Kyle Chalmers heart surgery
By Ian Hanson
Olympic champion Kyle Chalmers has his fingers crossed that “a third round of heart surgery” yesterday will kick start his second Olympic campaign for Tokyo 2020.
Chalmers entered hospital just a month after his leading role for the Dolphins with his five medal haul at the recent World Championships In Gwangju, South Korea.
The reigning Olympic 100m freestyle champion has undergone two previous operations to correct his supraventricular tachycardia condition – a recurrent rapid heartbeat that is normally not life-threatening.
The 21-year-old posted on his Instagram account:
“Third time lucky …fingers crossed today’s heart surgery fixed the problem once and for all. Thanks again everyone for your support. “
Chalmers received instant messages from Dolphins team mates Tay McKeown, Travis Mahoney, Josh Beaver, Grant Irvine, Jack McLoughlin and Kiah Melverton as well as fellow Olympic gold medallist, track cycling queen Anna Meares.
Even South African Olympic champion Chad Le Clos posted “ speedy recovery brother.”
His Marion Swim Club posted “Good luck Kyle…hope it’s a speedy recovery.”
Chalmers suffered an attack during the 2016 Australian Short Course Championships in Brisbane.
And in 2017 he underwent his second round of surgery after increasingly suffering symptoms, including an abnormally fast heart rhythm and sat out the World Championships In Budapest.
Chalmers returned to training under coach Peter Bishop in Adelaide and made a triumphant return at the 2018 Commonwealth Games with gold in the 200m freestyle and Pan Pacs in Tokyo – where he won gold in his pet 100m freestyle.
Chalmers has already produced some scintillating form through 2019. He spearheaded the Dolphins to gold in the 4x200m freestyle and added silver behind rising US superstar Caeleb Dressel in the 100m freestyle with a lifetime best as part of a four-medal haul.
Apart from his obvious individual prowess Chalmers remains the key cog in four Australian relays for Tokyo.
Before his second operation In May 2017 he said:
“I have been swimming with an ongoing heart condition known as supraventricular tachycardia and have increasingly begun to suffer from an abnormally fast heart rhythm during training and competitions, which now requires surgery.”
Chalmers has time on his side to again make a full recovery with the Olympic Swimming Trials not till next June in his home city of Adelaide.
A version of the article was issued on behalf of Australian Swimming Coaches And Teachers Association (ASCTA)
Best wishes to Kyle Chalmers for a painless surgery and a swift recovery. ?
It could affects his carrier.
All the best for a speedy recovery and I hope to see you back in the pool soon. ??
Bethany Mison