Six-time Australian Olympic medalist swimmer Michael Klim will star in the premier episode of the 30th anniversary season of Australian Story, a documentary series on the Australian Broadcasting Network (ABC).
Klim represented Australia at three consecutive Olympics, making his debut at the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta, and later qualifying for Sydney in 2000 and Athens in 2004. In his career, Klim collected six medals (2 gold, 3 silver, 1 bronze), notably contributing to both the 4×100 freestyle and 4x 200 freestyle relays that captured gold in Sydney.
In addition to his Olympic success, Klim boasts 12 world championship titles, including a pair of individual golds from 1998 in Perth, where he won both the 100 fly and 200 free long course worlds titles.
Years after the conclusion of his competitive career, Klim was diagnosed with a rare degenerative disease in 2020 called Chronic Inflammatory Demyelinating Polyneuropathy (CIDP), an autoimmune disease that targets nerve fibers in the body. The condition has now left Klim unable to walk unassisted.
Australian Story is a long-running documentary series on ABC that highlights the lives of Australians, focusing on personal achievement, struggle, and resilience.
In 2026, the show is celebrating 30 years, with over 1,400 episodes in that span, and Klim’s episode is reportedly scheduled to be the premiere of the anniversary season, airing on February 2, with the episode titles “Sink or Swim”, according to Variety Australia.
Despite the physical challenges Klim faces on a day-to-day basis, he remains connected to the sport by running a swim school from his home in Bali.
He told Variety Australia that at the time of his diagnosis, his “identity was taken away and I couldn’t see a future,” and that despite the challenges that Klim faced with his body, “the mental issue was probably the biggest hurdle to overcome.”
Klim and his wife, Michelle Owen, whom he met just before his diagnosis, founded the Klim Foundation, which raises awareness and support for patients with CIDP.
Klim’s episode will highlight his life after his diagnosis, and focuses on his goals going forward. The episode will also have appearances from his Wife, Michelle, Olympians Ian Thorpe and Daniel Kowalski, US Olympian Gary Hall Jr, and Klim’s parents, children, and his sister.
This will not be the first time an Australian swimmer has been featured on the documentary show; Shayna Jack was featured in both 2021 and 2024, Lisa Curry was highlighted on the show in 2022, and Thorpe had an episode air in 2005 covering his success.
I remember him winning 7 medals at 1998 Perth World Championships, including gold in 200 free + 100 fly, silver in 100 free, and bronze in 50 free.
The contemporary equivalent is is Grousset, but only if he can win 200 free gold.
I’ll always remember that 100 free WR he set leading off the 4×1 in Sydney. The BBC commentators hadn’t clocked it all!
Unforgettable 🙌.
They didn’t notice? Wow. That’s their literal job.
His lead in 4 x 100 relay is a great Sydney memory! There are some terrific late 90’s /early 2000’s Aussie swimmers in the photo above -Sarah Ryan, Matt Dunn, Klimmy & sure of last. Pic seems to have been taken by the wonderful Nicole Livingstone – swimmer, one of the best commentators & sport administrator.
Their master coach Gennadi Touretski is far right and along with Russian Alex Popov made for a formidable squad at the Australian Institute in those days.