Champ faces crucial surgery
KYLE Chalmers’ swimming future hinges on a confronting surgical fix for a worsening heart condition that can sink the Olympic champion where rivals have failed.
The elevated heart condition supraventricular tachycardia (SVT) is increasingly incapacitating the Rio 100m freestyle gold medal winner in training and competition.
Chalmers, 18, will skip the FINA World Championships in Budapest to have surgery on June 5 and hopes to enter the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games in March next year at peak fitness.
“There are stories it has taken people a couple of operations to get it sorted,” Chalmers’ coach Peter Bishop said.
“We are hoping this time it will be successful.
“There isn’t any pattern. One (arrhythmia) came when he was going hard in a main training set and there was one doing nothing.
“It’s mostly when he is around the pool, which is the challenging part.
“When he has the attack he can’t actually swim.
“We have to get him out the pool to lie down and rest.”
Chalmers was forced out of the 100m freestyle final at the national shortcourse titles in Brisbane in November by the condition that saps energy and causes dizzy spells.
“It is the unpredictability. He can do most things and race but it’s not ideal,” said Bishop of Chalmers, who can be afflicted by a 200-plus heart rate for 30 minutes.
Having endured unsuccessful surgery in 2015 under general anaesthetic, Chalmers will be awake for his next procedure.
This will enable doctors to pinpoint the cause and location of the arrhythmia.
“This time he needs to be conscious so they can start one of his arrhythmias,” Bishop said. “It’s not something to look forward to but better to get it over and done with.”
Chalmers has been relaxing away from the pool by fronting for brother Jackson’s under-18 football side in Adelaide.
Chalmers, son of former Adelaide and Port Adelaide defender Brett, booted four goals in a game on Sunday.
“We obviously don’t want him to get injured but it is good to do some different training and get out with his dad and brother,” Bishop said.