Order of Australia Medal winner McKeon in pursuit of more gold

McKeon was the nation’s most successful athlete in Rio, winning a gold in the 4x100m relay, as well as two silvers and a bronze.

On Thursday, she was recognised for her success by receiving the Order of Australia medal.

The 22-year-old spent three months out of the water after the Games last year, the longest break from training since she started taking swimming seriously.

Returning in her first competitive event in Victoria last week, McKeon is now building towards the Australian titles in April, to qualify for the world championships in Budapest in July. 

In a heavy training phase at her base in Brisbane, McKeon said she is already committed to the four-year cycle which will end at the Tokyo Games.

“I definitely want to go, it’s the long-term goal,” she said.

“At this stage it’s not something you think about or really work towards, but I definitely want to keep going for another four years. At the moment it’s just about getting the fitness back up for the trials.” McKeon made a major international breakthrough in 2014 at the Glasgow Commonwealth Games, winning six medals, including four gold.

Next year the Commonwealth Games are just down the road from training, on the Gold Coast, providing another major incentive.

“As much as I love travelling, it’s a big motivation to do well next year when it’s close to my base here,” she said.

McKeon became an Olympic gold winner when she teamed up with Cate and Bronte Campbell and Brittany Elmslie, to set a new world record time in the 4x100m relay.

Claiming silver in the 4x100m medley and 4x200m freestyle relays, McKeon’s finest individual swim came when she snared bronze in the 200m freestyle, behind two of the superstars of the sport in American Katie Ledecky and Sweden’s Sarah Sjostrom.

“I watched the replay recently and I still get nervous before it starts, even though I know I won bronze,” she said.

The Wollongong product admits winning an Order of Australia is surreal, as part of this year’s Australia Day honours, her medal to sit nicely alongside her Olympics achievements.

“It’s pretty special, it’s not really something you ever think about having,” she said.

“But when I got the email, I was pretty excited.”