One year after a stunning breakthrough in the 200-yard individual medley, Caldera senior swimmer Campbell McKean has shifted into yet another gear.
The 6-foot-4 McKean – who set an Oregon state record last December when he clocked 1:44.23 in the Speedo Winter Junior Championship West meet – improved to 1:41.19 to blow away the field in the same meet last week in Austin, Texas.
“That was definitely a surprise. I'm still kind of processing it,” said McKean, who also had the top time in prelims at 1:42.33. “My prelim time was pretty fast, and I don't know what happened in finals, but I was able to go faster.”
It was the kind of performance that raises his national profile. McKean, who switched his college commitment from USC to Texas in October, is rated as the No. 14 senior recruit in the nation.
“After the meet in Austin, I feel like I belong up higher,” McKean said.
Also at Austin, McKean set personal bests in the 50 freestyle (20.58), 50 breaststroke (24.36), 100 breaststroke (51.72), 200 breaststroke (1:53.54) and 400 IM (3:42.54).
“That was the main meet for this winter,” he said. “I'm really excited about my performances.”
It's been a huge 2024 for McKean.
In February, he set all-time OSAA meet records in winning the 200 IM (1:44.54) and 100 breaststroke (53.36) at the 5A championships. That followed a sophomore season in which he won 5A titles in the 200 IM and 100 backstroke.
In June, at the U.S. Olympic Trials in Indianapolis, McKean was the highest-placing junior in the 100 breaststroke by nine spots, finishing 21st overall. He also placed 26th in the 200 IM.
“It was probably my best long-course meet,” he said.
Through his performance at the Trials, he earned a spot with the USA Junior National Team at the Junior Pan Pacific Championships in August in Canberra, Australia, where he won silver in the 100 breaststroke.
“It was definitely a different experience,” he said. “I didn't have my home coach, so I was trying to prepare by myself. But it was super fun racing for Team USA, racing with friends.”
McKean believes he has become a more well-rounded competitor in the past year.
“I've attended bigger meets and experienced racing faster people, so I know what I can handle and what I can't,” he said. “Physically, I'm definitely stronger. I'm definitely in a different place mentally and physically.”
McKean has been adjusting to new coaching at the Bend Swim Club. Megan Oesting stepped down as head coach in January to become technical director for the Malaysia Swimming Federation. She was replaced by Jim Nickell, who came over from Tennessee Aquatics.
McKean has trained with Nickell for the past 12 weeks.
“He's good. I like him,” McKean said. “It's definitely a change, but I think it's helped me with my swimming. I think a coach change is good and bad at the same time. But I've also gone through many coach changes, so it's not the biggest effect, I'd say.”
At Texas, McKean will compete for one of the biggest names in swimming in coach Bob Bowman, widely known as the coach for Michael Phelps. Bowman left Arizona State to become the Texas coach in the spring.
“He's probably the biggest coaching name in swimming,” McKean said.
McKean said he switched from USC to Texas because “I felt like I needed a school that actually met my swimming goals. It's something different from the West Coast, I guess. Everything about it is great. It's a great opportunity.”
Before beginning his college career, McKean has one more season add to his legacy in Oregon high school swimming.
“I'm still trying out to figure out what I want to swim at high school state,” McKean said. “I don't really want to swim the same events. I think I'm going to mix it up. I don't really have any goals yet.”
