Kyle Chalmers: I dropped out of school for this (Video)

Captured by D’Artagnan Dias. 

Produced by Coleman Hodges. 

Reported by Mitch Bowmile.

MEN’S 100M FREESTYLE FINAL

Start List: click here
Top Seed: 47.83 – Nathan Adrian – USA
World Record: 46.91 (2009) – Cesar Cielo – Brazil
JR World Record: 47.88 – Kyle Chalmers – Australia
Olympic Record: 47.05 (2008) – Eamon Sullivan – Australia
2012 Olympic Champion: 47.52 – Nathan Adrian – USA

In an amazing turn of events towards the end of the race Australian Kyle Chalmers got his hand on the wall first to become Australia’s first 100m freestyle Olympic champion in 48-years at just 18-years-old.

Santo Condorelli of Canada rocketed to the lead off the start, turning in first well ahead of the rest of the field and just shy of world record pace. Coming off the wall Condorelli was still in the lead with both the Australians and the defending Olympic champion Nathan Adrian hot on his trail.

Kyle Chalmers of Australia and Adrian began to churn forward, catching up to Condorelli. Joined by Peiter Timmers of Belgium, the four swimmers all approached the wall with 10-meters to go.

Chalmers managed to create a solid lead in the last 10-meters, surpassing Adrian of the United States in order to get his hand on the wall first. Chalmers time of 47.58 broke his own world junior record in the event.

Also getting past Adrian was Timmers, dropping a 47.80 to pick up the silver medal. Adrian had to settle for bronze in 47.85.

Condorelli finished just three one-hundredths of a second off a podium performance, sporting a 47.88 to finish fourth behind Adrian. Cameron McEvoy of Australia, who posted a season best of 47.04 at the Australian Olympic trials, was seventh.

  1. Kyle Chalmers – Australia – 47.58
  2. Pieter Timmers – Belgium – 47.80
  3. Nathan Adrian – USA – 47.85
  4. Santo Condorelli – Canada – 47.88
  5. Duncan Scott – Great Britain-  48.01
  6. Caeleb Dressel – USA – 48.02
  7. Cameron McEovy – Australia – 48.12
  8. Marcelo Chierighini – Brazil – 48.41

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Liam Dwyer
5 years ago

good on you

Fiona Roberts
7 years ago

I believe he is completing high school externally (not common, but not unheard of either), and in an interview the other night indicated his desire to go to university.

Billabong
7 years ago

His dad was a professional athlete in Aussie Rules Footbal. So they probably supported his descission 100%. Also Aussie swimmers aren’t interested in the merits of combining swimming with academics in the NCAA’s.
So everybody is happy.

swimdoc
Reply to  Billabong
7 years ago

Until he moves in with his parents when he’s 30.

SwimBob
Reply to  swimdoc
7 years ago

He’s gonna be a millionaire anyway after this meet so I’m sure he can handle his financials to be stable enough to live out of home his whole life – dumb comment. It doesn’t matter whether he dropped out or not, he’s got a great career ahead of him and I’m sure he could easily grab a job in the media once he finishes. Academics aren’t everything

Lisa
7 years ago

Title is not a great message for kids… :/

Jed
Reply to  Lisa
7 years ago

My school didn’t win me Olympic Gold. Go Kyle!

swimdoc
7 years ago

Please delete this title. There are impressionable youth out there. Geez, I can just imagine all the conversations that will arise from this. “Mom, Dad. I’ve thought long and hard about this, and I’ve decided to drop out of high school to become an Olympic champion.”

anonymoose
Reply to  swimdoc
7 years ago

lol, calm down. its the truth. hes 18 yo so if other youths at the same age (adults actually) decide to follow this path there probably either good enough to achieve that or too dumb for school anyways

swimdoc
Reply to  anonymoose
7 years ago

How many teenagers have you survived as a parent?

beest
Reply to  anonymoose
7 years ago

“Good enough” until they make one small mistake in training and get injured to the point of no return and end up uneducated and another lost dream. Stay in school kids

Fiona Roberts
Reply to  swimdoc
7 years ago

I believe he is completing high school externally (not common but not totally unheard of either), and in an interview indicated his intention to go to university.

About Coleman Hodges

Coleman Hodges

Coleman started his journey in the water at age 1, and although he actually has no memory of that, something must have stuck. A Missouri native, he joined the Columbia Swim Club at age 9, where he is still remembered for his stylish dragon swim trunks. After giving up on …

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