‘A huge amount of grief’: Kyle Chalmers opens up on 100m freestyle fallout

Kyle Chalmers says it has been a very challenging couple of days after he was subjected to abuse following his silver medal swim behind new world record holder Pan Zhanle.

Kyle Chalmers says he has spoken directly with his Chinese swim rival Pan Zhanle to clear the air after the newly crowned Olympic champion accused the Australian of disrespecting him in Paris.

Chalmers has opened up about the grief he had been subjected to during the fallout to their epic head to head clash in the Olympic 100m freestyle final but said everything was now fine between the pair.

“A huge amount of grief, which is obviously very challenging to deal with mentally,” Chalmers said.

“But I know that I’ve done everything I possibly can to be respectful, like I am to every one of my competitors.

“Over the years I’ve had some amazing relationships with guys that I’ve raced against and race with and I think this will be no different.

Zhanle Pan oand Kyle Chalmers shake hands after the freestyle final. Picture: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

“I really look forward to progressing our relationship and challenging each other and having some amazing battles in the pool over the years.

“It’s one-all now. Last year, we raced at the world championships and I got the better of him but this year he got the better of me so I’m looking forward to taking it to round three next year.”

Pan obliterated the world record to win gold in the 100m freestyle final, with Chalmers claiming the silver.

Pan’s performance was questioned by some commentators, including former Australian Olympic swimmer Brett Hawke who said his world record time was not ‘humanly possible.

Chalmers could not have been gracious in defeat, going out of his way to praise the new champion, only to be told that Pan had gone on Chinese television and said the Australian had not even shaken his hand.

Pan Zhanle hits the wall ahead of Chalmers. Picture: Jonathan Nackstrand / AFP

“I don’t think there was any animosity ever. I feel like there was none from my point of view,” Chalmers said.

“I spoke to him in the marshalling room before the race. After the race, I went straight over, shook his hand in the pool. On the podium, shook his hand and we had a great conversation before we started that cooldown, just in regards to how great the race was.

“He just said about me being his idol and how much of an honour it was for him to swim against me … so all the conversations we’ve ever had have been positive.”

Chalmers said he asked Pan about what he said on Chinese television and had no beef with him, saying the pair even planned to hang out together at this year’s World Cup in Shanghai.

“To be honest, it’s been a bit of a whirlwind the last three or four days,” Chalmers said.

“I kind of just said ‘I’m not sure if you’ve seen the media stuff going around but I find it a bit strange because we’ve had so many positive exchanges’ and I can’t really comprehend why this is happening.

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“He said ‘I respect you so much as a competitor and as a person’ but it’s very hard because we both obviously don’t speak the same language.

“I know zero Chinese, so it’s quite hard to talk at the best of times but from my point of view, I don’t have any issues.

“His race was amazing the other night and I’m honoured to be in the fastest race ever that’s been swum in the 100m freestyle in history. It’s an incredible feat.

Chalmers is among some of the biggest headline acts in global swimming that have been offered guaranteed appearance money to participate in all three rounds of this year’s World Cup, which includes a leg in the Chinese megacity of Shanghai.

Australia’s greatest ever male freestyle sprinter Kyle Chalmers. Picture: Adam Pretty/Getty Images

The idea was originally proposed as a way to put more dollars in the pockets of swimmers after World Athletics announced it would give $76,000 to any track and field competitor who won gold in Paris but the cash sweeteners are a timely peace offering to help calm the current turbulence in the sport.

Although officials insist the unprecedented inducements are not linked to the explosive doping scandal that has rocked world sport, swimming insiders were privately worried that some foreign competitors might boycott the opening leg in Shanghai (Oct 18-20) after it was revealed 23 Chinese swimmers – but not Pan – were secretly cleared to keep training and racing despite testing positive to a banned heart drug in the lead-up to the last Olympics in Tokyo.

Chalmers said he was looking forward to catching up with Pan for the World Cup.

“We’ve exchanged messages which has been really nice,” he said. “He’s looking forward to having me there and wanted to show me around so that makes me a lot more excited about going for sure.”