One of the most highly-anticipated matchups for the 2020 Olympic Games is the battle expected to take place in the men’s 100m freestyle.
Although a number of contenders can grab that gold in Tokyo this summer, many believe it will come down to reigning Olympic gold medalist Kyle Chalmers of Australia and reigning World Champion Caeleb Dressel of the United States. Two young stars, in the primes of their career, faces of the sport in the two biggest swimming powerhouses in the world, facing off for glory in a premier event.
But what if the men’s 100m freestyle isn’t the only event where these powerhouse athletes will go head-to-head? With 21-year-old Chalmers having just thrown down a lifetime best of 51.37 in the 100m fly at an in-season New South Wales State Open Championships, the conversation has expanded to possibly watching Dressel and Chalmers duel in this race as well.
There’s no denying America’s Dressel is in a league of his own in the men’s 100m fly event, having logged a monumental new World Record of 49.50 last year in Gwangju. That time surpassed the previous WR mark of 49.82 that the most decorated Olympian of all-time, Michael Phelps, threw down a decade earlier at the 2009 World Championships.
Since that 2019 performance, Dressel has posted times ranging from 52.90 at February’s Florida Qualifier meet to a scorching 50.92 at the Pro Swim Series in Des Moines, Iowa earlier this month. The latter effort sits atop the season’s world rankings, representing the only sub-51 second outing in the world since last August.
Chalmers’ aforementioned personal best of 51.37 is just under half a second off of Dressel’s season-best 50.92 mark to render the Aussie as the world’s 8th fastest performer this season. That indeed seems a ways away from the explosive times that Dressel throws down on the regular, but Chalmers’ trajectory is what puts his latest 100m fly time into perspective.
Entering last weekend’s NSW State Championships, Chalmers’ 100m fly personal best rested at the 52.07 logged at the 2019 Australian National Championships. Fully-bearded and reportedly unrested, that means the South Aussie knocked .70 off of his quickest ever in a span of just over 6 months.
Take a look at how Chalmers’ path to a 100m fly personal best has taken shape, with a 7.6% different between the slowest and fastest times included:
| Date | Age | Time |
| January 2016 | 17 | 53.90 |
| January 2017 | 18 | 54.87 |
| January 2018 | 19 | 55.62 |
| April 2019 | 20 | 52.07 |
| March 2020 | 21 | 51.37 |
Below is a similar table containing Chalmers’ fastest 100m free times over the past 4 years, with a 2.4% differential between the slowest and fastest times:
| Date | Age | Time |
| July 2016 | 17 | 47.88 |
| April 2017 | 18 | 48.20 |
| August 2018 | 20 | 48.00 |
| July 2019 | 21 | 47.08 |
| January 2020 | 21 | 47.99 |
| March 2020 | 21 | 48.28 |
One also needs to look at the domestic competition that may stand in Chalmers’ way if he were to even give the 100m fly consideration as an Olympic Trials event. Whereas Dressel is far and away the fastest American right now, Olympian Grant Irvine has been fastest among the Australians, albeit by only less than .10. He owns a season-best of 51.26 from last August’s FINA World Cup in Singapore.
But, Chalmers’ performance still rendered him as the 3rd fastest Australian of all-time, which contributes to the confidence factor should Chalmers really go for it at Aussie Trials.
Currently, the Australian Olympic Trials are still on schedule for Sunday, June 14th – Friday, June 19th, with the men’s 100m fly slated for the last day. If Chalmers were to contest the 100m fly, that would entail doubling up with the 100m fly and the 50m free on the final day.
Possible Chalmers Event Schedule:
- Sunday, June 14th – OFF
- Monday, June 15th – 200m freestyle
- Tuesday, June 16th – OFF
- Wednesday, June 17th – 100m freestyle
- Thursday, June 18th – 100m butterfly, 50m freestyle
Taking schedule one step further, the men’s 100m butterfly at the 2020 Olympic Games sees heats scheduled for Thursday, July 30th. With prelims taking place in the evening, that means that the men’s 100m freestyle final would have already taken place on the morning of that same day, July 30th.
The men’s 100m fly semi-final on the morning of July 31st would see the men’s 50m free heats take place later that night.
What’s your take on the possibility of a Dressel v Chalmers duel in the 100m fly? Let us know in the comments.
Never underestimate Kyle, he comes good when it really matters, he is very focused on the big picture. Dressel is amazing, but so is Kyle, have watched him from a young boy. Peter Bishop who coaches Kyle is an outstanding coach, they make a great team
Why are they holding their Olympic trials in June? Do they not wait like we do til just before the Games?
Ahh, I just noticed the publication date of this article.
If anyone to challenge it will be Milak or Minakov
The better Chalmers gets on his underwaters and turns, the more of a threat he is to Dressel. I predict he won’t try to qualify for 100Fly just like Dressel won’t be going for 200Free.
Honestly doesn’t seem that far fetched that he would race it. He’s pretty much guaranteed to qualify, and his prospects as a finalist seem like a given.
Dressel will probably pull a Peaty and make everyone else in the pool look like a 12-year-old, but if his goal were to medal I think Chalmers has very good odds. At least far more than in the 50 free.
I agree here, it’s was an outstanding meet for Chalmers, with good swims in the 100 free (which shows he’s not tapered) the 200 free & the 100 Fly. Considering, this is not an event he has previously done seriously, to swim in season a time that would have got him 5th at WC, wow.
Now agree that Dressel in the 100 fly is on another planet, it will be interesting to see how Chalmers does here. But I think Chalmers is more 100 & 200 free.
Jeez, SwimSwam really getting bored during quarantine lol
Jk, I love the articles
They need clicks cos the pandemic has killed the swim season and probably also their traffic.
Actually, our traffic has been higher than normal, thanks for asking.
“Chalmers’ aforementioned personal best of 51.37 is just over half a second off of Dressel’s season-best 50.92 mark to render the Aussie as the world’s 8th fastest performer this season.”
Looks like under half a second to me. 0.45s to be exact.
I wonder whether Chalmers would have a better shot at a medal in the 100mFly or 50mFree? He didn’t do the 50m at the last WCs, and his butterfly time would have placed him 5th???