McKeown's Health Priority
Olympic Champion Kaylee McKeown Withdraws from Commonwealth, Pan Pacific Games Due to Glandular Fever
Key Points
Australia will send a 59-strong swimming team to Glasgow and 43 swimmers to the Pan Pacific Championships in Irvine, California, highlighting the scale of the squad and the impact of McKeown's absence on leadership and experience.
Swimming Australia chef de mission Petria Thomas publicly wished McKeown a speedy recovery and emphasized health as the priority, with an eye toward the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.
McKeown is a nine-time Olympic medalist (five gold, one silver, three bronze) and was named Best Female Swimmer of the Year by World Aquatics in 2023, underscoring the magnitude of her withdrawal.
McKeown announced the withdrawal in an op-ed and explained that what she initially thought was the flu turned out to be glandular fever, a diagnosis she says clarifies years of fatigue and health struggles.
She referenced her sister Taylor in noting that Glasgow is a meaningful location to sign off, as Taylor McKeown debuted for the Dolphins there in 2014.
Australian swimming star Kaylee McKeown has withdrawn from the 2026 Glasgow Commonwealth Games and the Pan Pacific Championships after being diagnosed with glandular fever, also known as mononucleosis. The 24-year-old five-time Olympic gold medalist made the announcement in a personal op-ed, saying the illness explained months of fatigue she had mistakenly put down to the flu. SwimSwam reported the withdrawal this week.
McKeown described symptoms including breathlessness, fatigue, and insomnia. She said doctors warned her that pushing through glandular fever risked chronic fatigue and a far longer recovery. The decision leaves Australia's swim squad without one of its most decorated leaders heading into two major summer competitions.
A Nine-Time Olympic Medalist Steps Away From Competition
McKeown is one of the most accomplished swimmers in Australian history. She holds the world record in backstroke and has won nine Olympic medals in total — five gold, one silver, and three bronze. World Aquatics named her Best Female Swimmer of the Year in 2023. Her withdrawal from Glasgow and the Pan Pacific Championships in Irvine, California is a major blow to Australia's swim program, according to SwimSwam.
At Glasgow, she had been expected to defend titles in the 100-meter and 200-meter backstroke. Australia is sending a 59-strong swim team to the Commonwealth Games and 43 swimmers to the Pan Pacific Championships. McKeown's absence removes both her event results and her leadership from both squads, according to Yahoo Sports.
Glandular Fever Diagnosis Explains Months of Struggle
McKeown said she spent months believing she had the flu. The glandular fever diagnosis changed everything. Glandular fever is a viral illness that can cause extreme tiredness lasting weeks or even months. It spreads through saliva and is most common in young adults. Her doctors told her that competing while sick could make recovery far longer and more complicated.
She described her symptoms as breathlessness, deep fatigue, and insomnia — all things she had been pushing through during training. McKeown said the diagnosis finally gave her answers. She noted that continuing to compete would have put her health at serious risk, according to Winnipeg Free Press.
Swimming Australia Backs McKeown, Eyes Los Angeles 2028
Swimming Australia chef de mission Petria Thomas publicly supported McKeown's decision. Thomas said health must come first and called McKeown's absence a genuine loss for the squad. Thomas also pointed to the 2028 Los Angeles Olympic Games as the next major goal for McKeown, according to SF Gate.
McKeown herself signaled she plans to regroup for next season and remain focused on future Olympic opportunities. She said Glasgow would have been her last Commonwealth Games, making the withdrawal especially significant. Team officials and the wider Australian swimming community have rallied behind her, emphasizing that her long-term health matters more than any single competition.
Glasgow Held Special Meaning for the McKeown Family
McKeown noted that the Glasgow Games carried personal significance beyond sport. Her sister Taylor McKeown made her debut for the Australian Dolphins team at the 2014 Glasgow Commonwealth Games. Kaylee said the venue would have been a fitting place to close her Commonwealth Games chapter, making the forced withdrawal even harder to accept, according to Yahoo Sports.
McKeown said she is focused on a full recovery and hopes to return to competition healthy and strong. With Los Angeles 2028 on the horizon, Australian swim fans will be watching her comeback closely. For now, the squad heads to Glasgow and Irvine without its brightest backstroke star.
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