.”

Kaylee McKeown to miss Commonwealth Games 2026 and Pan Pacific swim champs with glandular fever

Kaylee McKeown - Women’s 100m Backstroke | Gold Medal Highlights | Swimming | Olympic Games Paris 2024

Watch the Women’s 100m Backstroke Gold Medal Highlights from the Olympic Games Paris 2024!

Kaylee McKeown: “I want to reclaim my world records”

McKeown’s rigorous routine is in place for all but two weeks of the year.

But the 25-year-old, who is generally considered the best backstroke swimmer of all time, does not mind: She has lofty goals on the road to the LA28 Olympic Games , among which is reclaiming her 50m and 100m backstroke world records .

McKeown faced several setbacks this year. A broken wrist forced her out of the pool for six weeks and fell ill with grandular fever ahead of the 2026 Commonwealth Games . The four-time Commonwealth champion was forced to miss that competition as well as the Pan Pacific Championships later in August.

Sidelined from competition, she watched on as Sara Curtis broke her 50m backstroke world record. The Australian had set the mark at 26.86 in October 2023 with the Italian teenager lowering it twice during the 2026 European Aquatics Championships in August, first to 26.63 and then 26.56.

Now, McKeown is determined to get them back.

“I’ve had some of my records taken from me, I’d like to reclaim them,” the 200m backstroke world record holder told ABC .

“I think that (makes) your achievements very humbling with the fact that people can take them off you at any given moment.

“I can hold onto my medals, but world records are meant to be broken.”

The 50 back is the second record McKeown has lost after USA’s Regan Smith broke her 100m record at the U.S. Olympic Trials in 2024.

Reclaiming records is not a position the nine-time Olympic medallist is used to, but she is enjoying the change.

“I’ve got a lot of work to do,” McKeown told ABC. “The fact that I’m able to chase somebody now and not be the chased is something I really relish .”