Super six carrying Moreton Bay’s hopes

Six athletes will be flying the flag for Moreton Bay at the 2026 Commonwealth Games next month.

The last two, swim stars Kaylee Mckeown and Sam Short, booked their places in the Australian team with commanding performances last week.

They join boxer Jye Dixon, long jumper Liam Adcock and Paralympic swimmers Lakeisha Patterson and Kirralee Hayes on the plane to Glasgow.

McKeown, who was born in Redcliffe and lived and went to school in Caboolture, is set for the 50m, 100m and 200m backstroke events at her third Games.

Short, who lives in Bunya and trained at Albany Creek, is set for the 200m, 400m and 800m freestyle in Glasgow from July 23-August 2.

McKeown battled illness at the Sydney trials but still clocked impressive times including 57.77 in the 100m final - half a second off her personal best.

The 24-year-old also clocked her eighth fastest 800m backstroke time of 2 minutes 3.98 seconds after being under world record pace at one stage.

McKeown, who swam at Australian Crawl in Burpengary and is now with UniSC Spartans, said it was “not my best” but her long-range target is 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

McKeown will, however, be keen to add to her Commonwealth medal tally of two golds, one silver and one bronze from the 2018 and 2022 Games.

Short, who won gold and silver at the 2022 Commonwealth Games, broke a series of records in winning the 800m at last week’s trials.

The 22-year-old, now at Rackley SC, won the 800m freestyle in 7 minutes 36.73 seconds to claim the Australian, Oceania and Commonwealth records.

He also set a personal best of 1 minute 45.16 seconds in winning the 200m, after taking the 400m on the opening night of the trials.

Jye Dixon, from All Star Boxing Academy in Lawnton, will make his Games debut after being selected for the 55kg division in Glasgow.

Former Redcliffe resident and schoolboy Liam Adcock, 28, will also make his debut in the Commonwealth Games long jump.

Former Lawnton and Burpengary swimmer Lakeisha Patterson, who now at UniSC Spartans, is going to her fourth Commonwealth games to race in the 100m freestyle S9.

Kirralee Hayes, a founding member of Genesis Aquatic at Bray Park, is back in the Aussie team for the 50m and 100 freestyle S13 races in Glasgow.