Elite South Australian swimmers from Marion Swimming Club took part in the state’s Division 1, Meet 3 on Saturday, February 23rd. Olympic champion Kyle Chalmers and his Rio teammates Madi Wilson, Travis Mahoney and Brittany Elmslie all competed this weekend at the South Australian Aquatic & Leisure Centre, the squad’s home pool, in another long course tune-up opportunity with Aussie Nationals on the horizon.
Results: Division 1 Meet 3 on Meet Mobile
Chalmers raced in just one event at the meet and it was an ‘off’ event for the freestyle sprint thoroughbred. Contesting the men’s 200m fly, the 20-year-old claimed the gold in a new personal best of 1:59.52. Splitting 57.76/1:01.76, Chalmers cleared the 2-minute barrier for the first time of his career, beating his previous career-fastest of 2:01.76 from January’s South Australian States.
With the world-class times Chalmers is used to putting up in the 50m, 100m and 200m freestyle events, don’t bank on the Olympian adding this 200m fly to his repertoire anytime soon. The grueling race is more a test of the champion’s fitness and training base heading into championships season.
Plus, Chalmers has said he is seriously considering hanging up his goggles and calling it a career after Tokyo, so it’s doubtful the speedster would be adding a new event to his line-up with the Olympics just over a year and a half away.
For Wilson she nabbed the 100m back gold in a mark of 1:01.91, while Mahoney wrapped up the same result for the men in 58.33. Elmslie competed in an exhibition capacity only, clocking 25.83 in the 50m free and 56.53 in the 100m free.
This is my new home pool since I moved states- looking forward to the day Chalmers throws out a 100m time trial in the next lane- and leaves me waaaay (like a whole lap) in his wake!
I think if he wins the 100m freestyle, the most competitive event in the history of swimming, it will add him to a very select group of back to back 100m Olympic champions. Would be hard to pass up a chance for the first threepeat in 2024 when he’s in his athletic prime, and to be known as the greatest 100m free swimmer ever! That beats AFL any day. I hope Caeleb wins the 50 and 100 fly, and is beaten by Chalmers in the 100 Free final(Caeleb swims WR time in semis). That sets them both up for the greatest rivalry(other than Phelps/Cavic) leading into 2024(and hopefully 2028).
At this point, I think Dressel is far more likely to win both the 100 fly and 100 free instead of 100 fly 50 free. Ben Proud has been been grinding for that. MA might beat Dressel as well in the 50. But I don’t think Dressel’s losing either of the 100s
I just want the fastest swimmer to swim their fastest(show up) at the games. 2012 is still a bummer to me, magnesson had a 46.9 in him if the aussies didn’t throw a London shores party. Chalmers can obvious perform, if he can bring his team to his level, honestly as always they should win on paper(who else has 3-4 47 low flat start swimmers). And yes proud is lzr focused, Caeleb has a lot more on his broad shoulders. But captain America wouldn’t have it any other way! We’ll all know more after the summer
There probably won’t be a 50 WR in the 2020 final. They always hold the 50 swimmers on the blocks for longer than normal in the olympics. It might be broken at the world championships though.
The 100 free has become incredibly competitive, it is harder than it already was to win it twice, let alone thrice.
So Dressel does a 400 SCY IM, Chalmers goes a 200 LCM fly. Next we’ll have Ervin in a challenge match with Ledecky in the 1500.