Chalmers Clocks World’s First Sub-48 100 Free Of 2020

2020 SOUTH AUSTRALIA STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS

The 2020 South Australia State Championships brought us another day with 21-year-old Olympic champion Kyle Chalmers in the SA Aquatic & Leisure Centre pool, representing his Marion Swimming Club in spades.

After already reaping individual gold medals across the 50m fly (23.48), 200m fly (2:00.37) and 400m free (3:53.66), despite the latter 2 races representing ‘off’ events, Chalmers was more in his element on day 4 with the 100m freestyle.

King Kyle established himself as the man to beat in the morning heats, reaping the only sub-49 second time, and sub-50 second for that matter, with a solid 48.50. Splits for his morning effort included 23.40/25.10 as an opening swim that would rank him 6th in the world among performances registered since September 2019.

However, the man had designs on one-upping himself in the final, dipping under the 48-second threshold to nail a gold medal-worthy 47.99. Splitting 23.05/24.94, Chalmers scored the first sub-48 second time of the calendar year 2020.

He ties Russia’s Vlad Morozov as the 3rd fastest swimmer since September 2019.

Top ‘3’ Men’s Performers in LCM 100 Freestyle Since September 2019

Rank     Time      Name                           Team   Meet Name Meet                                        Date
1             47.69      Apple, Zach                USA     2019 Toyota U.S. Open Atlanta USA     12/07/2019
2            47.78      Grinev, Vladislav       RUS     2019 World Cup – Kazan Kazan RUS     11/02/2019
3            47.99      Morozov, Vladimir    RUS     2019 Word Cup – Budapest HUN           10/05/2019
3           47.99    Chalmers, Kyle      AUS     2020 South Australia State AUS   01/21/2020

For perspective, at this same meet in 2019, Chalmers clocked a morning swim of 49.41 before sitting out of the final. He became the 2nd fastest Australian ever in a textile suit with his monster 47.08 silver medal-winning time behind America’s Caeleb Dressel at the 2019 World Championships.

Just for fun, I looked at Chalmers’ fastest 100m free time in January 2016, the year he took Olympic gold in Rio. He was 49.30 at this same competition on January 20th of that year.

Not to be missed on the women’s side at this 2020 meet, however, was a nice swim by Chalmers’ significant other, Madi Wilson. The 25-year-old punched a 200m free time of 1:57.09 to top the podium, representing one of three swimmers in the open final under the 2:00 threshold. Joining Wilson was Mikkayla Sheridan in 1.58.66 and Leah Neale in 1:59.88.

Wilson owns a personal best of 1:56.85 logged at last year’s World Championships Trials. However, she showed up big-time for Australia as a member of her nation’s 4x200m free relay in Gwangju, splitting 1:56.73 on the 2nd leg to help bring them to a new World Record of 7:41.50.

In the women’s 17-18 age category, backstroke ace Kaylee McKeown took the top prize in a mark of 1:58.82 to get to the wall well over 3 seconds ahead of the field. That represents McKeown’s first time ever under 2:00, with her previous PB represented by the 2:00.96 posted at the Aussie World Trials last year.

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Lane 8
4 years ago

Let’s not forget that it was the first this DECADE. It’ll be a fast one for him, I expect great things.

Sqimgod
4 years ago

Chalmers is winning. Dressel goes 46.9 with a good start. Chalmers 47.0 with a bad one. This is indicative of Chalmers having the superior freestyle technique therefore it will be easier for Chalmers to drop time in terms of free swim speed.

ERVINFORTHEWIN
4 years ago

great time for January – But Apple’s 47.69 back in December was super impressive

SwimWood
4 years ago

This was his 13th Race in 3 Days as well. Including 2fly Heats & Finals and 400fs. Serious athlete

Verram
4 years ago

Kaylee is having a big meet… wish her sister could find her mojo back..

John26
4 years ago

Look at his splits, more front end speed incoming

OG Prodigy
4 years ago

We, as swimming fans, are in for a treat this summer it seems 🙂

Dee
4 years ago

Wouldn’t know the article was about Chalmers judging by the comments. Best or luck to him, I’d love to see him go out on a high by defending his title.

About Retta Race

Retta Race

Former Masters swimmer and coach Loretta (Retta) thrives on a non-stop but productive schedule. Nowadays, that includes having just earned her MBA while working full-time in IT while owning French 75 Boutique while also providing swimming insight for BBC.

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