Kyle Chalmers set for ‘phenomenal’ showdown with 18yo swim sensation

Australian swimming star Kyle Chalmers will battle it out with a teen sensation this week for the crown of swimming’s sprint king.

Australia’s Kyle Chalmers is set for a thrilling showdown this week with teen sensation David Popovici for the crown of swimming’s sprint king.

The world short course swimming championships kick off in Melbourne on Tuesday and the men’s 100m freestyle on Thursday night looms as the race of the meet.

Chalmers is the world record holder in the event over short course (25m pool) in 44.84sec but Popovici is a serious threat to beat him after he broke the 13-year-old supersuit long course record earlier this year in a time of 46.86sec.

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The 18-year-old Romanian is in red hot form after he became the first man in 50 years to win the 100m-200m freestyle double at the world long course championships in Budapest this year.

With American superfish Caeleb Dressel taking an extended break from swimming to look after his mental health, Chalmers will go in as the favourite to beat Popovici in a head-to-head battle.

An individual world title is the one gold medal missing from Chalmers’ trophy cabinet and he will be desperate to win at the first world championships on Australian soil since 2007.

“If you had Dressel, Chalmers and Popovici in one event that would be almost the race of the century already,” Olympic gold medallist Michael Klim told news.com.au.

Romania's David Popovici is the next big thing in world swimming. (Photo by Alberto PIZZOLI / AFP)

“Obviously with Kyle swimming so well, 44.8sec just recently and now with Popovici going 46.8sec (long course), you’ve got two of the fastest freestylers in history. It will be very exciting to watch.

“Watching these guys, I was swimming 46.8 short course and now David is going that pace long course. It almost feels like a different sport, I can’t even compare myself to what they’re doing.

“Their skills, their underwater, just the sheer speed that they’re getting and maintaining for the 100 metres is just phenomenal. I think it’ll be a great spectacle for anyone that’s around to witness these guys go head to head.”

Klim famously dominated the 1998 world championships in Perth and the chance to swim on home soil has enticed Australia’s Olympic gold medallists Chalmers, Emma McKeon, Kaylee McKeown, Mack Horton and Mollie O’Callaghan to swim in Melbourne.

“It’s a rarity,” Klim said of having the world championships held in Australia.

“I was lucky enough to have enough to have a world championships on Aussie soil in ’98. It definitely launched my career.

“Being able to swim in front of family, friends, all the people that support you is very special and Aussies tend to rise to the occasion.

Kyle Chalmers is the man to beat in the 100m freestyle. (Photo by Steve Christo - Corbis/Corbis via Getty Images)

“Especially someone like Emma (McKeon) that’s already reached the heights of the Olympics at Tokyo, now this is almost like a victory lap. It will be great for those accomplished athletes to get to swim on home soil at a major meet like that.

“Hopefully there’ll be a couple youngsters can come through and surprise us as well. I think it will be a very special event and I hope to get down there on the sideline.”

Australia’s Dolphins squad for 2022 world short course championships: Grayson Bell, Brittany Castelluzzo*, Kyle Chalmers, Shaun Champion*, Isaac Cooper, Lizzy Dekkers, Alexander Grant*, Kayla Hardy*, Meg Harris, Ty Hartwell*, Chelsea Hodges, Mack Horton, Se-Bom Lee, Clyde Lewis, Emma McKeon, Kaylee McKeown, Emilie Muir*, Leah Neale, Tommy Neill, Mollie O’Callaghan, Lani Pallister, Alex Perkins, Jamie Perkins*, David Schlicht, Brendon Smith, Mikayla Smith*, Flynn Southam, Jenna Strauch, Stuart Swinburn*, Laura Taylor, Matt Temple, Sam Williamson, Madi Wilson, Brad Woodward, Josh Yong

* Dolphins debutant