Don't ask Australia's Olympic champion Kyle Chalmers who are his medal threats in the pool at the Gold Coast Commonwealth Games, because he says he has no idea. Chalmers, who shocked the swimming world at 18 when he landed gold at the Olympics two years ago, is the favourite to win the 100 metres freestyle at his home Games next weekend.
Chalmers, who became the first Australian man in 48 years to win the Olympic 100m freestyle title in Rio, knows he will be up against team-mates Cameron McEvoy and Jack Cartwright in the event. But apart from them, he is in the dark. Asked who he saw as his main overseas threats, Chalmers was disarmingly candid.
"I have no idea. I don't know who's swimming here. I don't follow swimming really, to be honest with you, so I have no idea," Chalmers told journalists on Sunday. "I have no idea what happened in Glasgow (2014 Commonwealth Games). I know we got top three, so that's exciting but I don't know what people are in the event.
"I just know that Cam (McEvoy) and Jack (Cartwright) are in there, and that's all that matters to me." Chalmers has plenty of outside activities to keep him busy, including an obsession with lizards, and is very laid-back about his elite swimming career. "I'm pretty easy-going, I've got a lot more going on outside of the pool that keeps me occupied so swimming is just a bit of fun, I guess," he said. "To be doing it on home soil is even better because we don't have to travel as far. I am as relaxed as I was in Rio so we'll see how it goes."