Polarising Aussie Olympic champ Kyle Chalmers has revealed how becoming a tradie, facing off with a 16-foot snake and adding to his increasingly bizarre tattoo collection has helped him to his ‘happiest spot’.
After bursting onto the scenes with 100m freestyle gold at the 2016 Rio Olympics, the seven-time Commonwealth Games champ has rarely been out of the headlines – be it for his antics in or out of the pool.
Still just 24, the South Australian superstar has put injury and love triangle dramas behind him, and has been in brilliant form ahead of the World Championships in Japan and next year’s Paris Olympics, where he will look to add to his bulging medal cabinet.
It’s been a rollercoaster few years for Chalmers, but he now knows the formula for success: keeping busy out of the pool.
Speaking about himself in the third person, Chalmers said it has been crucial for his career and mental health to go back to ‘authentic Kyle’, and keep himself busy out of the pool.
Kyle Chalmers is in his ‘happiest spot’ in years – and he has revealed how keeping busy out of the pool helped that
The Aussie swimmer (right, pictured alongside fellow swimmer Adam Temple) works as a tradie on a building site twice a week to keep his life balanced despite a ’50-hour, 50 weeks of the year’ training regime
Chalmers had had a rollercoaster few years in and out of the pool, and was so fed up he produced this infamous celebration after winning gold in the men’s 100m freestyle at last year’s Commonwealth Games, telling the media to be quiet
‘The last three years have had a fair bit of shoulder problems that have held me back not only inside the pool but outside. This year my body has never felt better and that has really helped my mind,’ the Olympic champ told SEN Radio.
‘I’m in the happiest spot I’ve been for quite some time
‘This year I have prioritised going back to authentic Kyle as much I can, what I enjoy, what I love to do.’
One of those things is becoming a part-time tradie to help him cope with an astonishing training load he says is ’50 hours a week, 50 weeks of the year’.
‘I’m labouring on a building site twice a week, which is something away from the pool for my mental health … different stimulus, different dudes and I’m absolutely loving it,’ Chalmers said.
‘Reconnecting with those friends and family members that I haven’t had a heap to do with over the period (has been good). Obviously swimming is a massively intense sport where we train 50 hours a week, 50 weeks of the year.
‘The hours I’m not in the pool are usually spent at home sleeping and napping and preparing for the next training session or I’m interstate … last year I only spent eight weeks in Adelaide.’
Another way he takes his mind off the relentless nature of swimming is slightly more left-field: reptiles.
He often shares his love for blue-tongue lizards, snakes and everything in between, and recently faced off with a stunning 16-foot Oenpelli Python in Darwin.
Literally, faced off.
One of the ways Chalmers keeps his mind happy and at-ease amid the intensity of swimming is by indulging his passion for reptiles, such as meeting the rarest python species in the world in Darwin recently
Oenpelli Pythons grow to around 16 feet long and are a very rare species that can be found only in the Northern Territory
The beautiful, inquisitive and calm python could be seen slithering right up to Chalmers as he sat on the ground, and appeared very content to be held as well as explore his surroundings, not posing a threat in the slightest.
The star swimmer explained that having access to the rare snake was vital to stop the threat of animal poaching and trafficking.
‘Ingrid was wild caught after gaining permission from the senior traditional owners of the Kunwinjku people in order to bring the species into captivity and to stop illegal poaching of them,’ he explained in a post on his social media.
‘Her DNA was taken to ensure that all animals moving forward in captivity match her DNA and have not been illegally taken.
‘This is a great result for the future of the species not only in captivity but will also put a stop to the illegal poaching of them from the wild.’
The prolific social media poster sure is racking up the hobbies. He also explained he has been using his feed to share more about ‘authentic Kyle’.
‘I’ve really prioritised friendships and my family this year, which has massively impacted on me and helps me be a lot happier in the pool which is making me swim fast,’ Chalmers said.
‘Just being true to myself and who Iam … I’ve even tried to transfer that to my social media, show people a bit more authentic Kyle and an insight into my day and life … show who I really am.’
The heavily-inked swimmer has added a bizarre tattoo to his collection: LAZ, the name of his tattoo artist
Chalmers (right) has said spending time with his closest friends like fellow swimmer Matt Temple (left) has given his life far more balance and happiness
Temple inked his 2022 world championship relay time on Chalmers lower back after the Aussie team won
One of the things he is, is a heavily-inked individual, and he has recently added possibly his most bizarre one yet.
It’s quite the statement given he had an English star’s (Adam Peaty) autograph tattooed on his calf, and the time Aussie teammate Matt Temple’s relay leg inked on his lower back at the end of last year by the two men themselves.
With only his stomach and upper back left bare now – the only two spots he doesn’t want inked – he has now added the name of his tattoo artist to his collection, LAZ to his elbow.
‘I think realistically I probably need to stop but unfortunately I’ve probably got addicted to it,’ he said of his growing amount of tattoos.
‘It’s something me and my brother bond over a bit and having a best mate who is a tattoo artist who is willing to have me in there any day, any time definitely causes me to go in there quite often.
‘I never saw myself as a person who would get tattoos … but here Iam inked out.’
He calls the tattoos all over his 194cm, 93kg frame the ‘journal’ of his life – so it is unlikely to stop anytime soon.
Chalmers and his Aussie teammates will return to the competitive pool arena in Fukuoka, Japan for the FINA World Aquatic Championships from July 14-30, where he will look to add to the five gold medals he has already earned from world titles.
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