Saluting Kaylee - one of the 'Greatest Of All Time'

Picture above: Delly Carr, Swimming Australia

Tributes are flooding in for Redcliffe-born Caboolture-raised Kaylee McKeown after her sensational Olympic gold medal in Paris morning.

The former student at St Paul’s Lutheran Primary School, retained her Olympic 100m backstroke title with a remarkable performance.

She was outside the top three at the turn, but her famous last 25-metre surge swept aside a world-class field and took the gold.

Kaylee, who won Australia's first backstroke gold in Toyko, is now level with Ian Thorpe, Dawn Fraser and Ariane Titmus in having won three individual Olympic titles.

She still has the 200m backstroke and 200m individual medley to go in Paris! One more gold and she will be in an Aussie class of her own.

Sister Taylor, who had a 10-year international swimming career, told Channel Nine: “Oh my gosh. I couldn’t contain myself. 

“I was so nervous, so excited and then we saw the last 10m she just started to pull ahead and we’re like she’s done it, she’s got it.

“(I’m) over the moon. We started celebrating with five (metres) to go.”

One of her brothers exclaimed: "She’s the GOAT (Greatest Of All Time)."

Mum Sharon, who was on the committee at Australian Crawl in Burpengary, admitted to Channel Nine: “I was a bit nervous tonight.

“But at the end of the day, regardless of the outcome, you’re still proud of your kids, whether they win or lose.

“We have a little superpower thing and I said to her, we know her dad is there as a superpower.”

Kaylee lost her father Sholto in 2020 just a few months before the Tokyo Olympics.

It was an emotional morning for Jodie Morgan, Kaylee’s foundation coach at Burpengary, who now runs JNM Fitness Solutions at UniSC on the Sunshine Coast.

"What composure to produce that swim. Outstanding. She's one of our greatest athletes," Jodie said.

“At the turn (with Kaylee outside the top three) I thought ‘what are you doing?' Maybe it was her race plan to let the others go at it.

“But I knew she’d lift in the last 25m. She’s such a great athlete to go out and do that. Unbelievable.

“I’m absolutely delighted for Kaylee and her family who are there.”

Beijing gold medallist Stephanie Rice said on Stan Sport: "Kaylee is one of those athletes that rises to the big meets, the big occasions.

“She is always the one you can put your money on and know she is going to step up when it counts.

“I was so impressed by her. What her skill is in this race, you can see the turn, sensational underwater from her and the last 15 metres was where she surged through with incredible stamina.”

City of Moreton Bay Mayor Peter Flannery said: “We’re extremely proud of our homegrown swimming hero Kaylee McKeown.

“Not only was she a gold medal winner this morning, Kaylee also made an Olympic record time!

“City of Moreton Bay breeds a strong and impressive line-up of exceptional sporting professionals including many Olympians.

“Our involvement in the 2032 Brisbane Olympic and Paralympics makes this even more special, and we can’t wait to experience it all first-hand.”

Gian Rooney, the Channel Nine commentator, “felt the stage is set for her to defend her title tonight” and added after the race “oh Kaylee you are extraordinary”.

“Between Tokyo and now she has just been amazing”.

Kaylee’s second school, Pacific Lutheran College at Caloundra, was quick to salute it’s former student on Facebook saying: WHAT A SWIM!"

“Woohoo! Congratulations Kaylee McKeown, Pacific 2018 graduate on winning Olympic Gold in the Women's 100m Backstroke and setting a new Olympic Record of 57.33.

“We can’t wait to see what else you can bring in the women’s 200m Backstroke and 200m individual medley.”

St Paul's Lutheran Primary School, in Caboolture, also saluted its former pupil with students watching the race, later this morning.

Kaylee McKeown and Regan Smith have the top 10 fastest times in women's 100m backstroke. Smith has three and the world record. McKeown seven, including the Olympic record.