Kyle Chalmers pulls out of 100m butterfly event at swimming world championships

Kyle Chalmers’ hopes to dominate multiple events at the swimming world championships have been dashed as the Aussie team look to repeat the heroics of the 2001 Fukuoka meet.

Cody Simpson (back) and Kyle Chalmers (front) of Australia look at their times after the men's 100m butterfly swimming final during the 2023 Australian World Championship Trials in Melbourne on June 18, 2023. (Photo by William WEST / AFP) / —IMAGE RESTRICTED TO EDITORIAL USE – STRICTLY NO COMMERCIAL USE —

Kyle Chalmers’ dream of swimming butterfly on the international stage has again been put on hold.

Normally a freestyler, Chalmers had also qualified for the 100m butterfly at this month’s world championships in Japan after finishing second behind his great mate Matt Temple at the recent Australian trials.

Chalmers said at the time he was committed to swimming the butterfly – saying the schedule for the world titles perfectly fitted in with his program – but he has had a change of heart and pulled out.

Chalmers already has a busy program in Fukuoka, with the individual 100m freestyle and up to five relays, so wants to focus on helping the team where he’s most needed.

Shaun Champion, who finished third at the trials, replaced Chalmers in the 100m when the official entries were finalised on Saturday, joining Temple, who has long been Australia’s No. 1 in the event.

Chalmers won’t compete in the butterfly events at Fukuoka. (Photo by Tertius Pickard / AFP)

Champion had already been given a place on the Australian team after finishing second in the 50m butterfly and third in the 100m, just ahead of Cody Simpson, who narrowly missed out on making the Australian team for the world championships for the second year in a row.

The former pop star did, however, make the Commonwealth Games squad last year, where he won a gold and silver medals in the relays.

Australia’s female sprint queen Mollie O’Callaghan has also pulled out of one of her events to focus on her other races, which are likely to involve five relays.

Currently ranked fourth in the world, she withdrew from the 100m backstroke, but will still swim the 50m backstroke, 100m freestyle and 200m butterfly.

Australia’s Olympic champion and world record holder Kaylee McKeown is the favourite to win the 100m and 200m backstroke and has been given a massive boost in her bid to also win gold in the 200m individual medley after Summer McIntosh pulled out.

The Canadian teenage sensation was entered in five individual events – the two medleys, 200m butterfly, 200m freestyle and 400m freestyle, but dropped the shorter medley because it clashed with the 400m freestyle where she will take on Ariarne Titmus and Katie Ledecky in the most eagerly awaited race of the world titles.

The world championships run from July 23-30.

AUSSIES HOPING HISTORY REPEATS ITSELF IN FUKUOKA HOLY WATER

For the Australian team, returning to Fukuoka for this month’s world aquatics championships will be like taking a dip in holy water.

Of all the iconic venues where the world championships have been held over the last half a century, none are as revered by Australians as much as Fukuoka, on the Japanese island of Kyushu.

One of just five cities to have twice hosted the world titles twice, the port district of Fukuoka holds a special place for anyone wearing green and gold cossies because that’s where – in 2001 – the Aussies really did rule the waves.

For the first – and so far only time – Australia finished at the top of the world championship medals table – amassing 13 golds, six silvers and four bronzes.

Taking place in the year after the Sydney Olympics, and less than seven weeks before the 9/11 terror attacks that changed the world, it was a golden time for Australia’s swimmers and Fukuoka became their golden pond.

A teenage Ian Thorpe took the pool by storm. Credit: Nick Wilson/ALLSPORT

Led by teenage sensation Ian Thorpe – who won six gold medals himself – the Aussies cleaned up, finishing ahead of China – who won eight of their 10 gold medals in diving – and the US, who unveiled their own rising adolescent star.

The future GOAT, Michael Phelps won his first international medal in Fukuoka, a gold in 200m butterfly, but was just 16 at the time so was not the main act.

That role belonged to Thorpe, who was already established as swimming’s first global megastar and was adored in Japan.

Matt Welsh, who won the 100m backstroke before joining forces with his famous teammate to win a second gold in the medley relay, said Thorpe’s every appearance created mayhem.

“You couldn‘t go past Ian Thorpe. He was massive in Japan so it was really funny watching,” Welsh said.

“It was like the world‘s biggest pop star walking down the street. Everyone was going crazy, they were screaming, his face was on posters everywhere.

“We got a very small flow on effect because we were walking behind him but he was the number one guy, he was huge.

“He was doing advertising campaigns over there. I remember him heading over to Japan to film a commercial over the weekend.”

Phelps showed a glimpse of what was to come in 2001. Pic: AP

Welsh remembers his own race as being epic too. He won the final from lane eight, on his father’s 60th birthday, telling him beforehand ‘this is my present to you.”

Thorpe was involved in four world records and Grant Hackett two, including the 1500m freestyle.

Petria Thomas won three golds but missed out on a fourth when the Australian women won the 4x200m freestyle relay only to be disqualified for jumping in the water to celebrate.

Australia

“It was an amazing championship and I’m sure this one will be as well,” Welsh said.

“It‘s a beautiful country and they look after everyone well, they are amazing hosts. I know they’ll do an incredible job again.”