Australian swimming champion Kyle Chalmers says he’s no longer prepared to do poolside interviews after being “cut down” at an event last year.
Chalmers opened up on his ongoing battle with the media in his The Big Deal podcast, admitting he was ready to give the sport away such was the scrutiny that surrounded him, his ex Emma McKeon and her new boyfriend Cody Simpson.
But Chalmers said it was an interview with Giaan Rooney last May after he won the 50m butterfly at the Australian National Championships that really proved a turning point for him and “knocked (him) around massively” when asked about Simpson’s “disappointment”.
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“I got out of the pool, it was my first comp back from shoulder surgery… I’d just won a national title in my fifth different individual event. I’d swum a personal best time after shoulder surgery, 50 butterfly. I was pumped; really, really excited and happy about it all, got out of the pool and not one positive comment came from her,” he said on The Big Deal.
“She just dove straight into negativity. For me, Giaan’s been in the sport for a very long time so she understands swimming – she understands the top two are the people who go to the major competition and if you don’t, then that’s just unfortunate – try again next year.
“It kind of sucked that someone I’d had quite a lot to do with in my time dove into that. I think for me, I won’t stop and speak to Giaan or speak on pool deck now because I pay to race in that event. My family pay to be in the stands, my grandparents come across to watch that meet … I’m so proud of my achievement and then I get out of the pool and have that kind of happen.
“It’s just not worth (it), I have no obligation to stop.
“I get home to Port Lincoln and all my social media is all that (competition with Simpson) and negative interviews or articles. Go on Instagram it’s all I’d see, go on Facebook it was all I’d see.
“It was very, very fatiguing and exhausting.
“It was something I didn’t want to deal with.
“I was so proud of my achievement and I felt my achievement kind of just got cut down, struck away and I found it very challenging to deal with.
“I know it’s going to happen again because I’m going to unfortunately have to race that event again against the same person and hopefully it’s the same result, but I’m going to have to face it again.”
Chalmers said if not for family and friends rallying around him, he was prepared to retire at the age of just 24.
“I was definitely contemplating retirement when that all happened, I wrote down a retirement speech – ‘what’s the point?’, I’m in so much pain with my shoulders at this stage,” he revealed.
“I’m living in pain, this has all happened, what’s the point in doing this? I’ve fought my way back from everything.”
Chalmers said the out-of-pool drama that followed after the Rooney interview also had a “massive impact” on his mental health as stories and rumours continued to swirl about his private life.
“It was a hard lesson to learn last year when I had the media turn against me when I’d had their backing for such a long period of time,” he revealed.
“For me, I stood up and said what I needed to say and obviously (it) impacted me a massive amount, to a point where I was like: ‘I don’t know whether I want to swim anymore and put myself through this because what’s the point?’ Like what am I actually getting out of this to justify this? I didn’t get in the sport or get into sport in general to have to deal with something like that when I’d done nothing wrong.
“They just kind of decided to target me and bring me down to write some stories.”
Chalmers laughed as he said he’d be “pretty bulletproof” by the time the Paris Olympic Games comes around in 2024, given the scrutiny he’s already endured.
And it’s likely to be his last Games as he eyes a return to the quiet life in Port Lincoln in retirement.
“I think Paris will probably be my last dance,” he said.
“I’m very looking forward to that and counting down the days.
“I think my mind will give way before my body.
“I don’t want to be one of those swimmers who keeps pushing and pushing and is just a relay swimmer.
“I want to go out on a high and go out on top.”
