Kaylee McKeown is among the Australian Olympic Team’s standout swimmers for Paris. Besides the support of her coaches and family, the 23-year-old will have someone special by her side. In fact, the former 100m backstroke world record holder will have the privilege few athletes have during the Olympics. The swimming sensation and her boyfriend Brendon Smith will both represent Australia in Paris.

Yes, you read that right. The 4x Olympic medalist and her 24-year-old boyfriend are both athletes. Smith also made his Olympic debut with his girlfriend at the Tokyo Olympics and his 400 m medley bronze was Australia’s first medal at the 2020 Olympics. So what else do the couple have in common?

Meet Australian Hall of Fame Scholarship winner Brendon Smith

Kaylee McKeown and Brendon Smith started dating in 2021 shortly before Smith joined the Griffith University Swim Club. We don’t know if their relationship was an influence in Brendon Smith choosing Griffith. However, we do know that Michael Bohl has coached some of Australia’s most winningest swimmers.

Born on America’s Independence Day, July 4th, 2000, Smith has been among the most talented male swimmers to emerge from down under. After rising through the ranks at the regional and national level throughout the 2010s, Kaylee McKeown’s boyfriend debut on the international stage in 2018. The swimmer led his country to a bronze medal during his debut at the Junior Pan Pacific Swimming Championships.

For the following two years, the Wollongong, New South Wales native would emerge as a 400m individual medley specialist. At the Australian Tokyo Olympics Trials, he broke the national record in the event punching this ticket to Tokyo. However, this crowning moment has been winning bronze in the Olympics.

Thanks to his stellar performance during Tokyo 2020, Smith earned a Tier 3 Scholarship within the 2021 Sport Australia Hall of Fame Scholarship and Mentoring Program. When they are not swimming to represent Australia on the world stage, Kaylee McKeown and Brendon Smith enjoy one another’s company. The couple often share glimpses of their adventures on social media. They also celebrate one another’s achievements.

Brendon Smith’s special gesture for Kaylee McKeown’s incredible achievement

The 2023 Swimming World Cup was a landmark competition for Kaylee McKeown. She had been dominating the event since winning gold in Tokyo. However, the 23-year-old shattered two backstroke world records during the event. The Olympian broke the 50m and 100m backstroke records and won a staggering 10 golds in the world cup.

Brendon Smith couldn’t help but applaud Kaylee McKeown’s incredible achievement on the world stage. “Overall champion of the Swimming World Cup 2023… So proud,” Smith wrote in his Instagram story. Despite being on the same team, the lovebirds have not lost sight of their goals. One could say that Smith and McKeown being on the same team has only helped them get better.

While the couple will travel to the city of love later this month, their priority will be securing medals for Australia. While Kaylee McKeown will compete in women’s 100m backstroke, 200m backstroke, and 200m medley, Brendon Smith will do the same in the 400m medley.