Last month, pre-Olympics postponement, we speculated what a possible 100m fly showdown could look like between American Caeleb Dressel and Aussie Kyle Chalmers.
With this in mind, 21-year-old Chalmers told Reuters this week that he is indeed looking to add the 100m fly to his Olympic line-up, especially in light of the fact the Games have been moved to July 2021.
“I trained a lot of butterfly early in the season just to pick up my fitness quite quickly. I raced in Sydney unshaven and un-tapered and swam really well. I kind of shocked myself with that.
“The butterfly was my event growing up, it’s sort of just faded away as I got better at freestyle. I’m working hard at it now and I want to be able to do it on the big stage.”
Dressel: a World Record holder in the event and also reigning 100m free world champion. Chalmers: the reigning 100m free Olympic gold medalist who has been making strides in the fly sprint.
In our analysis of the tantalizing proposition of a 100m fly battle, we reviewed how Dressel is in a league of his own in the men’s 100m fly event, having logged a monumental new World Record of 49.50 last year in Gwangju. That time surpassed the previous WR mark of 49.82 that the most decorated Olympian of all-time, Michael Phelps, threw down a decade earlier at the 2009 World Championships.
Since that 2019 performance, Dressel has posted times ranging from 52.90 at February’s Florida Qualifier meet to a scorching 50.92 at the Pro Swim Series in Des Moines, Iowa earlier this year. The latter effort sits atop the season’s world rankings, representing the only sub-51 second outing in the world since last August.
For Chalmers’ part, he nailed a lifetime best of 51.37 an in-season New South Wales Championships in March to sit just half a second off of Dressel’s season-best 50.92 and render the Aussie as the world’s 8th fastest performer this season.
Based on the original Australian Olympic Trials schedule, Chalmers’ racing map would have looked like this.
Possible Chalmers Event Schedule:
- Sunday, June 14th – OFF
- Monday, June 15th – 200m freestyle
- Tuesday, June 16th – OFF
- Wednesday, June 17th – 100m freestyle
- Thursday, June 18th – 100m butterfly, 50m freestyle
Taking schedule one step further, if Chalmers were to make the Aussie squad in all of his events, that would mean the men’s 100m free final will take place in the morning of the same day of 100m fly heats at night in Tokyo. The men’s 100m fly semi-final in the morning the next day would see the men’s 50m free heats take place later that night.
Chalmers understands this hectic lineup saying, “It’s going to mean a busy schedule but the greats of the sport have been able to do busy schedules and I know that I should be able to do two races a day.”
At the same time, the South Aussie speaks to relishing pressure, telling Reuters, “I’m honestly looking forward to having the eyes on me and having the pressure on me.
“It’s something I’ve always wanted, I’ve always wanted to be an elite athlete and that’s all part of what comes with it. I’m looking forward to standing behind the blocks and the guys looking at me as the person to beat.
“And also having my country watching and supporting me and knowing that if I am able to win it’s something an Aussie has never done.”
You can read more on our analysis of a Dressel v Chalmers 100m fly showdown here.
Is he still planning to retire after Tokyo to pursue Aussie rules football?
Doubt he would even bother unless he is going 50 low, he has not even broken 51secs yet!
He hasn’t really done a proper tapered 100 fly in many years . He’s much stronger now
Would like to see him take down the Aus record (50.85)….and then see what happens.
As it stands at the moment , swimming minnow Singapore has a faster national record and commonwealth record than Australia so it’s definitely a great challenge to see happening
YEEESSS!!!
It would be interesting to see how fast he would close his 100 fly if he were to drop his time significantly enough to challenge Dressel. Dressel closes so fast already; but we saw how fast Kyle can close in his 100 free and Gwangju. Would we see a sub 26 final 50?
The only swimmers alive that I think could close in 25 are Dressel practicing pacing and Milak. I think Milak is realistically the only guy who can do it in a high level race, when Dressel knows he can come back 26 after going out 22/23. If MP never went 25 back half in a body suit, I don’t know if Kyle can.
I think he’s more likely to medal in the 100 fly than the 200 free (and definitely the 50). Will be tough, as he’ll need to get by all but at most one of Le Clos, Minakov, Milak.
The world Champs after the Olympics have a trend of being very fast meets, Rome 2009*, Barcelona 2013, Budapest 2017. Maybe we’ll see a crazy fast Olympics next year…
09 had supersuits, but 2013 and 2017 were fast. It’s likely because of pressure decreasing from the swimmers. Olympics will always be fast though
Both gentlemen need this for the sport and for themselves. A new rivalry between equal players. Chills. Aussie vs Yank. Are you ready to rumble? NBC is going to play this up for everything it is worth. The positive is that both swimmers are above the head games with class. Like Phelps and Lochte. A tremendous amount of respect for each other but a desire to defeat the opponent in the adjacent lane. Swimming needs these two athletes. A year of build up. Here we go!
Great comment. Hear hear!
Damn, love me some smashing like guitars and #PhelpsFace
Great comment- this is a big win-win, for the sport, the Olympics and the fans. We will be having a great time in here analysing the ebbs and flows of this rivalry over the next 15 months!’
If all goes to plan they will meet head to head at least 6 times in Tokyo!
Almost like Phelps vs Cseh all over again
nah they’re both great guys, personality-wise
oh my bad lol. thx. actually read cavic. gonna downvote myself now