2022 COMMONWEALTH GAMES
- Friday, July 29 – Wednesday, August 3, 2022
- Birmingham, England
- Sandwell Aquatic Center
- Start Times
- Prelims: 10:30 am local / 5:30 am ET
- Finals: 7:00 pm local / 2:00 pm ET
- LCM (50m)
- Meet Central
- Event Schedule
- Entry List
Despite appearing on the entry lists in the event at these 2022 Commonwealth Games, Australia’s Kaylee McKeown has reportedly withdrawn from the women’s 400m IM in Birmingham.
Per Australian media, McKeown will remain entered in the 200m IM, as well as the 50m, 100m and 200m backstroke races. However, this is the 2nd major international meet, along with the World Championships, where McKeown opted out of the grueling 400m IM, an event in which she owns the 2nd fastest time in the world this season.
That leaves world rankings leader Summer McIntosh just 15, as the girl to beat, with the Canadian owning the fastest time on the planet with a scorching 4:29.12 World Junior record from a domestic meet in March.
For Australia, the nation still has 400m IM competitors Jenna Forrester and Kiah Melverton set to compete.
McKeown is still toying with what her ultimate individual event lineup will be at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games. Now that the actual day-by-day schedule has been released by the organizing committee, we may be privy to what the Michael Bohl–trained star ultimately decides as we look to the 2023 World Championships.
Additional Aussie changeups for Birmingham include 17-year-old Flynn Southam replacing Isaac Cooper in the men’s 50m freestyle.
As we reported, Cooper was sent home due to mental well-being issues. Southam was already on the green and gold Commonwealth Games roster in the men’s 4x100m and 4x200m freestyle relays.
As long as she trains for it
Another head-scratching, last minute withdrawal from an event in which she’s very competitive. Ok, taking on the 100BK, 200BK, 200IM, 400IM is a tough workload. But remember these are the CG’s. Given her ability and the lack of depth she should be able to cruise through qualifying. And there are no semi-finals. It’s about time she really pushed herself at an international meet and I would have thought the CG’s would have been the perfect opportunity.
Bawk! Bawk! Bawk! Bawk!
At least she didn’t scratch out of the whole meet like your hero.
You claim that the CGs are worthless but then proceed to follow them closely and constantly comment on them. What a sad little life you must lead
I notice it’s such a big deal when Aussies drop an event but when an American does it …
McKeown has only herself to blame.
or when they drop a whole 4 events at a world champs
Caeleb Dressel dropped events where he is defending Olympics and World Champion = no big deal.
Kaylee dropped the 100 back and maybe that’s why she and caleb dropped their events: Tehy are olympic champions in their events and don’t have to prove anything to Go Kamminga Go
why are you acting like people weren’t clowning dressel you mug
The hard reality is that you cannot chase every possible event at the one meet and hope to succeed in all; especially if you’re also liable to be co-opted for relay duties (particularly multiple relays).
Whilst I’d like to have seen her have a bash at the 400IM; I recognise that the cost/benefit analysis would say this would be the event with the lowest liklihood of gold and, also taking into account the physical demands, thus the first candidate to be culled.
lol i knew it. I think I posted on one of the earlier entry list posts, “what’re the odds she swims them all??”
It seemed like a big program for a “short” meet – but it’s just prelims/finals right? Which makes it less grueling, shoulda done it.
I thought she’d skip the 2IM because of the clash with the 2BK. There are still semis for 50s and 100s.
Lame
damn was really hoping we’d at least get it here since Paris is an obvious no, I can’t really see her doing the 200 back/200im double either
happy to see Flynn in the 50 free though