Australian swimming great Kyle Chalmers on Wednesday created a stir Down Under after saying on radio that the upcoming Paris games would likely be his last Olympics, before clarifying that he is not about to retire.
"Probably it will be the last Olympics definitely for me," 25-year-old Chalmers said on SEN 1170 Breakfast.
"I'll be 26 next year, even this year when being in the marshalling room, I was the oldest in my race... there are guys there that [were born] in 2003 or 2004 that are there now... I am definitely the old man in the marshalling room," he said.
As news of the announcement began making headlines around the country, the 2016 Olympic champion took to Instagram to clarify that he didn't mean to say he would be retiring.
"Click bait media working hard again.. I am NOT RETIRING!! The quote was 'It will be my last Olympics'," Chalmers said in a post.
"There are many competitions after the Olympics that still give me the opportunity to represent my country at the highest level... I'll be busy, I have plenty of titles that need defending.."
Chalmers went on to say that "Paris will be my third and most likely last Olympic Games. 2028 is a very long way away, but who knows, if the body and the mind hold up maybe I'll even be in Brisbane in 2032."
"For now it's time to lock in and give my absolute all to having success in Paris. Hungrier then ever," he concluded.
At just 18 years old, Chalmers won gold in the men's 100 metres freestyle at the Rio Olympics and followed that up with a silver in Tokyo in 2021.
Having won gold in the blue ribbon men's 100m freestyle event at the world aquatics championships in Japan last month, Chalmers will be among the favourites in the Paris Games, which are due to begin on July 26, 2024.
