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Kaylee McKeown could get the chance of a lifetime to win an extra gold medal in one of her pet events at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics as part of a radical proposal to overhaul the swimming program.

If it goes ahead, the changes would provide a massive boost to Australia’s swimmers and the country’s overflowing medal tally, with World Aquatics pushing hard to add 50m stroke events to the Olympic program from 2028 onward.

Currently, the only 50m swimming event at the Olympics is in freestyle but if the sport’s ambitious leaders get their wish, 50m backstroke, 50m butterfly and 50m breaststroke will all become Olympic gold medal races.

It makes complete sense because they are already on the program at the world championships and Commonwealth Games so many top swimmers already specialise in the sprint races.

But the final decision rests with the International Olympic Committee (IOC), which is well aware of the enormous popularity of swimming so has already approved major changes for LA.

Sources said it is expected the IOC will rubber stamp the proposal as long as there is no increase to the total quota of swimmers at the Olympics, which currently stands at 854.

The inclusion of 50m stroke events would be a huge bonus for McKeown, who has won the 100m-200m backstroke double at the past two Olympics.

The only Australian to have won four solo gold medals at the Olympics, the 23-year-old also holds the world record for 50m backstroke and won all three backstroke events at the 2023 world championships in Japan so would be a major contender in LA.