Kyle Chalmers misses out on Gold in the 100m freestyle by a TOUCH with American champ Caeleb Dressel winning one of the races of the Tokyo Olympics
Aussie sprint king Kyle Chalmers touched the wall an agonising 0.06 seconds behind America’s Caeleb Dressel to finish second in the final of the 100m freestyle.
Chalmers, who came from nowhere to win gold as an 18-year-old at the 2016 Rio Olympics, was looking to become the first Aussie to repeat as the fastest man in water.
The 23-year-old from Port Lincoln touched in behind the USA’s world champion for Australia’s second silver medal.
Dressel, 24, was the oldest swimmer in the race and won gold in an Olympic record time, breaking Aussie Eamon Sullivan’s record set at the 2008 Beijing Games.
Chalmers said he was re-watching his 100m freestyle win at the 2016 Olympics this morning in the lead up to the race for inspiration as he attempted to pull off a historic achievement.
‘Obviously winning isn’t everything… but it’s pretty nice,’ the devastated swimmer said post race. ‘If the games were last year, I wouldn’t be here’
‘I’m grateful for the support, my family and friends who have been there since day one. They’ve always been there for me.’
Aussie sprint king Kyle Chalmers has finished second in the final of the 100m freestyle with America’s Kyle Dressel taking gold
Dressel claimed gold 0.06 seconds ahead of Chalmers in the final of the 100m freestyle
Chalmers, who has said in the past he was only using swimming as ‘fitness’ for AFL, was one of the men’s best medal hopes in the pool and the anchor leg of its relay teams.
Only Dawn Fraser has repeated as 100m champion for Australia, who won her third 100m freestyle gold at the 1964 Tokyo Games.
Australia begins Thursday’s competition in fifth spot on the medal table with seven gold, one silver and nine bronze.
Chalmers was the only Australian defending an individual title in Tokyo and emerged from his semi-final with confidence.
‘I’ve always delivered at the end of the competition,’ he said.
Chalmers, who came from nowhere to win gold as an 18-year-old at the 2016 Rio Olympics , was looking to become the first Aussie to repeat as the fastest man in water.
Dressel, 24, was the oldest swimmer in the race and won gold in an Olympic record time, breaking Aussie Eamon Sullivan’s record set at the 2008 Beijing Games
Earlier Zac Stubblety-Cook won gold and broke an Olympic record in the men’s 200m breaststroke final at the Tokyo Games – as the Aussie swimmers continue to dominate in the pool.
The 22-year-old from Queensland touched the wall in record time at two minutes and 6.38 seconds followed closely behind the Netherlands’ Arno Kamminga and Finnish swimmer Matti Mattsson.
Stubblety-Cook had been a favourite to win after taking out first place in the semis with the fastest time of two minutes and 7.35 seconds.
No Australian had won the 200m breaststroke final at the Olympics since the previous Games in Tokyo in 1964.
Speaking after his sensational swim to Channel 7, Stubblety-Cook said he was ‘lost for words’ while his family and long-term girlfriend Ella Martinkovic cheered him on from home.
‘Unbelievable, without their support I wouldn’t be here but it’s been a tough five years and I’m lost for words to be honest,’ he said.