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Kiah Melverton

2016 World Short Course Championships (Windsor, Ontario, Canada)

Melverton won bronze in the 800 free (8:16.51), finishing behind Americans Leah Smith (8:10.17) and Ashley Twichell (8:11.95). She also placed 13th in the 400 free (4:06.51).

2018 Commonwealth Games (Gold Coast, Australia)

Melverton earned a bronze medal in the 800 free (8:28.59), finishing third behind countrywomen Ariarne Titmus (8:20.02) and Jessica Ashwood (8:27.60).

2019 World Championships (Gwangju, Korea)

Melverton won gold as part of Australia’s 4×200 free relay team. Melverton swam the anchor leg for the Aussies in the preliminary heats, clocking a 1:59.18, following Leah Neale (1:58.30), Madison Wilson (1:56.46) and Brianna Throssell (1:56.70). Australia went on to win the gold, clocking a world record 7:41.50 in the final with a lineup of Ariarne Titmus, Madison Wilson, Throssell and Emma McKeon.

Individually, Melverton finished seventh in the 800 free (8:25.07) and 1500 free (16:01.38) and 11th in the 400 free (4:09.56).

2022 World Championships

Melverton started her meet on day 1 in the 400 free, qualifying for the final and ultimately finishing 7th in 4:05.62. On day 5, Melverton helped Australia to a silver medal in the 800 free relay, splitting 1:55.91 on the 3rd leg. On day 7, Melverton won individual silver, placing 2nd in the 800 free (8:18.77) behind Katie Ledecky.

2023 World Aquatics Championships (Fukuoka, Japan)

Melverton swam the 800 free relay where she split 1:57.64 on the prelims anchor. The finals squad took gold and set the world record. Melverton also took on the 400 IM where she finished 13th in 4:41.87, off her 4:39.65 from trials that would have just missed the final.

Retirement

A few weeks after the 2024 Australian Olympic Trials, where she placed 3rd in the 400 IM (4:42.82), 4th in the 400 freestyle (4:06.17), and 12th in the 200 free (1:58.37), Melverton announced her retirement from swimming. 

“It’s been a long journey but one that has come to an end,” Melverton wrote on Instagram. “To those who supported me for years thank you. Coaches, my mum, family, friends, biomech, physiologist, gym coach, nutritionist, psychologist, physio, massage, sponsors, it’s not something you can do on your own and I thank you for everything. Looking back on my career I am super proud of what I achieved and the friends and memories I made along the way.

“I managed to do it all quite literally; world short course, world championships, pan pac games, commonwealth games, open water world champs and finally an Olympics,” she continued. “I’ve won individual medals and was apart of an awesome 4×200 relay team over the years that broke a world record in 2022. I wish everyone the best in Paris and I’ll be cheering on from home. When one door closes another one opens and I am excited to see what the future brings. Good afternoon, good evening and goodnight.”

International Medals

Place Event Year Meet
Gold 800 Freestyle Relay 2019 World Championships
Silver 800 Free 2022 World Championships
Silver 800 Freestyle Relay 2022 World Championships
Gold 800 Freestyle Relay 2023 World Championships
Bronze 800 Free 2016 Short Course World Championships
Bronze 800 Free 2018 Commonwealth Games

Best Times

Course Event Time Date Meet
lcm 200 Free 1:55.94 05/20/22 2022 Australian Trials
Queensland, Australia
lcm 400 Free 4:03.74 06/19/22 2022 World Championships
Budapest, Hungary
lcm 800 Free 8:18.07 06/24/22 2022 World Championships
Budapest, Hungary
lcm 1500 Free 15:58.09 04/09/19 Australian Championships
Adelaide, Australia
lcm 400 IM 4:39.65 01/01/70 2023 Australian World Championship Trials
Melbourne, Australia
Kiah Melverton, Hanson Media Kiah Melverton (photo: Mike Lewis) Kiah Melverton (photo: Mike Lewis) Kiah Melverton (photo: Mike Lewis) courtesy of Wikipedia Commons