Olympic freestyle great Kyle Chalmers was a surprise starter on the opening day of the 2024 Hancock Prospecting Queensland Championships in Brisbane yesterday – swimming breaststroke.
The triple Olympic medallist swam the breaststroke leg in his adopted Queensland club St Andrews record-breaking 4×50 medley club relay before he was swamped by hundreds of 12-year-olds who crammed Chandler’s Sleeman Aquatic Centre in awe of one for the biggest names in Australian swimming – a perfect parting gesture before he starts 2025 back with his Marion Swim Club in SA.
DIFFERENT STROKES: Kyle Chalmers showing his versatility for St Andrews swimming breaststroke in the QLD State medley relay. Photo Courtesy Wade Brennan (Swimming Queensland).
And Australia’s relay king didn’t disappoint in the pool, helping his Sunshine Coast-based club to a new Queensland record along with Lewis Blackburn (backstroke, 25.36), Jack Carr (butterfly, 24.09) and Jezze Gorman (freestyle, 21.76) in there 4x50m medley relay.
Chalmers produced the second fastest split of the day with his 27.84, a time only bettered by Australian Age breaststroke champion Gideon Burnes (27.67) who clocked the fastest split of the day – Chalmers quicker than Australian champion and Commonwealth Games finalist, Grayson Bell who split 28.05.
St Andrews coach Ashley Delaney, who took over Chalmers Paris Olympic preparation, was keen to field a team but desperately needed a breaststroker – SOS to the king of the relays, Kyle Chalmers who answered the call.
POOL KING NOW KING OF THE KIDS: Kyle Chalmers was swamped by hundreds of young swimmers in Brisbane yesterday. Photo Courtesy Wade Brennan (Swimming Queensland).
“Kyle jumped at it…he’s not training but was more than happy to help the club out in the relays and I think he had some fun and swam a great time, ” said Delaney, who confirmed that Chalmers would return to his original Marion club in his native South Australia under Program Manager and Head Coach, Shaun Curtis.
“They will continue to utilise St Andrews for training camps, but Kyle sees his immediate future back in SA.”
But he certainly left his mark on Queensland, making a huge impact on the sport and his presence on the popular relay day blew him away, telling officials he couldn’t believe how popular it was, and the officials also seeing just how popular Kyle Chalmers is –
LINKED IN INK: Breaststroke brothers Kyle Chalmers and Grayson Bell sharing a rare moment. Photo Courtesy Wade Brennan (Swimming Queensland).
