Wollongong teenager Emma McKeon was one of eight athletes selected in the Australian swim team for the Youth Olympic Games taking place in Singapore, August 14-26.

A specialist freestyle and butterfly swimmer, McKeon comes from excellent swimming pedigree – her mother Susie swam at the 1982 Commonwealth Games, her father Ron was a member of the 1980  and 1984  Australian Olympic teams and her uncle Robert Woodhouse competed in the 1984 Olympic Games winning a bronze medal (400 IM) and the 1988 Olympic Games.

Her father Ron McKeon is also the coach of the Australian swim team for Singapore, something the Illawarra Grammar School year 10 student says has been a big help.

“Dad helps me out a fair bit, it’s good to have him around to help me out with my stroke and with the things I don’t know,” McKeon said.

“He’s the coach of the Australian team too that will be going to Singapore so it’s good to have that kind of influence around all the time.”

At the Telstra Australian Championships earlier this year, McKeon missed Commonwealth Games selection by a meagre 0.40 of a second and is hoping to replicate this impressive form on the international stage, at the Youth Olympics.

“This will be my first international meet – I’ve never been a part of an international team before, so racing against people from other countries, in another country will be really exciting,” she said.

“I’ve never been to Singapore so just getting over there and experiencing a new place will also be part of the fun.”

The 15-year-old said she had always had an interest in swimming.

“Mum and dad run a swim school in Mt Kembla and I started swimming when I was really young,” she said.
“I just kept with it and got better and better as I got older, I would love to swim at the Olympics one day, that is definitely a goal, but also to just keep enjoying my swimming and getting better.”

Her swimming teammates include three alumni of the 2009 Australian Youth Olympic Festival, namely Justin James, Nicholas Schafer and Kenneth To. These three teenagers have greatly benefited from their experience at the Youth Festival which aims to provide an environment reminiscent of the Olympic Games.

The multitalented To made three national finals this year at the Telstra Australian Championships – 50m backstroke, 200m IM and 100m breaststroke. 

AIS scholarship holder Zoe Johnson has also been selected to swim the 50m, 100m and 200m butterfly individual events as well as the 400m women’s freestyle, 400m women’s medley and 400m mixed freestyle and 400m mixed medley events. Johnson trains under Ian Thorpe’s former coach, Tracey Menzies.

The swimming competition runs from August 15-20, with all races being held at the Singapore Sports School, located in the north-west part of Singapore.

Elliot Woods
AOC