With Chalmers Stepping Up, Aussie Sprinting Hasn’t Missed A Beat

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 
• Rio Schedule & Results
• Live Stream (NBC)

When 2012 Olympic silver medalist James Magnussen pulled out of the 2015 World Championships due to shoulder surgery, a question mark loomed over the men’s side of the Australian sprinting house.  Cameron McEvoy had established himself as the green and gold’s ‘A’ sprinter, but who would be his wingman through Olympic Trials and in Rio?

18-year-old racing thoroughbred Kyle Chalmers has steadily moved into the vacant shoes, positioning himself as Australia’s next great sprinter. Chalmers earned double World Junior Championship titles, as well as scored a 2nd place finish in the 100m freestyle at the Australian Olympic Trials, beating out veterans James Roberts, Matt Abood and Magnussen to boot.

The young gun from Marion Swimming Club has kicked off his Rio campaign in stellar fashion, already nabbing super speedy splits of 47.04 and 47.38 in the prelims and finals, respectively ,of the men’s 4x100m freestyle relay. Those marks were some of the quickest of the entire field.

In his individual 100m freestyle event today, Chalmers set the tone for the competition by stopping the clock in 47.90 this morning, followed by an even faster 47.88 tonight. Both cracked the World Junior Record in the event and Chalmers sits as the 2nd seed headed into tomorrow night’s 100m freestyle final.

With the Campbell sisters breaking records and taking names on the women’s side of the Aussie sprinting squad, Chalmers has arrived on the scene for the men, just when the Dolphins need it most.