While competing at the 2016 Australian Short Course Championships, Rio gold medalist Kyle Chalmers was forced to withdraw from the men’s 100m freestyle finals due to a health concern. As reported, the 18-year-old Marion Swimming Club athlete suffered from a sudden attack of supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), a condition of which Australian Head Coach Jacco Veharen said the squad was aware prior to the 2016 Olympic Games.
During the meet in Brisbane this weekend, Chalmers did make it back in the pool to contest the men’s 200m freestyle, where he scored a 3rd place finish. But, the Adelaide native then withdrew from his final event, the men’s 50m freestyle, citing fatigue.
As such, it wasn’t a great shock to see the young stud missing from the 20-strong Australian roster headed to Windsor for the 2016 Short Course World Championships. But, the Australian coaching staff insist there are no long-term concerns over Chalmers’ health. Rather, Coach Peter Bishop believes that his Olympic champion simply needs a ‘break after a whirlwind few months since Rio.’
In addition to speaking engagements and appearances, Chalmers continued competing on the World Cup circuit post-Rio, making stops in Singapore and Tokyo, clocking short course World Junior Records along the way.
Chalmers isn’t the only superstar to make himself unavailable for the Short Course World Championships, as Cameron McEvoy, Madison Wilson and Madeline Groves have also opted out of the December meet.
AB
