Kaylee McKeown, a five-time Olympic gold medallist, is committed to her comeback after a turbulent 2026. She has slowly been dipping her toes back into the water after she broke her wrist at the start of the year, followed by being struck down with glandular fever.
Now she has the backing of Under Armour—having been announced as a brand ambassador at an exclusive brunch for media and partners—as she sets her sights on a return to the pool and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
The 25-year-old has started putting the difficult period behind her, easing back into the pool with three sessions a week and 2km per session. It is a significant reduction from her usual nine sessions and 6km per session, but she remains firmly focused on the next Olympics.
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Fuelling her to another Olympic gold is reclaiming the world records that were stolen from her. From late 2023 to June 2024, McKeown held the 50m, 100m and 200m backstroke records. Fast forward to the now and she only holds the 200 metre.
“I set myself a really big goal this year. I wanted to go out and break the records that have been taken from me and reclaim them,” the swimmer said at the exclusive brunch.
“To not be able to do that, and then have people go out and break them again, it just fuels the fire in my belly.”
Her highly anticipated comeback made her the perfect brand ambassador for Under Armour’s new Asia-Pacific brand platform, ‘COMMIT’. Her story as well as rugby phenomenon Mark Nawaqanitawase and AFL rising star Finn Callaghan will be showcased in the new campaign.
The platform reflects Under Armour’s belief that what draws people back to the track, the court, the gym and the field is not only the result, the win or the applause, but the strength, growth, freedom, joy and fulfilment discovered when they truly commit to something they believe in.
This is something Fernando Reani, general manager, pacific at Under Armour, said is the “fun” part and is an important part to “celebrate”.
McKeown has joined Under Armour as the brand’s latest Australian athlete partner in a three-year partnership extending through to the LA Olympics. As part of the partnership, she will be the face of Under Armour’s Women’s Train category in the Pacific region, showcasing the role performance apparel and footwear play in her training, preparation and recovery.
She is joined by Nawaqanitawase and Callaghan. Together, they represent a new generation of athletes who push the boundaries of performance while remaining deeply dedicated to their craft.
Reani described McKeown as the “perfect fit” for the brand.
“The more we get to know Kaylee, her journey, her discipline, her dedication, and how she inspires her teammates. And most importantly, how she remains so humble and yet so hungry to achieve her next goals even though she is one of the most decorated Australian athletes of all time. It defines us so well who we are as a brand,” he said.
Shifting the narrative beyond final results, the campaign also features Nawaqanitawase and Callaghan alongside grassroots teams and athletes, celebrating the extra repetitions, setbacks and behind-the-scenes work that define an athlete’s journey.
The Australian rollout of the Under Armour COMMIT brand platform will span social and digital video, in-store displays, and influencer partnerships, alongside grassroots initiatives designed to
bring the platform to life within sporting communities across the country.
Outside of the swimming pool, some other brands have also been drumming up some noise.
Devil’s Corner and the next AFL team to join the comp, the Tasmania Football Club has inked a long-term partnership that will see Devil’s Corner become the official wine partner of the Tasmania Devils, building on the organisations’ first year working together as the club moves towards its AFL and AFLW entry in 2028.
Sticking to sports that are played with an egged shape ball, brands have continued to in line themselves with the NFL as it comes to Australia.
The Sporting Globe and Dan Murphy’s know what the fans want, snapping up the official sports bar partnership and the official retail liquor partnership ahead of the league’s historic first-ever regular season game in Australia.
