Kyle Chalmers has continued his attack against the media and rumours of a love triangle rift in a series of fiery Instagram posts following his outburst at reporters.
Speaking at a press conference in Birmingham after winning gold, Chalmers threatened to quit swimming if ‘false news’ continued to circulate that he was in a feud with Cody Simpson and his ex-flame Emma McKeon.
Rumours of the rift have overshadowed the Australian team’s success as they compete in the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham with Chalmers and his teammates taking home gold in the 4x100m freestyle mixed relay and 4x100m freestyle relay.
Chalmers continued his attack on social media claiming the negative attention had taken a toll on his teammates and stolen the spotlight from their achievements.
‘Media hurts more then [sic] people realise, only so much we can take before enough is enough,’ he wrote.
Kyle Chalmers has made a series of fiery Instagram posts following his outburst at a press conference where he slammed the media and their negative coverage of him
Speaking at a press conference, Chalmers threatened to quit swimming if ‘false news’ continued to circulate that he was in a love triangle rift with Cody Simpson and his ex-flame Emma McKeon
Chalmers continued his attack on social media claiming the negative attention had taken a toll on his teammates and stolen the spotlight from their achievements
‘What should have been a very special night with my team has ended up being my least favourite in my sport.
‘Thank you media for ruining it for us all. Hope you’re all happy, sleeping well while we lay here sleepless and upset.’
He added he was grateful for ‘those who work in the media that stand by my side and write the truth’.
‘They are the only ones I will be talking to from here on out,’ he wrote.
The comments add to a lengthy Instagram post attacking the ‘false headlines’ and threatening to pull out of swimming if they continued.
‘But do you know what it does to the humans you write about?’ he wrote.
‘It breaks them down little by little, and tonight is the breaking point. Up until this point I’ve tried to just keep on moving forward but tonight I ask that you please stop writing these false headlines otherwise my time in the sport will be finished.
‘Thank you media for ruining it for us all. Hope you’re all happy, sleeping well while we lay here sleepless and upset,’ Chalmers wrote (pictured, Chalmers, Williams Xu Yang, Zac Incerti and Flynn Southam following their 4x100m freestyle relay win)
‘I don’t swim for this, I didn’t get into the sport to have to deal with this. I swim to inspire and I swim because I love my sport and it gives me purpose.
‘This could end my time in swimming, I hope you are all aware. My mental health right now from all of this over the months is at rock bottom, I really hope that pleases the key board warriors that continue to write false news.’
Chalmers dated McKeon for a short time last year before the pair broke up and McKeon moved on with Simpson.
The three swimmers are now competing at the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.
Chalmers insisted during the press conference there were no divisions in the Australian team labelling the rumours as ‘false news’ and saying the reports had impacted his mental health.
‘It’s all just false news that is actually just crap, it’s honestly just a load of s*** that is not true,’ Chalmers said.
A fired-up Kyle Chalmers has dismissed rumours of a rift between him and his ex-flame Emma McKeon and her new boyfriend Cody Simpson during a heated press conference
The swim star has also denied rumours of a rift with McKeon following their awkward chemistry during the 4x100m freestyle mixed relay on Friday
The swim star has also denied rumours of a rift with McKeon following their awkward chemistry during the 4x100m freestyle mixed relay on Friday.
Australia were the only nation not to hold hands and raise them in unison pre-race while Chalmers was the only teammate who was not seen shaking McKeon’s hand following their win.
He shut down reports he did not congratulate his ex-flame following the victory.
‘Did you watch the whole race? I said congratulations and we (McKeon) stood here right alongside you guys and spoke last night,’ he said.
‘I find that really hard to believe that I didn’t say congratulations after the race. I actually walked up and said ‘good job’ across the pool.
‘We all said congratulations, we all did what we had to do and it’s an honour to be part of that team last night and win the first gold medal in the race at the Commonwealth Games and to do it with Australia’s most successful Olympian and now Australia’s most successful Commonwealth Games athlete is special.’
Chalmers said he has a good relationship with Simpson and texted him congratulations after the Australian men’s 4x100m freestyle team win on Saturday.
Chalmers dated McKeon for a short time last year before the pair broke up and McKeon moved on with Simpson
‘I said good luck to Cody, I said good job to Cody, I sent him a message after the race,’ Chalmers said.
‘I do nothing but be as positive as I possibly can. I support him on the team but, again, people just want clickbait on the article.
‘It’s unfortunate that I can’t do anything right at this point in time.
‘I think it’s fantastic that he’s here .. it’s fantastic for our sport, it brings new viewers in. What he has achieved in two years of swimming is incredible.’
At the national trials back in April, Chalmers announced he would take up 50m butterfly for the Commonwealth Games – the same event that Simpson was attempting to qualify for.
Some spectators felt Chalmers was perhaps trying to deliberately quash the dreams of Simpson, whose return to the pool after he was a child prodigy in Queensland has seen him become a constant talking point.
Chalmers said he has a good relationship with Simpson and texted him congratulations after the Australian men’s 4x100m freestyle team win on Saturday
Chalmers turned on the media saying the criticism had made him seriously reconsider his future in the sport.
‘In every other sport, people say they have mental health problems and people jump on board and want to support them,’ he said.
‘[In] swimming, everyone still wanted to roast me. I go back home to Port Lincoln, I come back to Adelaide and there are people taking photos of me saying ‘Kyle resurfaces’.
‘It’s not focused on mental health, it’s focused on bringing me back down. You guys don’t actually realise the impact you have on athletes when we’re standing up to not only perform for ourselves but our countries. You guys can affect that a lot.’
Chalmers shut down reports he did not congratulate his ex-flame following the victory. (pictured with girlfriend Emma McKeon)
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