Aussie swimming champion Kaylee McKeown has revealed she won’t be competing at the Commonwealth Games because she has contracted glandular fever.

The 24-year-old has made the announcement through a personal column in The Herald Sun.

McKeown originally believed she was fighting the flu when symptoms first presented a few months ago.

But overtime - she realised something more sinister was taking place.

‘The loss of breath and fatigue just after an easy warm-up, not being able to eat, feeling tired all the time, insomnia combined with napping,’ she said.

‘But the big tell for me was this: sleeping for hours and waking up feeling like I hadn’t slept at all.’

‘I was swimming times I hadn’t seen since I was 13 and struggling with gym weights I would normally lift with ease,’ McKeown added.

The five-time Olympic gold medallist attempted to push through the pain.

McKeown thought if she showed enough tenacity, she’d emerge through the battle and be able to keep competing.

Unfortunately - the swimmer has been forced to let her body rest and stop competing for a period of time.

‘For the past few months, I have been rolling out of bed, swimming and rolling straight back into bed,’ McKeown said.

‘The plan is to give my body all the rest and recovery it needs so I can come back ready and roaring for the next season of racing.

‘I’m not exactly sure what that looks like for me just yet - all I know is that the return will be slow, steady and built up in small steps.’

McKeown won four gold and one bronze medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.