Two-time Olympic gold medallist Kaylee McKeown is inspiring a generation of swimmers across the nation one medal at a time.
But in her hometown on Queensland's Sunshine Coast, that enthusiasm is particularly strong after McKeown secured her second gold medal today in the 200-metre backstroke final.
The 20-year-old also secured gold in the 100-metre backstroke final earlier in the week setting an Olympic record of 57.47 seconds.
Junior swimmers watching across the Sunshine Coast this morning cheered their local hero home.
Matthew Flinders Anglican College student Georgia Edwards, 12, said she was inspired by McKeown's Olympic heroics.
"I think just all the problems that she's going through, you know, with the loss of her dad and everything that an athlete faces," she said.
Eyes on Brisbane 2032
Flinders Aquatic Academy coach and Australian swimmer Jake Packard said he was proud of his fellow training partner and roommate.
"It's funny, the 100-metre race was just a bonus event, the 200 was always the event that she was better at," he said.
He says the juniors coaches will be the athletes competing for Olympic spots in 2032.
Packard said the Sunshine Coast had developed a reputable sporting hub and community to support athletes which showed being in a regional area, was no disadvantage to sporting success.
"You don't need to move away from the Sunshine Coast.
"I was a nine-year-old running around saying that I was going to make the Olympic Games and all the parents were like, 'Are you dreaming?'," he said.
"Dreams do come true as long as you can put your mind to it and have a bit of fun."
Lasting impact on next generation
Brendan Burkett, the director of high-performance sport at the University of the Sunshine Coast (USC) and president of the Spartans Swim Club said McKeown's success was a credit to herself and family.
"To have someone like Kaylee, who we've seen come into the program at USC as a junior and then mature and progress to where she is today is a real credit to herself and her coach Chris Mooney.
"For everyone in the Spartans program and in Queensland and around the country, these performances just give you that confidence.
Burkett said McKeown was as inspiring as swimming greats Dawn Fraser, Kieran Perkins and Susie O'Neill.
He said her performances would inspire young swimmers to aim for the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.
"To see someone that you swim alongside, or you meet in the shops on the Sunshine Coast, do that is inspiring.
"Secondly, having that carrot dangling in front of us of 2032, which is only 10 years away, we get a whole decade to prepare for that."
Up and coming young swimmer Georgia Edwards agreed.
"It's super exciting that we're going to have a home Olympics and it definitely makes me want to get out there and try harder."
