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McKeown sizzles as short course World Cup kicks off

Australian Kaylee McKeown clocked a sizzling 25.42sec to win the women’s 50m backstroke at the World Cup short course meeting in Carmel, Indiana, on Friday.

McKeown, a five-time Olympic gold medallist who claimed a backstroke double at this year’s World Championships in Singapore, led an Aussie one-two ahead of Mollie O’Callaghan.

World record-holder Regan Smith opted out of a clash with rival McKeown in the 50m back and instead delivered a stellar performance in the 200m butterfly, winning in an American record of 2:00.28.

Hungarian Olympic gold medallist Hubert Kos fended off French superstar Leon Marchand to win the men’s 200m backstroke in 1:46.84.

Marchand, who trains with Kos under coach Bob Bowman in Texas, led early but settled for second in 1:47.68 ahead of American training partner Shaine Casas (1:49.81).

Marchand, who lit up the 2024 Paris Olympics with four gold medals, is coming off an impressive two-gold campaign at the World Championships.

He opted out of the 100m individual medley on Friday and went for the 400m freestyle. Swimming in the penultimate heat of the timed final he clocked 3:38.25, which held up for third place in a race won by American Carson Foster in 3:37.80.

Canadian star Summer McIntosh, who won four gold medals and a bronze at the World Championships, withdrew from the meeting because of illness.

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