Commonwealth Games, Day 5 Finals: Flynn Southam Upsets Kyle Chalmers With Stunning 100m Freestyle Gold in 47.13
Australia’s Flynn Southam has officially announced his arrival on the international scene, causing a major upset on the fifth night of finals at the Tollcross International Swimming Centre by winning his first major individual gold medal in the 100m freestyle.
The 21-year-old from Queensland’s Gold Coast stole a march on the field, splitting 22.62 at the 50m turn and was never headed as he powered down the second lap to narrowly miss his own Games record set leading off Australia’s 400 free relay Friday. He clocked his second fastest time ever, 47.13, to win a very impressive final.
Southam took the gold from fast finishing Welshman Matt Richards in 47.64, with Kyle Chalmers just 0.10 behind in third in 47.74. Chalmers, the defending champion and 2016 Olympic champion, has been a mentor to Southam.
Southam had signaled his intentions in Glasgow with a sizzling Games record lead off in Australia’s Games record winning 4x100m freestyle relay with his 47.09 on the opening night, and he has been in the zone ever since, finishing second to world record holder Cam McEvoy in the 50m freestyle two nights ago.
Southam declared he is here to stay. He told Australia’s Olympic golden girl Ariarne Titmus on the Channel 7 Broadcast that some people had doubted him.
“I have I never doubted myself…at the end of the day I back myself in a race….and that was a bloody good one,” said Southam.
“I can believe how far I’ve come. I’ve worked hard to get here with my team, my sports team, my family… they know how hard it was….four years ago (in Birmingham) I was a little boy…now I’m a man….I belong here and I’m here to stay.”
Southam is originally from Northern New South Wales, starting his career at Palm Beach on the Gold Coast before honing his skills as one of Australia’s most likely stars under coaches Kyle Samuelson and now Chris Mooney in the Bond University program.
It could well be the changing of the guard in Australian sprinting. Chalmers, “The King” of the sprint pool since bursting onto the scene with his Olympic gold in Rio as a 17-year-old, was quick to recognize Southam tonight, tapping him on the head as to anoint Australia’s new prince of the pool.
It gives Chalmers a full set of medals, silver to Duncan Scott in 2018, gold in 2022 and bronze here in Glasgow.
Chalmers has already won two gold here, anchoring the Dolphins to victories in the 400m freestyle and mixed freestyle relays, and he added bronze to his overall total of Games medals. His Commonwealth Games total includes nine gold, two silver and one bronze, with the 50m butterfly final to come.
And for the first time in his stellar career, he shared the medal podium with another Australian in an individual event and still heard the Australian national anthem, Advance Australia Fair.
“Getting a bronze medal at a Commonwealth level is an amazing achievement and to be able to do it 10 years after standing on the podium in Rio (as well),” said Chalmers.
“And I’m only 0.18 slower than what I was 10 years ago so I have been super proud of the longevity I’ve been able to have in my sport.
“To be able to do after having a baby 11 months ago…well, not me personally having the baby…. but obviously my wife and being able to navigate that as well has really been challenging.
“It’s kind of a celebration of what we’ve been able to do…as a family and I guess before the 50m butterfly being able to see them in the front row wave and smile ,..its so much bigger than swimming for me now.”
For Richards, the two-time Olympic 800m freestyle relay gold medalist with Great Britain in Tokyo and Paris, it is the first medal won by Wales win the blue ribband 100m freestyle at the Commonwealth Games. He joins the likes of dual Olympic medalist David Davies who won gold in the 1500m freestyle at the Melbourne Games in 2006.
