Australia's Kaylee McKeown says team was unimpressed with star's 'sore losers' jab at US team

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Olympic gold medalist Kaylee McKeown tried to stymie some of the heat toward her Australia swimming teammate Cate Campbell after the latter urged the U.S. team to "stop being sore losers."

Campbell’s comment came right after Australia recorded more gold medals at the World Aquatics Championships, revving up a rivalry that will come to a head at the Paris Olympics next year. McKeown pulled the emergency brake.

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Kaylee McKeown, left, broke from Cate Campbell's "sore loser" jab at the U.S. (Getty Images)

"The rivalry between Swimming Australia and the American team has been like that for decades, it is not anything new," she told the Herald Sun on Friday. "In saying that though, I think there is a right and wrong way to say things and Cate is entitled to her opinion. But I just want the U.S. to know that she is not speaking on behalf of the whole Australian team.

"She wasn’t in Japan and so for her to make those comments, it kind of makes us athletes, not look bad, but we don’t think what she said … We weren’t too impressed that she had her two cents to put in."

Campbell took aim at the U.S. last week after Australia’s performance in the event.

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Gold medalist Kaylee McKeown poses during the medal ceremony for the Women's 50m Backstroke Final on day five of the Fukuoka 2023 World Aquatics Championships at Marine Messe Fukuoka Hall A on July 27, 2023 in Fukuoka, Japan. (Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

Australia finished with 15 gold medals while the U.S. finished with seven. The U.S. had more total medals