Kai Taylor and Flynn Southam Have Shifted Australian Hierarchy for Better
On August 10, 2016, Kyle Chalmers secured a place in swimming lore that will endure. Racing in Rio de Janeiro, the Australian was crowned Olympic champion in the 100-meter freestyle, the 18-year-old defeating Belgium’s Pieter Timmers and American Nathan Adrian, the reigning gold medalist. That date also signified, despite his youth, Chalmers’ rise to Go-To Man for the Dolphins.
Through the years, Chalmers has continually starred for his homeland, piling up nine Olympic medals and 14 pieces of hardware from the World Championships. He has medaled in the 100 freestyle at three consecutive Olympics and his consistency as a clutch performer in relay duty will surely be noted when Chalmers is one day inducted into the International Swimming Hall of Fame. As important, Chalmers has routinely served as a role model and mentor for rising Aussie stars.
Chalmers plans to be in Los Angeles in two years, when the Olympic Games are held in the City of Angels for the third time. He’s still a force in the 100 freestyle, and his emergence as one of the world’s top performers in the 50 butterfly jives perfectly with the event’s debut at LA28. Of course, his talent and experience will also be needed in the 400 freestyle relay, which Australia has only won once, in that epic triumph over the United States in 2000.
But these days, Batman doesn’t need to bear the weight of the Aussie program. That much was proven at the recently concluded Commonwealth Games, where the Dolphins overwhelmed the opposition en route to a 76-medal haul. Contributions were supplied by a multitude of athletes, highlighted by solo titles from Flynn Southam (100 freestyle) and Kai Taylor (200 freestyle) that boosted them to the top of the Aussie hierarchy.
If Chalmers has been his country’s Caped Crusader, he now has two Robins to alleviate the pressure he carried for so long. The sidekick phenomenon could not come at a better time, either. For one, Chalmers deserves to be surrounded by firepower that will not only keep him hungry and sharp, but as a collective, will help Australia challenge the United States, particularly in the 400 freestyle relay. Additionally, Chalmers is now a husband and father, and his decision to bypass the upcoming Pan Pacific Championships reflects the importance of family as a priority. If Southam and Taylor can share some the attention typically thrust on Chalmers, all the better.
The truth is, Australia is oozing with freestyle talent at the moment. Maintaining the superhero theme, Cam McEvoy is every bit a Superman in the 50 freestyle, where he holds the world record and is the reigning Olympic Games, World Championships and Commonwealth Games titlist. Then there’s Sam Short, whose prowess over multiple distances – gold in three at Commonwealths – has made him an Iron Man of sorts.
The elevation of Southam and Taylor to star-power status is critical for Australia because of the youngsters’ range. Yes, both men have the talent to excel on an individual basis during international competition. Beyond that impact, however, is what Southam and Taylor can mean to relays – from the 400 freestyle squad to the 800 freestyle relay to mixed teams.
At the Commonwealth Games, Southam and Taylor helped Australia to the gold medal in the 400 freestyle, a time of 3:09.49 setting a Games record. Southam made noise off the front of the squad, going 47.09 to become the 11th-fastest performer in history. An argument can be made that Southam was even better on the final day, as he anchored Australia to gold in the 400 medley relay with a split of 46.55. In between, Southam won the 100 freestyle, as his 47.13 defeated Wales’ Matt Richards (47.64) and Chalmers (47.74).
Meanwhile, Taylor went 47.53 on the second leg of the 400 freestyle relay and fueled the triumphant 800 freestyle relay with a sterling anchor split of 1:44.10. For good measure, he mined gold in the 200 freestyle on the last night of action, as his 1:45.22 outing fended off Richards and England’s James Guy, who shared the silver medal in 1:45.72.
A transition is clearly underway Down Under, Chalmers now with company as a Go-To Guy. The veteran will simply continue to go about his work, as he has during the past decade, and likely will add to his greatness. But Southam and Taylor will be trusty sidekicks, helping to lead Australia into the future, and maintain the influence Chalmers crafted.
