Kyle Chalmers has delivered a breathtaking performance at world swimming championship trials

Olympic 100m freestyle champion Kyle Chalmers has blitzed the field at the world swimming championship trials in Brisbane.

Kyle Chalmers has sent a message to the world with a hot time in the 100m freestyle heats. Picture: AAP Image/Darren England

Olympic champion Kyle Chalmers has laid down the gauntlet before the 100m freestyle final at the world swimming titles trials in Brisbane on Wednesday.

Rio 100m gold medallist Chalmers clocked a scorching 47.91 seconds to top qualifying, almost a second faster than nearest rival and former national champion Cameron McEvoy.

“I think he just reminded everyone that they are racing for second,” retired dual world champion and poolside commentator James Magnussen said of Chalmers.

Kyle Chalmers has notched a time of 47.91 in the heats of the 100m freestyle. Picture: AAP Image/Darren England

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The trials may be for next month’s world titles in South Korea but Chalmers said it was also a good test for the Tokyo Olympics, which will feature morning finals.

“It’s something I do want to work on. Olympics are going to have finals in the morning so it’s time to start practising,” Chalmers said.

Asked if his time was also about making a statement to the world class 100m final’s field, Chalmers said: “I am not too fussed about the other guys really.

“But I think it is only the sixth time under 48 seconds, so to do it in morning is very promising.”

Meanwhile, former dual backstroke world champion Mitch Larkin clocked 1 min 59.53sec to be top qualifier for Wednesday’s 200m individual medley final. He finished almost half a second ahead of Thomas Fraser-Holmes, on the comeback trail after a 12-month ban for missing three drug tests in a year.

Mitch Larkin is the top qualifier for the 200m individual medley final. Picture: Picture: Chris Hyde/Getty Images

Larkin’s focus may be Thursday’s 200m backstroke final after he blitzed the 100m field on Monday to earn the world No.2 ranking in the event. But Larkin admitted he was taking the medley more seriously despite only dedicating one training session a week to the event.

Remarkably Larkin won the 200m-400m medley double at April’s national titles, claiming the 200m IM gold in a new national record.

“It’s getting more and more serious. I have a chance to swim it at worlds hopefully,” he said.

Ariarne Titmus is expected to bounce back from her surprise 200m freestyle loss to Emma McKeon when she lines up for Wednesday’s 800m freestyle final.

McKeon produced a personal best and fastest four-lap effort since 2016 to upstage Commonwealth record holder Titmus in Tuesday’s 200m final.

Titmus was the favourite after she set a new Commonwealth mark to claim the 400m freestyle final on Sunday night.

Top qualifiers for Wednesday’s other finals were Brianna Throssell (200m butterfly) and Blair Evans (400m IM).