Polarizing Aussie Olympic champion Kyle Chalmers has revealed how becoming a tradie, confronting a 5m long snake and adding to his increasingly bizarre tattoo collection has helped him reach his ‘happiest place’.
After bursting onto the scene with gold in the 100m freestyle at the 2016 Rio Olympics, the seven-time Commonwealth Games champion has rarely been out of the headlines – be it for his antics in or out of the pool.
The South Australian superstar, still just 24 years old, has left injuries and love triangle dramas behind him and is in great shape ahead of the World Championships in Japan and next year’s Olympics in Paris, where he will look to add something to his bulging medal case.
It’s been a rollercoaster for Chalmers for a few years, but he now knows the formula for success: keeping busy outside the pool.
Speaking of himself in the third person, Chalmers said it’s been critical to his career and mental health to get back to “authentic Kyle” and keep himself entertained outside the pool.
Kyle Chalmers is in his ‘happiest place’ in years – and he’s revealed how keeping busy outside the pool helped with that
The Aussie swimmer (right, pictured next to fellow swimmer Adam Temple) works out twice a week on a construction site as a tradition to keep his life in balance despite a ’50 hour, 50 week a year’ training regimen
Chalmers had been on a rollercoaster in and out of the pool for a few years, and he was so fed up with it that he organized this infamous party after winning gold in the men’s 100m freestyle at the Commonwealth Games last year.
“Over the last three years I’ve had quite a few shoulder problems that have held me back not only in the pool but also outside of it. This year my body has never felt better and that really helped my mind,” said the Olympic champion SEN radio.
“I’m in the happiest place I’ve been in quite some time
“This year I’ve made it a priority to get back to authentic Kyle as much as possible, which I like, which I like to do.”
One of those things is going part-time to help him deal with an amazing training load that he says is “50 hours a week, 50 weeks a year.”
“I work on a construction site twice a week, which is something away from the pool for my mental health… different stimuli, other dudes and I absolutely love it,” said Chalmers.
“Reconnecting with those friends and relatives that I haven’t had much dealings with in the past period (was good). It is clear that swimming is a very intense sport, where we train 50 hours a week, 50 weeks a year.
“The hours I’m not in the pool I usually spend at home sleeping and napping and preparing for the next training session or I’m interstate…last year I only spent eight weeks in Adelaide.”
Another way he takes his mind off the brutal nature of swimming is something more left-wing: reptiles.
He often shares his love of blue-tongued lizards, snakes and everything in between, and recently faced off against a stunning 16-foot Oenpelli Python in Darwin.
Literally, face.
One of the ways Chalmers keeps his mind happy and at ease amid the intensity of swimming is by indulging his passion for reptiles, such as recently encountering the world’s rarest python species in Darwin.
Oenpelli pythons grow to about 5 meters in length and are a very rare species found only in the Northern Territory
The beautiful, curious and placid python was seen slithering straight towards Chalmers while perched on the ground, and seemed quite content to be held and explore its surroundings, posing no threat in the slightest.
The star swimmer explained that access to the rare snake was vital to stopping the threat of animal poaching and trafficking.
“Ingrid was caught in the wild after getting permission from the oldest traditional owners of the Kunwinjku people to bring the species into captivity and stop illegal poaching,” he explained in a post on his social media.
“Her DNA was taken to ensure that all animals going into captivity match her DNA and was not taken illegally.
“This is a great result for the future of the species, not only in captivity, but it will also end illegal poaching of them in the wild.”
The prolific social media poster certainly sparks hobbies. He also explained that he uses his feed to share more about “authentic Kyle.”
“I really prioritized friendships and my family this year, which has had a huge impact on me and made me much happier in the pool, which helps me swim fast,” said Chalmers.
“Just being true to myself and who I am… I’ve even tried to convey that on my social media, showing people a little more authentic Kyle and insight into my day and life… to show who I really am.’
The heavily stained swimmer has added a bizarre tattoo to his collection: LAZ, the name of his tattoo artist
Chalmers (right) has said that spending time with his closest friends, such as fellow swimmer Matt Temple (left), has given his life much more balance and happiness
Temple inked his relay time for the 2022 world championship on Chalmer’s lower back after the Aussie team won
One of the things he is is a person with a lot of ink, and he recently added possibly his most outlandish yet.
It’s quite a statement considering he had an English star’s signature (Adam Peaty) tattooed on his calf, and the time Aussie teammate Matt Temple’s relay leg was inked on his lower back late last year by the two men themselves .
With only his stomach and upper back now exposed — the only two spots he doesn’t want inked — he’s now added his tattoo artist’s name to his collection, LAZ on his elbow.
“I realistically think I should probably quit, but unfortunately I’ve probably become addicted to it,” he said of his growing number of tattoos.
“It’s something that me and my brother kind of bond with and having a best friend who’s a tattoo artist who’s willing to have me there any day, any time makes me go to that pretty often come on.
“I’ve never seen myself as a person who would get tattoos… but here I am written out.”
He calls the tattoos on his 194cm, 93kg frame the “diary” of his life – so it’s unlikely to end anytime soon.
Chalmers and his Australian teammates will return to the competitive pool arena in Fukuoka, Japan from July 14-30 for the FINA World Aquatic Championships, where he will look to add to the five gold medals he has already earned from world titles.