Silver medal shows Kyle Chalmers is starting to belong at elite level

KYLE Chalmers’ coach says the South Australian superfish is starting to believe he belongs at the elite level after winning a silver medal at his first senior world swimming titles.

16 year old Kyle Chalmers ahead of 50m freestyle heat during Australian Swimmining Championships at Sydney Olympic Park Aquatic Centre. pic. Phil Hillyard

KYLE Chalmers’ coach says the South Australian superfish is starting to believe he belongs at the elite level after winning a silver medal at his first senior world swimming titles.

Chalmers, 17, returned from Kazan, Russia, where he was part of the Australian team that finished second in the men’s 4x100m medley relay.

The Immanuel College student was not selected for the final but helped the Aussies make it after swimming the second-fastest freestyle leg in qualifying — 47.86 sec.

He was also Australia’s quickest swimmer in the men’s 4x100m freestyle relay.

Chalmers’ coach Shelly Jarrett said the youngest Australian male on the world championship squad since Ian Thorpe — will gain confidence from the results.

“We’re thrilled with his performance — it’s his first big experience on that world stage,” says Jarrett, Chalmers’ coach for three years.

“He did a great job dealing with a lot of people, new experiences, being away from home for a long time and we’re very proud of him.

“Now he feels more of a part of it (elite swimming) because he’s been and he’s actually swum really well at that stage, which also helps. It’s an exciting experience and sets him in good stead for next year, being among those guys at that level.”

Chalmers — the son of former Port Adelaide and Crows footballer Brett Chalmers — is good a prospect for the 2016 Rio Olympics.

The Marion swimming club member has broken some of Thorpe’s old national junior records and his rapid rise has been compared to the five-time Olympic gold medallist.

Jarrett says Chalmers is hopeful of making the Game’s team but “there’s no guarantees of course”.

This week Chalmers has headed to Singapore to compete at the world junior championships.

“We’re really excited about the prospect of world juniors,” Jarrett​ said.

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Originally published as Silver medal shows Kyle Chalmers is starting to belong at elite level