Only One Jewel Remains In 100 Freestyle Quest Of Kyle Chalmers; Will Fukuoka Be His Emerald City?

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A Special Thanks to Deep Blue Media for providing the images from this meet

Only One Jewel Remains In 100 Freestyle Quest Of Kyle Chalmers; Will Fukuoka Be His Emerald City?

Only one jewel remains.

When Kyle Chalmers captured gold in the 100-meter freestyle at the World Short Course Championships in Melbourne, the triumph marked the Australian’s fourth major title in the event. The 24-year-old now owns Olympic, Commonwealth, Pan Pacific and World Short Course crowns in what is widely regarded as the sport’s premier event. (Oh, he owns a world-junior title, too).

What’s next? Completing his five-jewel quest with a world championship in the long-course pool. That opportunity will present itself next summer, when the World Champs are held in Fukuoka, Japan. Call it Chalmers’ search for the emerald in his collection of traditional gems – the diamond, ruby, sapphire and amethyst already in his possession.

In his latest title-winning performance, Chalmers pulled away from the field over the back half of the race and touched in a championship-record time of 45.16. That the effort arrived on home soil added to the moment, as Chalmers was able to celebrate the achievement with family in attendance. More, Chalmers will head into the 2023 season with momentum, perfect timing as the push toward the 2024 Olympic Games in Paris ratchets up.

“I don’t think it’s a relief,” Chalmers said of his victory. “I think it’s something that I am so proud of. It’s something that I dreamed of doing since I was a kid. I had to pull out of the last three World Short Course Championships due to injuries and health issues. So for me to finally make it to one and to stand on the top of the podium is something I am going to remember for the rest of my life.”

Chalmers is a bona fide fighter – in and out of the water. In the pool, he has battled some of the biggest stars. Out of it, he has bounced back from shoulder and heart surgeries, and has fought through several challenging instances in which his personal life was placed under the microscope. Regardless of the situation, Chalmers has emerged a winner.

Sometimes as a champion of an athletic endeavor.

Sometimes as a champion of medical perseverance.

Sometimes as a champion of mental-health awareness.

In Melbourne, in what can be viewed as an exclamation point on 2022, Chalmers turned back a superb field in his prime event. In second at the 50-meter point, Chalmers first ran down early pacesetter Jordan Crooks of the Cayman Islands, and then separated himself from the eventual silver and bronze medalists, Maxime Grousset (France) and Alessandro Miressi (Italy). Teenage sensation David Popovici was fourth.

“The reason I am in the sport is to have success and to execute on the big stage,” Chalmers said. “Tomorrow is one year to the day since i had shoulder surgery, which almost ended my career. So for me to be back and standing on top of the podium is very special. Everyone faces challenges in their swimming career and it’s about people who can rise above those challenges and continue to find ways to win.”

In pursuit of the global crown in the long-course version of the 100 freestyle, Chalmers will find his biggest challenge in Popovici, the reigning world champ and world-record holder. The 18-year-old is all about the big pool and, if Chalmers wants gold next summer in Fukuoka, it may take a world record to get the job done. For the Aussie, that will necessitate an initial venture into 46-second territory.

Additionally, Popovici figures to be the biggest hurdle in Chalmers’ chase for another Olympic title. Of course, American Caeleb Dressel might also be a factor, depending on whether the Tokyo champ – who edged Chalmers – returns to competition from his current sabbatical. In Paris, a Chalmers-Popovici-Dressel clash would be a can’t-miss matchup.

“I don’t think there’s a rivalry between David (Popovici) and me,” Chalmers said. “There are 80 other guys who competed in that (event) and each of them deserve the same respect that David and I get. David and I are going to have some great battles over the years, but I know there are 10-15 other guys that could do something amazing when we get to Paris.”

A Look At Kyle Chalmers’ 100 Freestyle Jewels

• 2016 Olympic Champion
• 2018 Pan Pacific Champion
• 2022 Commonwealth Games
• 2022 World Short Course Championships

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