- Emma McKeon is uncertain about her future
- McKeon retired from competitive swimming post-Olympics
- Kyle Chalmers has clearly defined his goals
Emma McKeon, the most decorated Olympian from Australia, is uncertain about her future.
In contrast, Kyle Chalmers has a clear plan: to train harder and prolong his impressive swimming career.
McKeon’s distinguished Olympic journey concludes with a record six gold medals out of her total of 14 medals, which includes three silver and five bronze.
‘I will definitely miss it,’ McKeon expressed on Monday.
‘It has provided me with invaluable relationships and experiences, shaping who I am.’
‘I will miss the training and competition, but I’m genuinely excited for the next phase of my life.’
The 30-year-old, a veteran of three Olympics, is unsure of what life will entail outside the pool, but she retires with a sense of fulfillment.
‘I’m very pleased that I rose to the occasion during the Olympics,’ she stated.
Emma McKeon has sent a cryptic message about her life after swimming
Australia’s greatest ever Olympian has retired from swimming after the Paris Games
Chalmers secured two silver medals and a bronze at the Paris Games, totaling nine Olympic medals and matching Ian Thorpe’s record for the most Olympic medals by an Australian male swimmer.
At 26, he is determined to continue his swimming career.
‘I have a strong mindset; the challenge is how long my body can keep up,’ Chalmers noted on Monday.
However, he acknowledged that the competitive landscape has shifted in his primary event, the 100m freestyle.
In Paris, Chalmers earned silver behind China’s Pan Zhanle, who set a world record with a time of 46.40 seconds.
During the medley relay, Zhanle recorded the fastest men’s 100m freestyle split ever at 45.92 seconds, contributing to his team’s gold medal finish.
But teammate Kyle Chalmers has made his ambitions crystal clear
Individual relay times are only recognised as records if achieved on the first leg, while Pan’s impressive split was during the final leg.
‘I’m not sure what more I could do to improve my training… now I have to aim to train even harder to stay competitive with him,’ Chalmers explained.
‘I’m going to use this as motivation and do everything I can to try and match those times.’
‘I want to be competitive; finishing second or third isn’t enough for me.’
‘The responsibility is now on me to enhance my performance, and I look forward to that challenge.’
