Aussie swimmer Cameron McEvoy’s hulking 20kg body transformation

Cameron McEvoy is the fastest Australian to ever swim the 100m freestyle. Now he’s added serious muscle in a bid to go to the Paris Olympics.

Australian swimmer Cameron McEvoy has unveiled a hulking new-look physique as he embarks on a bid to make the Paris Olympics.

McEvoy went into the Rio Olympics as the favourite to win the 100m freestyle but was famously upstaged by Kyle Chalmers, who won a shock gold medal as an 18-year-old.

McEvoy’s blistering time of 47.04 set at the 2016 Olympic trials still stands as the fastest time ever by an Australian — even faster than Chalmers has swum in recent years.

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The 28-year-old took an extended break from swimming after the Tokyo Olympics, travelling around Europe and experimenting with different training techniques.

Taking up rock climbing and callisthenics, McEvoy has transformed his 73kg frame into a bulked up 92kg physique at his heaviest.

He made his return to competition at this week’s Queensland state championships and he hit the water at 85kg in a body he dubbed a “new vessel”.

Cameron McEvoy in has bulked up since his blistering swim in 2016.

In his first long course race since the Olympics, McEvoy (49.26sec) finished second in the 100m free just behind Australian champion William Yang (49.25).

“It was a nice swim that gave me confidence in the slow approach I’m taking at the moment,” McEvoy said, per News Corp.

“I’ll use the analysis to go back and apply it to focus on what I need to focus on moving into worlds and eventually Paris - but it was a nice first 100m back since Tokyo.”

At 1.83m and 73kg, McEvoy’s previous body shape was quite slight compared to the bigger bodies of sprint freestylers including Chalmers and American Caeleb Dressel.

But with the added muscle, he is hoping he can mix it with the big boys, qualify for the Paris 2024 Olympics and maybe extend his swimming career into his thirties.

If he does make the team for Paris, McEvoy will become the first male Australian swimmer to swim at four Olympics.

Leisel Jones, Cate Campbell and Emily Seebohm have already achieved the feat.

McEvoy swam well at the Queensland championships. Picture: David Clark

“A part of what is motivating me now and brings back the passion for the sport is I know that if the motivation is still there, if the passion is still there, if the body holds up in terms of injuries, I’ve got maybe a good decade or so in the sport given that there’s guys who are in their late 30s (and still achieving amazing things),” McEvoy said.

“(American Anthony) Ervin was 35 when he won in Rio in the 50m freestyle. A Canadian, Brent Hayden, he was a bronze medallist in London, retired for seven years and came back as a 37-year-old for Tokyo and led off the Canadian 4x100m (relay) and he’s the oldest man to go under 48 seconds for 100m free.

“I’ll look back at the process leading to Rio and leading into that year where I did those amazing times and I can take a lot away from that and carry that forward now to what I’m doing.

Cam McEvoy is looking seriously bulked up. Picture: David Clark

“But I can also see from a contextual point of view that approach then as a 19, 20, 21-year-old, wouldn’t transfer one-to-one to a 28-year-old male and possibly a male in the same event in his early 30s going forward.

“It makes me excited for say the next decade or so in the sport, if that is what I choose to do, while also I can look back at the periods where I was at my best and analyse what was good there but also recontextualise it to where I’m at now and move forward in a new light.”

Meanwhile, Chalmers and Emma McKeon will be aiming to win their first individual world titles in the 100m freestyle at the world short course championships in Melbourne on Thursday night.

Australia’s Lani Pallister has won three gold medals on the first two days of the championships.

Originally published as Aussie swimmer Cameron McEvoy’s hulking 20kg body transformation