Olympic gold medal winner Kyle Chalmers arrives back in Adelaide after Rio games, saying he has pneumonia
KYLE Chalmers revealed he has been battling pneumonia for the past five days while visiting schoomates at Adelaide’s Immanuel College today. | GALLERY | Palmer puts Rio drama behind him
KYLE Chalmers has revealed he has been battling pneumonia for the past five days.
The Olympic gold medallist visited schoolmates at Immanuel College today, where he said his persistent cough had been diagnosed as pneumonia by a athletes village doctor in Rio.
“That was three days before I left,” Chalmers said.
“The last three days there were not the best days of my life. I kind of just slept and tried to get better.
“I’ve been putting my body through a lot of strain over the last few days and the flying back probably didn’t help, and media all day today probably hasn’t helped either.”
There was no danger of long-term effects but Chalmers was uncertain of a recovery time.
“I don’t know. I’ve got to go and see the doctor in the next couple of days.”
Chalmers, 18, was the star attraction at a special presentation on the college’s senior grounds this afternoon.
He has studied Year 12 by correspondence this year to help prepare for his Games debut but said returning to see classmates had been the most nerve-wracking task of his post-Olympic celebrations.
“I think it’s just because I don’t like showing off my medals,” he said.
“Normally I cruise back into school and everything settles back down a day or so after seeing everyone but this is a little bit more hectic today.”
Chalmers hugged, and posed for photos with, students at Adelaide’s Imanuel College, a day after he jetted back from Rio via Sydney.
Earlier, Chalmers revealed he had yet to watch the race which catapulted him to fame — but will sit down with his coach now he is back in Adelaide to see how he won.
Chalmers touched down in Adelaide with most of the SA-based athletes on Wednesday afternoon, clearly the favourite among the crowd of more than 200 that gathered at the arrival gate.
This morning he had a round of radio interviews but was as modest as ever, reluctant to bask in his own glory.
In one interview he admitted he hadn’t actually watched his gold medal winning race.
“I”ve not sat down and watched the race yet. It’s something I’ll do with my coach. We’ll sit down and analyse it and look at a few things,” he told ABC 891.
Chalmers said he would soon head to Germany where he’s got commitments with sponsor Adidas, then France for a photoshoot, then to London for a holiday, where he’ll also get to watch his favourite soccer team, Arsenal, play.
He also revealed he was a “massive” Port Adelaide fan.
The South Aussie superfish said he wouldn’t rest on his laurels, setting his sights on another gold medal in Tokyo in 2020.
“There’s only been a certain amount of people who have been able to medal in the 100m freestyle twice in consecutive (Olympics),” he told FiveAA.
“I’d love to stand up and defend my title. So that’s what’s motivating me now.
“I just love training so I’m pretty excited to go back.”
Chalmers, 18, said the limelight and attention since his stunning gold medal win has felt “like a crazy dream” but “it’s good fun”.
He’ll now will enjoy a few days off before jetting off to Germany.
“Tomorrow’s my first day of no media,” he said.
“I’m pretty excited for everything to go back to normal.”
Later he visited his school, Imannuel College, where he was mobbed by a cheering crowd once again.
On Wednesday, Kyle touched down to a wild reception in Adelaide, which followed a similar welcome at Sydney Airport with the rest of the returning Aussies.
“Very, very overwhelming,” he said at Adelaide Airport on Wednesday.
“I’m actually shaking a little bit, I didn’t expect anything like this, I didn’t expect so many people to be here but it’s very good to be back home in my own state.”
Fans blasted whistles and waved signs of congratulations as Chalmers walked up the ramp to the arrival gate just after 1pm.
The 100m freestyle champion said he was still coming to terms the new-found celebrity his medal haul had delivered, and preferred to remain as just a member of the Olympic team.
“That’s something I really don’t enjoy,” he said. “I hate the spotlight being on me, and coming up there, I was lucky enough to have a couple of guys walking by my side and I was able to talk to them about reality.
“Because this really isn’t reality. In a couple of weeks time it’s all going to settle back down — hopefully — and I’ll go back to normal.”
Chalmers was mobbed by family and friends, while students from Immanuel College and other schools pursued the swimmer for photos.
Chalmers’ parents and grandparents arrived from Sydney about an hour earlier, and waited at Adelaide Airport to take their golden boy home.
Port Lincoln-based grandparents Malcolm and Julie Bagnell had been flown to Sydney especially for Chalmers’ and the Australian team’s return home.
The pair were at the centre of the one of the enduring images of the 2016 Olympics, for the emotional footage as they watched in their home Chalmers’ triumphant swim in the 100m freestyle final.
As much as 30 minutes before Chalmers’ scheduled arrival, a sea of maroon jackets worn by Marion Swimming Club junior members gathered at the arrival gate, confirming the hero status Chalmers has seized in the past three weeks.
Chalmers said after the five-week campaign, he was most looking forward to his own bed.
“I know two of my friends sent me messages saying they were coming to see me at the airport so I was expecting to see those two and maybe we’d be able to go and get lunch — looks like that’s off the cards now,” he said.
“We’ve been away for five weeks now, it’s been a very long trip away.
“Since racing has finished I’ve been very excited to just get home and get in my own bed and be back in my own little space.”
####
Originally published as Olympic gold medal winner Kyle Chalmers arrives back in Adelaide after Rio games, saying he has pneumonia