Share

Olympic champion Chalmers has 3rd heart surgery

accreditation
Kyle Chalmers (Getty Images)
Kyle Chalmers (Getty Images)

Sydney - Australian Olympic 100m freestyle champion Kyle Chalmers was recovering on Thursday after a third operation to treat a long-term heart condition.

The 21-year-old, who claimed silver at last month's world championships in South Korea, posted a photo on Instagram of himself in a hospital bed giving the thumbs up and saying "third time lucky".

Chalmers said he was hopeful the problem has now been fixed "once and for all" as the clock ticks down to next year's Tokyo Olympics.

The Rio 2016 gold medallist underwent surgery on the same condition in June 2017, forcing him to pull out of that year's world championships.

A previous operation had not helped the problem known as supraventricular tachycardia, which occasionally causes his heart to race.

Australia's head swim coach Jacco Verhaeren said Chalmers had no problems during the recent world championships, but there were some concerns during his preparations.

"Everything with your heart sounds like a big deal but in this case, it's a very targeted procedure," he told the Sydney Morning Herald.

"He's had it done before but it didn't get the result that had hoped for and they knew exactly what to target now.

"They thought it was best to do it now before the (Tokyo) Olympic season kicks off," he added.

Several high-profile swimmers wished him well, including top rival Caeleb Dressel, who swam the second-fastest 100m freestyle in history to retain his world title last month, narrowly ahead of Chalmers.

"You'll be back quick my boy. All the best," the American said on Instagram, while Britain's 100m breaststroke world champion Adam Peaty added: "All the best brother."

We live in a world where facts and fiction get blurred
Who we choose to trust can have a profound impact on our lives. Join thousands of devoted South Africans who look to News24 to bring them news they can trust every day. As we celebrate 25 years, become a News24 subscriber as we strive to keep you informed, inspired and empowered.
Join News24 today
heading
description
username
Show Comments ()
Voting Booth
Should Siya Kolisi keep the captaincy as the Springboks build towards their World Cup title defence in 2027?
Please select an option Oops! Something went wrong, please try again later.
Results
Yes! Siya will only be 36 at the next World Cup. He can make it!
25% - 1273 votes
No! I think the smart thing to do is start again with a younger skipper ...
29% - 1471 votes
I'd keep Siya captain for now, but look to have someone else for 2027.
45% - 2249 votes
Vote
Editorial feedback and complaints

Contact the public editor with feedback for our journalists, complaints, queries or suggestions about articles on News24.

LEARN MORE