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Kyle Chalmers: The teen gold-medallist who made history in Rio

A new swim star has emerged out of Rio in the form of Kyle Chalmers, an 18-year-old Adelaide schoolboy who scored Australia’s first 100m freestyle gold medal in almost 50 years.

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Kyle Chalmers celebrates his first Olympic gold medal. Photo: Getty

Chalmers went into the finals an underdog, with all eyes on his compatriot Cameron McEvoy.

But that quickly changed in the last lap of the finals, when Chalmers surged to the front of the pack in the final 15 metres of the race, surprising everyone – including himself.

“It's definitely still sinking in that I've actually won," he told Channel Seven after the race. "It’s unbelievable, I’m only 18."

Chalmers is the son of Brett Chalmers, a former Port Adelaide AFL star, and took up swimming at age nine after succeeding in a primary school swimming carnival.


Last year, he competed in the 2015 FINA World Junior Swimming Championships in Singapore where he won gold in the 50m and 100m freestyle events.

He was then selected as part of the 4x100m relay team to compete at the 2015 World Aquatics Championships in Russia.

Cameron McEvoy congratulates Kyle Chalmers after the 100m freestyle finals. Photo: Getty

The Immanuel College year 12 student was cheered on by his schoolmates back in Adelaide, who gathered around the TV to watch him take gold.

Cheering, screaming and hugging, more than 100 students watched live as Chalmers defied all odds to take first place.

“To say we are incredibly proud of Kyle Chalmers is a massive understatement,” Immanuel College wrote on their Facebook page.

“What a swim. What a champion. On behalf of the entire Immanuel community CONGRATULATIONS Kyle.”

Although fellow Aussie swimmer Cameron McEvoy finished up in seventh place in the finals, he showed true Australian mateship when asked how he felt about his performance.

Chalmers poses with his gold medal after his event in Rio. Photo: Getty

"Not the best. My preparation was really good all year round and it was really just a little (off) the last week or so, I imagine, which is probably where I've been thrown a little bit off.

"But enough about me.

"Kyle's come in, he's done a half-a-second PB on top of the PB he did at the trials.

"To be just turned 18 & Olympic champion ... that's bloody marvellous, isn't it."