Kyle Chalmers’ original swimming coach says 18-year-old has always been a star in the making

KYLE Chalmers’ gold medal in the 100m freestyle may shock the Rio Olympics but it does not surprise his first swimming coach Carolyn Veldhuyzen.

Kyle Chalmers’ original swim coach from Port Lincoln, Carolyn Veldhuyzen, has always believed her former charge can achieve big things in the pool. Picture: Tom Huntley.

KYLE Chalmers’ gold medal in the 100m freestyle may shock the Rio Olympics but it does not surprise his first swimming coach Carolyn Veldhuyzen.

Veldhuyzen, who mentored Chalmers in his hometown of Port Lincoln, believed the 18-year-old superfish could be an Olympian when he was just 11 or 12, such was his potential.

She now works at Chalmers’ school Immanuel College, managing its swim centre and coaching the Personal Best Aquatics Piranhas squad.

“It sounds weird but I knew he could do it,” Veldhuyzen said after watching Thursday’s race with hundreds of staff and students at Immanuel.

“I never doubted what he could do and have never doubted from the time he was a youngster in our squads.

“His feel for the water, his technique, his kick – there were a whole heap of factors there that I just knew.”

Veldhuyzen started coaching Chalmers at Port Lincoln school St Joseph’s when he was nine.

It was not long before the youngster was breaking SAPSASA carnival records.

“Anything I showed him, he did amazingly,” Veldhuyzen said.

What stunned onlookers about Chalmers’ swim was that he was seventh and seemingly out of medal contention at the turn.

But Veldhuyzen said fast finishes were even his trademark in junior meets.

“You’d be watching in the nationals and think ‘he’s just not going to be able to do it’ and then suddenly he comes from behind, mows them all down and builds the excitement,” she said.

“I think he likes to give me a heart attack.”

Veldhuyzen said national swimming officials looked at her like she was “some coach from the country with no idea what you’re talking about” when she suggested Chalmers would one day make an Olympics squad.

“There was something about Kyle that if he kept his mind focused on what he wanted, he would always be there,” she said.

Chalmers eventually followed some of Veldhuyzen’s other swimmers in moving from Port Lincoln to Adelaide and Immanuel.

“He needed to be swimming in a program with athletes that were going to challenge him,” she said.

Veldhuyzen’s favourite moment of the final was when her former charge hit the wall and turned to the stands.

“He was looking at Mum and Dad and that look on his face was just ‘thank you, you got me here’.

“I’m so incredibly proud of what Kyle has done and am proud for his family.

“They’ve put so much work in.”