2016 RIO OLYMPIC GAMES
- Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
- Swimming: August 6-13
- Olympic Aquatics Stadium, Barra Olympic Park, Rio de Janeiro
- Prelims – 9:00 a.m/12:00 p.m PST/EST (1:00 p.m local), Finals – 6:00 p.m/9:00 p.m PST/EST (10:00 p.m local)
- SwimSwam previews
- Day 1 Schedule & Results
- Live Stream (NBC)
18-year old Australian Kyle Chalmers has broken the Australian Age Record for 18 year olds in the 100 free en route to the top seed coming from Tuesday’s heats at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.
Chalmers swam a 47.90, which broke the record of his countrymate Cam McEvoy, who was 48.07 in 2013. McEvoy, the fastest swimmer in the world in this event this year and the fastest swimmer ever in textile in the event, also qualified for the semi-finals, placing 4th.
More impressive than Chalmers’ record-setting swim (it was expected – his best time at 17 was 48.03, already faster than this record), was the nature by which he took the top seed. Chalmers turned dead-last in his heat in just 23.67.
Chalmers’ 48.03 was also the former World Junior Record in the event.
Not only was that the slowest opening 50 of any semi-finalist in the field, it was the slowest opening 50 of any of the top 29 swimmers in this race.
While nobody was particularly fast in their opening 50 (where’s Anthony Ervin when you need him?), Chalmers’ swims was particularly off-beat. At the Australian Olympic Trials, where he swam that 17-year olds record of 48.03, Chalmers opened in 23.20.
His pacing is similar to that of Australia’s former sprint champion James Magnussen, who at the 2011 World Championships was out in 23.10 – a split that at that level is even slow. The next year, Magnussen was able to bring his opening 50 down to 22.70, and that resulted in a 47.10 and a new textile best.
Unlike Magnussen at the time, though, Chalmers looks on pace to perhaps be an all-time best in the 50 free, in addition to the 100 free. Chalmers is Australia’s second-fastest junior 50 freestyler ever, as it were.
Chalmers’ splits in prelims were 23.67/24.23 – almost even-splitting a 100 free and going sub-48 is almost unheard of.
A list of Chalmers’ Australian Age Records in freestyle, long course meters:
- 13 & under 50 free – 24.00
- 13 & under 100 free – 52.29
- 14s 50 free – 23.18
- 14s 100 free – 50.86
- 15s 100 free – 49.68
- 16s 50 free – 22.33
- 16s 100 free – 48.69
- 17s 50 free – 22.15
- 17s 100 free – 48.03
- 18s 100 free – 47.90
I went to school with Kyle Chalmers, he is absolutely unreal!
If he goes out in 23.67 tonight or in the final he’ll struggle with the waves on the 2nd 50.
That’s better than even-splitting. He swam the 2nd 50 actually faster than the first, consider the start from the blocks. His 2nd 50 is like a 22 mid straight 50. I think he’ll drop another couple of tenths and reckon in the medals.
That second split is even more impressive when you think he had to swim through the waves of everyone around him.
His kick is nuts. Serious. Watch his kick. Everybody at this level can kick but his is huge. The water is exploding off his feet.
His splitting is crazy but he really needs to take it out faster. 24.2 is crazy but 23.67 opening his seriously holding him back. He’s leaving a lot on the tank.
His competitors should pray he doesn’t improve his start and his first 50 too soon, at least not this week.
When he does, it’s game over.
Second fastest last 50 split ever only behind phelps 24.20 in beijing I think
Chalmers in textile jammers is more impressive I think.
NC State will be tough with him anchoring their 4 FRR at NCAAS in 2017!
Actually, I think Phelp’s splits in Beijing were 23.22, 24.29. Personally, I think it’s more impressive being that he’s only 18. He’ll be sub 47 in 2 years.
He’ll probably be the next Aussie in line to get a crazy world leader in April 2020, then get beaten down by Dressel in Tokyo.
nope, hes the champion mate