Aussie swimming champion Kaylee McKeown has revealed she won’t be competing at the Commonwealth Games because she has contracted glandular fever.
The 24-year-old has made the announcement through a personal column in The Herald Sun.
McKeown originally believed she was fighting the flu when symptoms first presented a few months ago.
But overtime – she realised something more sinister was taking place.
‘The loss of breath and fatigue just after an easy warm-up, not being able to eat, feeling tired all the time, insomnia combined with napping,’ she said.
‘But the big tell for me was this: sleeping for hours and waking up feeling like I hadn’t slept at all.’
Kaylee McKeown (pictured) will miss the upcoming Commonwealth Games in Scotland
The swimming champion (pictured) is fighting glandular fever and has stepped down to focus on her health
McKeown (pictured) is one of Australia’s best swimmers of the last decade and will be a big loss for the Dolphins in Glasgow
‘I was swimming times I hadn’t seen since I was 13 and struggling with gym weights I would normally lift with ease,’ McKeown added.
The five-time Olympic gold medallist attempted to push through the pain.
McKeown thought if she showed enough tenacity, she’d emerge through the battle and be able to keep competing.
Unfortunately – the swimmer has been forced to let her body rest and stop competing for a period of time.
‘For the past few months, I have been rolling out of bed, swimming and rolling straight back into bed,’ McKeown said.
‘The plan is to give my body all the rest and recovery it needs so I can come back ready and roaring for the next season of racing.
‘I’m not exactly sure what that looks like for me just yet – all I know is that the return will be slow, steady and built up in small steps.’
McKeown won four gold and one bronze medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
