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Southam Breaks Chalmers’ 100 Free Age Record – 49.65 At Age 15

2020 QUEENSLAND CHAMPIONSHIPS

We’ve seen some incredible 100m freestyle swims by teenagers over the past couple of years, with the 15-year-olds, in particular, breaking through in a big way.

From Jacob Whittle of Great Britain to David Popovici of Romania, there have been multiple men under 50 seconds in this marquis event at this young age of 15, bringing the competition to new heights.

Now add the name Flynn Southam to the list of rising stars, as the 15-year-old just busted out a new Australian national age group in the 100m freestyle. Not only did the Bond teen join the sub-50-second party en route to winning his age category’s 100m free Queensland title tonight, but the athlete overtook the record hold by none other than Olympic champion Kyle Chalmers.

Southam just nailed a monster effort of 49.65 to take the Queensland age title for 15-year-olds, splitting 24.51/25.14 in the process. That managed to slice .03 off of Chalmers’ PB at that age of 49.68, a time that he rocked in 2014 to establish the record. 

Here is a split comparison of the two:

Chalmers’ 49.68 from 2014 – 24.09/25.59

Southams’ 49.65 from tonight – 24.51/25.14

Remarkably, 15-year-old Southam had never before been under the 50-second mark, let alone the 52-second mark entering tonight’s Queensland Championships final. The kid’s personal best in this event previously stood at the 52.52 he logged at this same meet in 2019.

He already got under that PB with a morning effort of 51.71 before crushing a historic 49.65 tonight.

For perspective, the aforementioned Whittle of GBR hit a time of 49.97 as a 15-year-old, while Popovici was 49.82 as a 14-year-old. The latter has dropped that PB down to 49.26 as a 16-year-old now.

As another angle, consider that Southam’s 49.65 tonight would rank the Bond teen as the 3rd fastest man ever in the 15-16 age group in U.S. history, sitting only behind Caeleb Dressel’s 49.28 and Destin Lasco’s 49.67.

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Dee
3 years ago

God these boys are going to be ridiculously fast when they get the strength to get out faster. Fantastic swimming.

Small correction, I believe Whittle was also 14 years old when he swam 49.97 – His DOB is September, Euro juniors were in June/July.

Mojo
Reply to  Dee
3 years ago

I guess you’re right. But Romania’s Popovici was even faster than Whittle, in Baku at EYOF 2019 when he swam 49:82 at 14 years old.

Troyy
3 years ago

22.91 in the 50 for Southam. #2 15 yo behind Chalmers (22.68).

Majer99
3 years ago

Southam just broke the 50 free 15 age record and the 23 second barrier… 22.91. Prior record was 23.03.

Troyy
Reply to  Majer99
3 years ago

That’s interesting. The age rankings PDF has Chalmers at #1 with 22.68.

Majer99
Reply to  Troyy
3 years ago

oh interesting… the overall rankings file has Chalmers at the top with the 22.68 but the records page has Te Haumi Maxwell as the record holder at 23.03.

Majer99
3 years ago

I know it is highly speculative but if he can translate gains made in his initial events (200 back 6 sec pb here) and 100 free (close to 3 sec pb) then he could break the 100 back and 200 free age records. The 200 free record might be one of the toughest ever with Thorpe @ 1:46.70. Southam entry time is 1:52.66. One can dream!

Joe
Reply to  Majer99
3 years ago

Ian Thorpe age group records are ridiculous.

Pick of the bunch has got to be 3:41.8 in the 400 as a 16 year old. Mack Horton is the only person without a drug history of any age to swim under that time in textile.

Oh, and Thorpey did it in a brief too.

Robbos
Reply to  Joe
3 years ago

Thorpe was a freak!!!!

Greg Bryant
3 years ago

Congratulations Flynn! Massive effort.

Aussieone
3 years ago

O’Callagan did a 53 at age 16 . Broke Campbell’s age record

Verram
Reply to  Aussieone
3 years ago

Oh wow really.. didn’t cate do 53.30 at 15 though?

Troyy
Reply to  Verram
3 years ago

She was slower at 16 tho.

Troyy
Reply to  Aussieone
3 years ago

It was Kukla’s age record.

Aussieone
3 years ago

That second 50 from Southam is incredible. How does his time measure up to Dressel at 15?

Troyy
Reply to  Aussieone
3 years ago

50.85

About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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