Thrilling Finish to the FINA World Swimming Championships (25m)

Fans were on the edge of their seats for the final night of the FINA World Swimming Championships (25m) in Melbourne, as more world records fell, and history was made.

Kyle Chalmers anchored Australia’s men’s medley relay that saw the side claim gold in a dead heat with the USA… in what was also a world record.

Chalmers entered the water in second place behind the USA but managed to close the gap and power home in the last 25m to claim an impressive win.

Alongside his Dolphins teammates, Isaac Cooper, Josh Yong and Matt Temple, the Aussies were thrilled to deliver the Australian team their 13th gold medal of the meet.

While Chalmers put the final touch on the wall, he was nothing but praise for his teammates.

“I think to be honest, if you look at the splits. Isaac swam the best he’s ever swum, Yongy swam .7 faster than his individual (time),Temple swam 1.4s faster than he did in his individual butterfly.

“So you look at that and you go, I’m just the guy that carries that home. Those three were the ones that carried us over the line tonight,” he said.

The win saw the Australians finish with 13 gold medals and second on the medal tally behind the USA.

The USA women took the gold in the Women’s 4x100m Medley relay with a new World Record of 3:44.35. The Australian Dolphins team of Kaylee McKeown, Jenna Strauch, Emma McKeon and Meg Harris were a close second in 3:33.92

Earlier in the evening Kaylee McKeown took home the gold in the 200m backstroke, leading the race from the word ‘go’ as the Melbourne cheered her on every step of the way. McKeown, the world record holder and reigning world and Olympic champion, did not let the crowd down, with a time of 1:59.26, just off her own world record of 1:58.94 from 2020.

McKeown was pushed plenty by American Claire Curzan (2:00.53), but the Australian got the job done, winning both the 100m and 200m backstroke finals this week in her home nation.  McKeown is the first Australian to win gold in this event at the World Short Course Championships.