Chalmers wins monster battle with shock twist

1 year ago 91

The contention was billed arsenic an engrossing showdown between Kyle Chalmers, an Olympic golden medallist, and satellite grounds holder David Popovici.

Yet successful a singular twist successful the men's 100m freestyle astatine the World Short Course Championships successful Melbourne connected Thursday night, Popovici failed to onshore connected the podium.

Chalmers, connected the contrary, clinched golden and broke the title record.

The 24-year-old clocked 45.16 arsenic Frenchman Maxime Grousset (45.41) and Italian Alessandro Miressi (45.57) rounded retired the podium.

Romania's Popovici, who successful August broke the 100m freestyle satellite grounds that had stood for 13 years, collected 4th in 45.64.

Chalmers executed a superb last crook and hurtled location implicit the last 25 metres successful 11.86 seconds.

"Kyle won this by 0.25 of a second, which isn't precise overmuch clip erstwhile we deliberation astir it, but erstwhile it comes to an lawsuit similar this that is actually a important distance," said Australian swimming fable Ian Thorpe connected the Nine broadcast.

"Kyle placed himself successful the close presumption that helium needed for that 25 to beryllium capable to travel location in, and determination was nary different mode that he'd beryllium capable to get through, beryllium capable to perform, beryllium capable to instrumentality the golden medal for Australia.

"He's going to beryllium rapt with that swim."

Moments aft touching the wall, Chalmers perched himself connected a lane rope, raised his near arm, clenched his fist and slapped the water.

Strangely, Jordan Crooks of the Cayman Islands reached the 75-metre people successful the lead, 0.9 of a 2nd earlier Chalmers, but faded and finished successful adjacent sixth.

"It's very, precise peculiar to bash it successful beforehand of friends and family," helium told Nine successful a pool-side interview.

McKeon wins golden successful a thriller

"Obviously walk a batch of clip racing internationally overseas, but to person my grandparents (here) who precise seldom get to ticker maine aquatics live, my member (here) who hasn't been capable to ticker maine for a very, precise agelong clip and each the enactment backmost location of my friends and household is ever special.

"If I tin animate my friends and household but astir importantly animate the adjacent procreation to aquatics and perform, I've done my job."

Chalmers relived his blistering last 25 metres.

"For me, I aquatics with my eyes closed," helium said.

"I knew precisely however to execute the contention and it was astir doing that for me. If I adjacent my eyes, I aquatics the large moments and not get carried connected by the remainder of however the different guys are doing things ... for maine I adjacent my eyes and effort and get my manus connected the partition arsenic accelerated arsenic I can."

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