Aussie Olympics star Kaylee McKeown BANS herself from an act millions of Aussies do every day as she chases gold in Paris
- Won two individual gold medals at the Tokyo Games
- Wants to win three individual medals in Paris
- Made a big change to her record bid
Australian swimmer Kaylee McKeown has banned herself from posting on social media as she aims for gold at the Paris Olympics.
The 23-year-old, who has already won gold twice in the 100 and 200 metre backstroke and is part of the gold medal women’s relay team, now adds the 200 metre medley to her events, in which she has set the fastest time of the year.
To achieve her goal, McKeown will give away her social media activities in Paris.
McKeown is aiming for a rare feat: winning three individual gold medals, a record only held by fellow American Shane Gould.
She will also compete in the medley relay, potentially matching her teammate Emma McKeon’s four gold medals at the Tokyo Olympics.
However, McKeown struggles with inner fears and tries to stay focused.
In order to concentrate, she has not been active on social media for three days before her first heat.
“I will be off social media this week,” she wrote from Paris. “I want to thank everyone for all the well wishes so far.”
Australian swimmer Kaylee McKeown has shunned social media during the Paris Olympics
The 23-year-old is aiming to become the first Australian since Shane Gould to win three individual Olympic gold medals at a single Games
Her decision comes after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) eased social media restrictions for athletes.
Earlier this year, the IOC announced that athletes would be allowed to post photos, audio and video recordings of up to two minutes on their social media accounts.
This policy change will allow athletes to connect with a global audience better than ever before.
Earlier, Jamaican sprinter Elaine Thompson-Herah faced temporary restrictions on her Instagram account during the Tokyo Olympics after she shared videos of her races.
McKeown will also compete in the relays, giving her a chance to equal or beat Emma McKeon’s four medals in a single Olympics
At the time, the IOC stated that broadcasters with rights had exclusive distribution rights to the content and that athletes were invited to share content from these broadcasters.
McKeown’s impressive record includes gold in the 4x100m medley relay and bronze in the mixed 4x100m medley relay in Tokyo, in addition to her two individual backstroke gold medals. When she arrives in Paris, she will be looking to defend her titles and excel in the 200m medley.
As she looked back on her growth, McKeown noticed a difference compared to the Tokyo Games.
“As you get older, you grow and learn more,” she said. “From the last Olympics to this Olympics, I’ve learned a lot and grown a lot … I’m more mature and have more control over my emotions.”