‘Alpha male’ a danger
JAMES Magnussen is still the alpha male of the 100m freestyle.
So says Olympic champion Kyle Chalmers, who heads into today’s event desperate to prove he is no “one-hit wonder”.
Today’s 100m freestyle will pit five of the seven fastest Australians of all time against one another, with only three able to earn an individual swim at the Commonwealth Games.
Chalmers, who won gold in Rio at just 18, and Gold Coaster Cameron McEvoy, who holds the fastest time in history in a textile suit, quinellaed the event at last year’s national titles and head into the race as favourites.
But the presence of dual world champion Magnussen is never far away and with the Sydneysider recovered from a shoulder reconstruction and the healthiest he has been in almost four years, all in the field are aware of his return.
“I’m excited to have Maggie back in the room racing as well,” Chalmers said of Magnussen, who took last season off to completely heal his shoulder.
“He’s someone I’ve watched swim growing up and he’s someone I’ve looked up to and I think he’s that alpha male in the room as well, still.
“He has a huge presence about him.”
Chalmers with credited Magnussen firing him up ahead trials.
“I remember in 2016 he said how I wasn’t a threat to him which spurred me on to swim as well as I could in trials,” said Chalmers, who claimed Australia’s second individual spot behind McEvoy of the Rio MEN’S 100M FREESTYLE
FASTEST AUSSIES OF ALL TIME 47.04 Cameron McEvoy
47.05 Eamon Sullivan
47.10 James Magnussen (pictured)
47.58 Kyle Chalmers
47.63 James Roberts
47.88 Matt Targett
47.97 Jack Cartwright
● Olympic before going on to win Olympic gold.
“I love hearing those sort of things in the media because it does motivate you that bit extra.”
Chalmers said winning a maiden national title was important to him.
“Nobody wants to be remembered as a one-hit wonder and that’s something that’s definitely played in the back of my mind, I’ve heard that thrown up every now and then from people,” he said.
“But my goal is to qualify for the Commonwealth Games, whether it’s in third place, first spot, it doesn’t matter to me.”
That spot is likely to more highly contested than at any other meet in history though, given the speed of the field.
“It will be pretty tight. Australia always throws up a very tough domestic competition in the 100m,” McEvoy said.
And having potentially five swimmers push under the 48sec barrier would only help on the international stage. “I guess having the normal
the international stage of seeping into the normal of the domestic stage can only help the Aussie swimmers because it means we’re going to have a realistic trials in terms of what to expect at that next bigger competition,” he said.
Magnussen said he was not even contemplating finishing outside the top three and missing a solo spot.
“The last time we had this much talent in a race in Australia was probably the 2012 Olympic Games qualification and that was an awesome race,” he said.
“I think it’s going to be a really good preparation for the Commonwealth Games themselves and it’s going to be the perfect precursor and you’ll get a pretty good idea of where you stand based on that race at trials.”