‘Breaking point’: Ian Thorpe’s message to Kyle Chalmers at Commonwealth Games

Ian Thorpe has sent a message to Kyle Chalmers after the Aussie swimming champion’s explosive press conference on Sunday.

Kyle Chalmers and Ian Thorpe.

Ian Thorpe has sent a message to Kyle Chalmers after the Aussie swimming champion’s explosive press conference on Sunday morning (AEST).

Chalmers turned a flamethrower on the media following his lightning swim in helping Australia to win the 4x100m freestyle relay.

However his post-race interview quickly became focused on the drama surrounding his relationships with Olympic legend Emma McKeon and pop star turned swimmer Cody Simpson.

Chalmers, McKeon and Simpson have all rejected suggestions there is any friction at all between them.

The Rio Olympics 100m freestyle champion also took to social media in the early hours of Sunday morning local time where he said he is at “breaking point” as a result of the impact the drama in Birmingham has had on his mental health.

Chalmers also took a brief break away from the sport in May following the Australian swimming championships as a result of his mental health.

Thorpe has now sent a warning to the swimming world, calling for Chalmers’ mental health to be the top priority.

Thorpe on Channel 7 said if he could speak to Chalmers — and said he may shortly reach out to the 24-year-old — he would advise him to tackle his predicament in one of two ways.

Chalmers on mental health battle. Picture: Instagram / @kyle_chalmers3

Chalmers takes aim at the media. Picture: Instagram / @kyle_chalmers3

Chalmers goes whack. Picture: Instagram / @kyle_chalmers3

The champion is at his breaking point. Picture: Instagram / @kyle_chalmers3

“Talking about going from the hero to the villain and something because he hasn’t done it, we’re talking about someone that doesn’t feel as though they’re in control of the narrative around their own story,” he.

“The things that I have read and saying that you’re at breaking point, rock bottom kind of area, this is concerning.

“And I think of that part of this first before I think of any of the headlines and anything that has to do with performance.”

He went on to say about Chalmers: “When he says he’s almost at breaking point it’s almost as though it’s the straw that broke the camel’s back.

“We don’t know the back story. Kyle has spoken about struggles he’s had with mental health. I have done a similar thing as well and know a lot of athletes do go through this.”

Thorpe said Chalmers should consider taking a break away from reading any type of news about him through the media and on social media. He also compared the situation to the one that surrounded tennis star Naomi Osaka last year when she walked out in the middle of the French Open and skipped Wimbledon citing mental health reasons.

“I hope it can quieten down for him because we’re looking at the priorities in all of this. Number one is his mental health. Then the second part of it is we want him to perform well and then the third part of it is working out what the relationship with the media looks like,” Thorpe said.

“I tell everyone there’s two options when it comes to how you deal with the media if you are in the spotlight. You read, watch, listen to everything or you do none of that.

Kyle Chalmers and Ian Thorpe.

“I think he is and I think he’s someone that does read everything and I am someone that chooses not to. Doesn’t mean I don’t know what’s going on. I can tell what the interaction is and the questions people ask me. I know what people are talking about but to be able to remove yourself from this and to be able to shut out that noise is important so if I was to

talk to Kyle directly about this — I probably could — but what I will say publicly about this is, ‘Think about it as something that’s outside of your control’.”

Aussie legend Cate Campbell also said the social media aspect should not be underplayed.

“I think that Kyle sometimes uses the things that are said about him to fuel that fire within him, but it might have now reached a breaking point where there’s too much pile-o,” she said on Channel 7.

“And as humans we’re wired to want to know what people are thinking us, it is programmed into our DNA, and perhaps the social media aspect of it is really troubling because you have access to what everyone is saying all over the world whereas you used to have to go and seek out a newspaper or speak to someone from the public to get an idea of what’s being said about you.”

She said she hopes Chalmers is now given some protection from the situation.

“To lose Kyle Chalmers to the sport is a loss that we can’t afford and to lose him as a human being and to not protect him as a human being is also something that we need to reconcile with,” she said.

Chalmers earlier took aim at the focus being away from the pool in a lengthy Instagram post while also detailing his ongoing mental health battle, admitting the toll has him at his “breaking point”.

“Tonight in Birmingham we should’ve been celebrating as a team for all the medals that were won in the pool. We capped off the night with a gold in both freestyle relay teams,” Chalmers wrote.

“Instead, the line of questioning by the media decided to pick up where they started back in May after trials.

“I don’t know how many more times it needs to be said by not only me but my fellow teammates, but these fake storyline’s (sic) are doing more harm than good.

“I have dedicated my life to this sport and representing my country. I am your poster boy from 2016 and I’m your villain in 2022. And for no reason other than some people in the media needing to justify their pay cheques and knowing that false headlines create clicks and earn them money.

“But do you know what it does to the humans you write about? It breaks them down little by little, and tonight is the breaking point.

Chalmers is feud up with the media scrutiny. Picture: Michael Klein

“Up until this point I’ve tried to just keep on moving forward but tonight I ask that you please stop writing these false headlines otherwise my time in the sport will be finished. I don’t swim for this, I didn’t get into the sport to have to deal with this. I swim to inspire and I swim because I love my sport and it gives me purpose.

“This could end my time in swimming, I hope you are all aware. My mental health right now from all of this over the months is at rock bottom, I really hope that pleases the keyboard warriors that continue to write false news.

“Thank you again for the people who love, care and support me. You’ve been there for me everyday through this journey and without you I would not have been standing here racing. I would have been retired, but you motivated me, inspired me and helped me get through this battle. For that I am forever grateful.”

Chalmers posted to his Instagram story, detailing his disappointment with the constant coverage taking the shine away from the impressive feats of the swim team.

In an extraordinary end to Australia’s golden night, which also included a gold medal for McKeon, Shayna Jack, Madi Wilson and Mollie O’Callaghan in the women’s 4x100m freestyle relay, in the Birmingham pool, it emerged:

— Chalmers insisted he did congratulate McKeon on the pool deck following their mixed relay victory.

— Chalmers said he and Simpson speak regularly and will “chat tonight” after the South Australian superfish helped Simpson win his first ever Commonwealth gold medal.

— The 24-year-old appeared to call one reporter a “keyboard warrior”.

— McKeon said she and Chalmers did shake hands after the race; and

— Chalmers said he will soon walk away from media commitments on medical health grounds if things don’t change. He also suggested he could walk away from the sport as a result.

His press conference was eventually cut short by a Swimming Australia media official as the line of questioning continued towards Chalmers despite requests for questions to be directed to Chalmers’ teammate Yang.