Kyle Chalmers reveals mental challenge of ‘love triangle’ drama

Kyle Chalmers has opened up on the mental health battles he confronted following the ordeal that tested the swimmer’s career.

Olympic gold medallist and soon-to-be dad Kyle Chalmers admits he questioned his swimming career as he lifted the lid on his mental health battles amid the Australian team “love triangle” saga.

The Aussie swimmer who won gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics found himself at the centre of controversy in 2022 when reports surfaced fellow swimmer and former girlfriend Emma McKeon was dating singer-turned-swimmer Cody Simpson.

“It definitely impacted my mental health and wellbeing, and it kind of made me be like, ‘Do I actually want to put myself through this,’ and, ‘This is not what I signed up for to be a swimmer’,” Chalmers exclusively tells this Sunday’s edition of Body+Soul.

Kyle Chalmers talks swimming and life in this Sunday’s Body+Soul. Picture: Tobias Rowles for Body+Soul

Kyle Chalmers on the cover of this Sunday's Body+Soul.

“I love swimming. I love representing my country at the highest level. But I don’t want to talk about my personal life and then have that criticised in front of the world.

“As a young person in sport, you get into it for the love of sport; you don’t ever think you’re going to have to deal with these things,” Chalmers, who has a total of nine medals across three Olympic Games in Rio, Tokyo and Paris, said.

He revealed he received messages of support from some of the biggest names in Australian sport when he took such a public stand.

“I received a lot of love from amazing athletes around Australia, and the world,” he said.

“Sam Kerr and Patrick Dangerfield reaching out to me was crazy, and Michael Clark also, someone I grew up idolising.

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“There were a lot of athletes in my corner supporting how I was feeling.”

The 27-year-old’s life looks very different these days; engaged to Norwegian Olympic swimmer Ingeborg Løyning, with the couple expecting their first baby this September.

For an athlete who has spent nine sessions a week in the pool for the past 14 years – on top of gym, physio and rehab sessions – the soon-to-be dad said his perspective has certainly shifted.

Chalmers’s ex-girlfriend and fellow swimmer Emma McKeon, with partner singer-turned-swimmer Cody Simpson in Venice after the Commonwealth Games Picture Instagram

“You’re quite selfish as an athlete, because you’ve always got to put yourself first. It’s always prioritising your sleep and your recovery, and what you’re eating and your plan for the day, to get the best out of yourself in the pool,” Chalmers said.

“Whereas now, it’s already no longer about me. I’m prioritising my fiancee, how she’s feeling in the pregnancy and doing what I can to support her through this period. And then eventually, it’s going to be prioritising the baby, and the athlete will come second.”

But Chalmers is still just as committed to swimming, heading to Singapore for the Swimming World Championships in July after qualifying in the 50m freestyle, 100m freestyle and 50m butterfly.

The veteran is also looking to turn his experiences into lessons to develop his Chalmers Swim Academy business started up with Løyning, which offers young swimmers virtual coaching and help around mental health.

Kyle Chalmers with fiance Norwegian Olympic swimmer Ingie Loyning. Picture: Supplied.

The pair is expecting their first baby in September. Picture: Instagram.

“I don’t want the next generation of swimmers to have to go through what I’ve gone through with the media. I want them to feel comfortable, rather than feeling criticised and fearing what the media could say or do,” Chalmers said.

He’s also set a possible retirement date, saying there’s at least another seven years in the legs.

“Brisbane 2032 could be an option if I’m still loving it and enjoying my sport. I’ll be 34, which is getting older for a swimmer, but it’s definitely possible.”

But he admitted: “[Swimming] is super important to me, but it’s not the number-one thing in my life any more. My family and my friends, being a great fiancee and soon-to-be great dad are so much more important to me than being the very best athlete.”

Originally published as Kyle Chalmers reveals mental challenge of ‘love triangle’ drama