He made a name for himself as one of Australia’s most successful male swimmers. Yet three years ago, Kyle Chalmers was ready to give it all away. Now, on the precipice of fatherhood, the Olympic gold medallist reflects on the power of speaking up, how it rescued him from the depths of despair, and ultimately set him on a brand new path

A lot can change in a year. In the case of Olympic champion, Kyle Chalmers, a lap around the sun can be transformative, complete with an engagement to Norwegian Olympic swimmer, Ingeborg Løyning, a successful Paris Olympic campaign, a change of coach, launching a business and impending fatherhood. As he freely admits, it’s been a lot.

“Honestly, this is the happiest and most fulfilled I’ve ever been in my life,” says a beaming Chalmers at home on his new farm behind the Adelaide Hills. (Oh yeah, did we mention he’s moved house, as well?)

“I’ve always done the exact same thing every year and change is sometimes quite a challenge, especially when you’ve been doing it for so long and you know what works.”

Clearly, the changes outside the pool are working wonders in the water. After collecting two silver medals at the 2024 Games in Paris, Chalmers won gold at the Bergen Swim Festival in the 100 metre freestyle in April, and is heading into the World Championships in July after qualifying in the 50 metre freestyle, 100 metre freestyle and 50 metre butterfly. 

“A happy swimmer is a fast swimmer,” he adds, quoting former coach, Peter Bishop. It’s a simple recipe; Chalmers is swimming better because he’s living better. “When you’re happy and things are going well for you away from the pool, it’s very easy to be swimming fast.

"[Swimming] is super important to me, but it’s not the number-one thing in my life any more. My family and my friends, being a great fiancé and soon-to-be great dad are so much more important to me than being the very best athlete.

"I am Kyle Chalmers the human a lot more than I am Kyle Chalmers the athlete.”

There have been some who have chosen to interpret the start of a family, a business and this new approach to life as an exit strategy, an indicator of an impending retirement. And given the context, it’s easy to see why. Having dominated swimming for the better part of a decade, with nine Olympic medals (won at Rio in 2016, Tokyo in 2020 and most recently in Paris) and multiple record-breaking swims to his name, Chalmers has a reputation as a veteran of the sport. Which makes it all the more surprising to remember he’s only just turned 27. To put that in perspective, he was two years old when Thorpe et al swam to victory in the Sydney Olympics.

“I get frustrated with the questions around retirement, and the general public who don’t know much about swimming asking, ‘Oh, you’re still swimming?’” In Chalmer’s mind, he’s only just passed the halfway point in his career. “I love my sport. I know that I’m closer to the end of my swimming career than I am to the start of it, [but] I hope I can swim for another seven years or so,” he says, indicating a desire to nudge two more Olympic Games. “Brisbane 2032 could be an option if I’m still loving it and enjoying my sport. I’ll be 34, which is getting older for a swimmer, but it’s definitely possible.”

This version of Chalmers is perhaps at odds with the one known by many Australians, the commitment and enthusiasm for competition far removed from the frustrated athlete of yesteryear. 

Since his rapid rise to fame after winning gold in the 100 metres at the Rio Olympics in 2016, Chalmers consistently found himself the focus of unwanted media attention. Recognising an untamed authenticity in the young athlete, journalists keen for a scoop honed in on Chalmers early on in his career, knowing they would get a reaction and a juicy headline. The pressure cooker peaked in 2022, when Chalmers was inserted into a fabricated feud, centred around a non-existent Australian Swim Team love triangle with Cody Simpson and Emma McKeon.

The impact on his mental health was dire, and while definitely not bitter when looking back on his darkest period, he certainly hasn’t forgotten the toll that the constant clickbait headlines took.

“It definitely impacted my mental health and wellbeing, and it kind of made me be like, ‘Do I actually want to put myself through this,’ and, ‘This is not what I signed up for to be a swimmer,’” recalls Chalmers. He knew that the situation couldn’t continue unaddressed. “I love swimming. I love representing my country at the highest level. But I don’t want to talk about my personal life and then have that criticised in front of the world. As a young person in sport, you get into it for the love of sport; you don’t ever think you’re going to have to deal with these things.”

Chalmers came to the realisation that he needed to reclaim the narrative, speak up and live life on his terms. In response to the situation, he threatened to leave the sport if conditions didn’t change in a charged press conference in July 2022 – after Chalmers helped the Aussie team win gold in the men’s 4x100 metre freestyle relay at the Commonwealth Games – becoming the first high-profile Australian male athlete to take such a staunch stand in the name of mental health. 

Following the press conference, Chalmers took to social media, saying in a series of powerful Instagram stories: “We need to be more aware that we are people,” he wrote. “Some of the lines of questioning is hurting my teammates and enough is enough. As a leader of this team, I want my teammates [to be] incredibly proud of these achievements, not in tears and scared of what story or comment will be written about them.”

And so, a line was drawn in the sand: either quit the disrespect, or he would quit the sport. “It wasn’t an easy thing to do to speak up,” reflects Chalmers. “I’m proud of myself for standing up… It’s not easy, but I’m glad I can say I was able to do it.”

Despite the intense scrutiny, Chalmers found support in the upper echelons of the Australian sporting community for speaking out, which kept him resilient. “I received a lot of love from amazing athletes around Australia, and the world. Sam Kerr and Patrick Dangerfield reaching out to me was crazy, and Michael Clark also, someone I grew up idolising. There were a lot of athletes in my corner supporting how I was feeling.”

Chalmers admits that speaking up, remaining ‘outspoken’ and creating boundaries has ultimately paid off. Had he left the sport on the brink, he would not have met Løyning and be starting a family, and he’s now no longer under the same media scrutiny. Any press he does receive is focused on his world-beating swims. “Maybe my personal life is going really well at the moment, so they don’t have anything bad to write,” adds Chalmers flashing a cheeky grin.

“I think it’s been important for me to stand up, and I really hope that it helps the next generation of athletes coming through and people in Australia realise we can’t do this as athletes. It’s not OK.”

Chalmers’ gaze shifts at the mention of the next generation of athletes, moving from the darker past to a brighter future. Determined to turn his trials into lessons others could benefit from, he’s leaning on his experiences to inform his business, Chalmers Swim Academy. The academy is an online mentoring program, set up with Løyning, which offers virtual coaching for young swimmers, including strategies for mental health protection.

“I don’t want the next generation of swimmers to have to go through what I’ve gone through with the media. I want them to feel comfortable, rather than feeling criticised and fearing what the media could say or do.”

Through his academy, Chalmers is also able to share lessons he’s still learning as a competing athlete very much at the top of his game. It’s a natural extension of his passion. “I am an active swimming fan and swimming nerd, and that’s why I wanted to start an academy and talk to people about swimming in my free time – because I love doing it. I want to be remembered as a person who left the sport in a better spot than it was found. I want to make sure I’m still involved and giving back to my sport and the next wave of swimmers.”

Chalmers will again have the chance to impact the next generation this September when his daughter is born. “You’re kind of thrown in the deep end and expected to swim,” he laughs, referencing his willingness to roll with the punches when she arrives, the dad jokes clearly kicking in early.

“You’re quite selfish as an athlete, because you’ve always got to put yourself first. It’s always prioritising your sleep and your recovery, and what you’re eating and your plan for the day, to get the best out of yourself in the pool. Whereas now, it’s already no longer about me. I’m prioritising my fiancée, how she’s feeling in the pregnancy and doing what I can to support her through this period. And then eventually, it’s going to be prioritising the baby, and the athlete will come second.”

Chalmers reiterates that with the increased responsibility he’s entering into outside of the pool, he’s intent on using balance as performance fuel – not a retreat, but rather a recalibration. 

“For the last 14 years, I’ve trained nine times a week in the pool, so there’s close to 25 hours maybe spent in the water. On top of that, [I do] three gym sessions, Pilates, yoga, massage, physio, recovery sessions, rehab and prehab,” says Chalmers. That’s before sponsorship commitments, seeing mates and spending time with his family and Løyning. 

“There’s going to be a big shift for me becoming a father very soon, and I’ve already made a massive shift in my training, going from doing 50 kilometres down to about 24 kilometres a week in the pool; it seems more sustainable for me for a longer period of time.”

Thanks to his recent lifestyle changes, Chalmers knows that, mentally, he has the capacity and fortitude to compete well into his 30s. Ultimately, it’s his body that will dictate his future in the sport. “It’s gruelling how much work I’ve done through my body or how many strokes I’ve done throughout my swimming career. I know that it’s probably not going to last forever before I’m in a serious amount of pain, but I will continue to swim for as long as I possibly can because I truly love it.”

Despite immense professional success, Chalmers has unfinished business. “I think I could retire now and be pretty happy, but I wouldn’t be fully content because I wasn’t able to achieve some goals I’ve set myself. I truly believe I’m capable of swimming 46 seconds in the 100 metre freestyle. I’ve achieved every single individual title the 100 freestyle has on this planet, except that.”

“I’ve been at the top for quite some while now. I’m not going to be that forever.” Given Chalmers shows no signs of slowing down, there’s a good chance he’ll be dethroned by one of his academy members, a product of his own creation. “That would be the icing on the cake,” smiles Chalmers, once again basking in the glow of a future that nearly never was.

Kyle Chalmers' tips for navigating life's sometimes-choppy waters

#1. Don’t be afraid to speak up 

Perhaps the most eye-catching tattoo on Chalmers’ body spans his chest – a crown with wings and the cursive “Nur die starken überleben” below. The axiom translates to “only the strong survive” from the original German, and it couldn’t be more apt for his current state of mind. “It’s not easy to speak up. You can get knocked back down and criticised. But I continue to speak my mind to protect myself.” 

#2. Aim to be in the service of others 

Running a swim academy keeps Chalmers grounded and provides him purpose. Helping the next generation is just as rewarding as racing and collecting hardware.  “I feel it’s important to give back.  If I can make some kids’ careers  or journeys that little bit easier because they can draw on some  of the information I’ve taught them, then I think I’ve done a good job.”

#3. Focus on what’s truly important 

Chalmers has learnt to harness the pressure of competition, befriending the challenge to succeed. But equally, he’s taking pride in other things. “I need the pressure on me to be able to perform at my best. To be in an Olympic final with a billion people watching on TV and sponsorships riding on my performance – having that pressure brings out my best. But even in my biggest moments, it’s important for me to speak to my friends and be there for them if something’s not going right. That helps me stay grounded and calm.”

#4. Protect your peace 

You can’t pour from an empty cup. “Swimming is my job and income, but I know you need to have a very balanced life to make it all work.  If something’s out of balance and I’m putting too much time into swimming, I know that my mental health isn’t going to be as good as it is when my swimming is on a level playing field. Fishing is one of my big stress relievers, and  also just spending time with my friends, fiancée and family.”

If you or someone you  know needs support, contact Lifeline Australia on 13 11 14  or visit lifeline.org.au

Photography: Tobias Rowles for Body+Soul