Kyle Chalmers pulls off ‘absurd’ comeback in world record dead heat

Kyle Chalmers delivered an all-time comeback to seal gold for Australia at the world championships in a remarkable tied finish.

MELBOURNE, AUSTRALIA – DECEMBER 18: Kyle Chalmers of Australia celebrates winning gold in the Men's 4x100m Medley Relay Final, equalling a new world record with the United States in a time of 3:18.98, on day six of the 2022 FINA World Short Course Swimming Championships at Melbourne Sports and Aquatic Centre on December 18, 2022 in Melbourne, Australia. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

Kyle Chalmers delivered a superhuman effort to lead the Australian men’s 4x100m medley relay team to a remarkable comeback and finish tied for first in a world record time at the world shortcourse swimming championships.

Chalmers entered the water in third position but put on a masterclass to touch the wall at the identical time as the American team. Both foursomes shared the gold medal in a new record time 3:18.98.

It was Australia’s 13th gold medal of the championships, a new record.

Chalmers’ ridiculous split time of 44.63sec was the fastest relay split of all time.

It was Chalmers’ third gold of this week’s competition and took his tally to seven medals in all – a new record for an Australian at the shortcourse championships.

An absolutely absurd race. Kyle Chalmers is a freak.

But shoutout to Matt Temple who had the fastest butterfly leg in the whole field, a 48.34.

Josh Yong was also brilliant coming into the team and another gold for Isaac Cooper!#FINAMelbourne22pic.twitter.com/Ih7dT2l6ku

— Lachlan McKirdy (@LMcKirdy7) December 18, 2022

HOLY GUACAMOLE KYLE CHALMERS!!!

That was a phenomenal swim.🔥🔥🔥

— Veronica Eggleton (@veggleton) December 18, 2022

Kyle Chalmers🇦🇺 just split the fastest ever 100m free split 44.63

— Andy Ross (@andy_ross4) December 18, 2022

Emma McKeon hit the magical seventh medal mark earlier on Sunday night when she notched a silver with the women’s 4x100m medley relay squad.

No Australian had won more than six medals at a short course world championships before.

Kyle Chalmers, Isaac Cooper, Joshua Yong and Matthew Temple of Australia celebrate winning gold in the Men's 4x100m Medley Relay Final, equalling a new world record with the United States. (Photo by Quinn Rooney/Getty Images)

Silver medallists Kaylee McKeown, Jenna Strauch, Emma McKeon and Meg Harris of Australia celebrate during the medal ceremony for the Women's 4x100m Medley Relay Final.

It followed a stunning performance from Kaylee McKeown in the women’s 200m backstroke, with the 21-year-old making history as the first Australian woman to hold the Olympic, Commonwealth Games, shortcourse and longcourse titles for the same event at the same time.

Her magnificent effort in Melbourne followed victory at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics, the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, and the 2022 Budapest longcourse world championships.

Only Grant Hackett (1998-2002) managed the same feat by an Australian, with his dominance of the 1500m freestyle event.

McKeown was, however, disappointed to finish just 0.36s behind her own world record from 2020.

She would back up less than an hour later in the relay as the women’s 4x100m medley team sealed silver – adding to McKeown’s already incredible haul from the tournament.

She had already claimed three gold medals (women’s 100m, 200m backstroke and women’s 4x50m medley relay) and one bronze (women’s 200m medley) in a wonderful week in Melbourne.

Kaylee McKeown dominated the women’s 200m backstroke in a sizzling swim.

Kaylee McKeown of Australia celebrates with Claire Curzan of the United States after winning gold in the Women's 200m Backstroke Final.

Originally published as Kyle Chalmers pulls off ‘absurd’ comeback in world record dead heat